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DISTRICT COUNCIL OF ALEXAN
DRLNA.
A public meeting of the ratepayers of the
District of Alexandria was held at the Clerk's
residence, on Tuesday, 14th instant, at 2 o'clock
p.m. The meeting was most numerously and
respectably attended. The several speakers spoke
temperately yet appropriately, and the utmost har
mony pervaded the whole assembly. Mr. Thomas
Foster Robinson was called to the chair, and
opened the proceedings by reading from the
Obierrcr the notice convening the meeting.
Mr. Crawford, in response to the request of
the Chairman that he should giveliis reasons for
calling the ratepayers together, stated what had
transpired between him and the Council in refe
rence to the road from Point Sturt to Milang,
especially that portion of it which passed through
lis property. In refutation of statements made by
Mr. James Jtankine in a letter sent by him to the
meeting, ho produced the evidence of gentlemen,
letters iu writing from the Council, and his own
evidence. He also read the letter he had written to
the Council on behalf of ratepayers in favour of
the road on the Lake side, which letter the
Council stated was disrespectfully worded.
The opinion of the meeting was that the epistle
was not disrespectful worded, aud, further, they
warmly thanked Mr. Crawford for writing the
letter.
The Chairman then called on Mr. John Golds
vnrthv In mnvp thft first. rp«n!nHnn_ which
affirmed the urgent necessity of repairing the road
in front of Mr. Crawford's gate. In support of the
resolution he stated that no money hail been judi
ciously expended on the front road; that the £12
expended in front of Mr. Parker's was completely
thrown away ; and that Mr. Crawford had paid him
eelf-sutrieient rates to make a good raid to Milaug.
Jf the ratepayers alioiveJ tho Councillors to carry
out their plans in regard to the back road a heavy
expenditure would be required, whereas if a few
pounds had been laid out iu the front with economy
it would.both have satisfied Mr. Cra.vford and the
b--ck settlers, and sued the injustice of taking
Mr. Crawford a distance oi two miles on a much
worse road. The L:ike side people— those on the
hack and Lower Finniss— were entitled to a good
road on the front, and they would have it._ A six
penny rate wouhi have been amply sufficient to
have made the front road good, with money to
spare for repairs in other parts of the District; but
if the Council got leave to carry out thuir plans
they would icquire another rate of Is. (id. or 2s.,
and have a much worse road,
air. Dkwah, in seconding, said that he lived
on the line of road proposed by the Council, but
he assured them that even if it was made he never
would use it, but would take tbe Lake side road iu
preference, even though it was not repaired, as he
would, by usiug it, escape all the sanlhills on the
scrub road.
Mr. Thompson, Lower Finniss, in supporting
the motion, said he would never use the scrub
road. He would continue to t'ike the front road iu
preference, as he always had done.
Mr. Taylor, in moving the second resolution,
which referred to the superiority uf the road be
tween ilr. Crawford's and Messrs. Yelland and
Mason's, said he entirely agreed with it. He would
not go two or three miles about by the scrub on a
far worse road, when he could go to Milang by the
Lakeside on road which was good throughout,
except for two or three places which were l-ad in
winter, but which could be easily and cheaply
repaired. It was a coni|;lete waste of the public
money to propose taking it the back way, and the
Point Sturt people would not submit to it.
Mr. Turner, in seconding, said that all along he
had been in favour of the front road. It had never
been proved to him that the back road could be
made passable for as little mouey as the front
one.
Mr. Hague, in supporting the resolution, statei
tha.t the front road from Point Sturt to the front of
Mr. Crawford's residence urgently wanted 12J
chains to be repaired, the scrub road urgently
wanted l(il chains to be repaired, ami that over
worse ground -i miles of road to be grubbed and
cleared of heavy timber. Then there were nume
ious sandhills, wliile there was only one on the
front roaJ. It was also from two to three miles
further round. Besides, the land would have to
1ms purchased from Mr. Crawford; ami, further,
there would be fencing off', advertising, &c., re
quired. Altogether it would lie rive times sis ex
pensive as the front one, and immeasurably worse.
It would be a great deal further alwut-in fact it
would be useless to the people on Point Sairt as a
road for traffic.
Mr. Mitchell, in proposing the third reso
lution, in which a determination on the part of
the meeting to oppose the expenditure of money
on the back road was expressed, said it would not
be necessary for him to say much. He did not like
to be hard on the Council, as he knew what it was
to be a Councillor; but at the same time he did
not think it right to go away round by the scrub
to get to Milang. He was sure the front ioai
would be much cheaper and more convenient, and
the one that would be generally used.
Mr. Jebred seconded. He said he would not
go the scrub road. .
Mr. Green, in supporting the resolution, said
the back road was wanted by none. He would go
the front one. The Council had been in office
loiie enough, and it was time they were out.
The Cbaikman remarked that even if the back
road was repaired he would not use it He liad
been of that mind all along, and continued so
still.
Mr. Crawford moved the fourth resolution,
which was to the effect that the Council, as at pre
sent constituted, did not possess the confidence
of the ratepayers, and should therefore be re
quested to resign. He said after the speeches they
had already heard, and from the numerous am
highly respectable meeting then assembled, and
as they had unanimously concurred in the senti
ments expressed by tlie various previous speakers,
it was evident the present Councillors did not
represent the ratepayers; consequently they could
have no confidence in them as regarded their
attending to the interests of the district an«
therefore they had no other resource but to call
upon them immediately to resign.
Mr. Kobkrt Varcoe, in seconding said he
quite agreed with all that previous speakers had
advanced. . , . ..
' ilr. Livingstone, in supporting the resolution,
said that, as a contractor of considerable ex
perience, a first-rate job could have been made of
the front road. , , ,
Mr. Bishop, with great pleasure, proposed that
a standing Committee to carry out the foregoing
resolutions be appointed.
Mr Thorne seconded. As a contractor he was
always opposed, to the way he was ordered to do
the work in front of Mr. Parker's. He was ako
strongly in favour of the front road. ?
Mr. Goldsworthy proposed that the foregoing
resolutions be published in the Observer news
paper, which was carried without dissent.
Mr. Hague proposed, in eulogistic terms, a vote_
of thanks to Mr. Crawford for tne trouble, care,
and expense he had been at in convening tne
Mr. Taylor seconded, and the motion was
carried by acclamation.
A vote of thanks to Mr. Bobinson for his effi
cient services in the chair was warmly supported
by Mtssrs. Ilague, Taylor, and Crawford, to which
the Chairman duly responded.
The Committee appointed under the fifth reso
lution then met. Mr. Parker was excepted on
account of bad health. Mr. Hague wasvoted to
the chair; and it was resolved that the Chairman
should write to each member of the District
Council, informing him of the resolutions unani
? moualy passed by the ratepayers in public meeting
i assembled. ...
The Council then adjourned.
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