''That this representative meeting of Beaumont residents desires to urge strongly on the Government the urgent need of cutting up all suitable available areas in the vicinity of Beaumont into suitable small holdings for closer settlement.''
Mr Phillipps pointed out that certain leases would shortly fall in, and that, unless immediate action was taken, there was every likelihood of these being renewed.
Mr Humphries stated that the residents had waited long for the coming of the railway which was now nearly completed, and that the residents were needing all available land in the vicinity of the railway.
He placed before the meeting several letters which he had lately received, asking him to procure small areas - either leasehold or freehold - for purposes of strawberry growing, but stated that in no case was he able to procure a few acres.
The suggestion to form a league was negatived, but a committee of seven was appointed to go fully into the matter and place particulars before the Land Board, the Minister of Lands, and members of Parliament.
The committee consists of Messrs T. Phillipps, G. Taylor, G. H. Welsh, A. Thomson, C. Humphris, W. A. Collins, and W. Barclay.
At a subsequent meeting of the committee the following reasons were enumerated:- (1) That the majority of the inhabitants of Beaumont occupy holdings too small to support a family and this nearly all second-class land; (2) That owing to increasing grazing of sheep our youth are leaving the district to seek employment elsewhere; (3) That residents have to seek day labour - holdings being insufficient to support a family. That many at present engaged on the railway works, which will soon be completed, will be forced to leave the district to get employment. Prior to railway works many were engaged in mining, which is now defunct in this district; (4) That the land is suitable for dairying, fruit-growing, and general agriculture; (5) That a real land hunger exists in the district, vide at a recent ballot for two small sections of 20 and 23 acres there were 17 and 12 applicants respectively. (N. B.- This was second-class land, about three miles from railway, and in natural state); (6) That a petition be circulated and forwarded to the proper authorities; (7) That residents look with confidence to the present Government to do its utmost to meet the wishes of the residents in providing suitable holdings, both by purchase of larger estates and by cutting up leaseholds as these fall in.
• On Wednesday evening a motor car capsized on the Riverton road.
Two gentlemen were returning from Riverton in a Renault car when the acetylene lights went out owing to the water flooding the carbide.
The car moved along slowly, as it was a very dark night, and the motorists could not see past the window screen. Shortly after reaching Thornbury, while going over a small bridge without railings, and beneath which runs a shallow creek, the side wheels of the car went over the edge, and the car turned a complete somersault into the creek.
One of the occupants was thrown clear of the water, but the other got a soaking. Residents of the neighbourhood were aroused and before midnight the car was removed from the creek, placed on the road, and it proceeded on its journey none the worse for the mishap. - ODT, 1.7.1914
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
