The Otago Central

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 374, 9 July 1903, Page 4

The Otago Central

A meeting of the Alexandra bran& of the Otago Central Railway League was held last evening. There was* large attendance, and the Chairman (Mr James Rivers) presided. On the motion of Mr Grimstone,;. seconded by Mr Kelman, it was resolved that a petition be' framed and signatures obtained, and sent to Mr Bonnet, member for the district, for presentation to Parliament. It was resolved that the Cromwell and Clyde branches be informed of th» steps being taken by this branch. ' Messrs Grimstone, Oloss and Young (secretary) were appointed to draw Up the petition. •'. :" v . The following resolutions were car* ried unanimously : ; ' ' Moved by Mr Spencer, seconded 4>y Mr Rivers—That this meeting place on record an expression of the keen die* appointment felt by the residents©! 4 Alexandra and district at finding that out of £IOO,OOO voted last year for the extension of the Otago Central tailway, only £58,000 scarcely mora than one-half of the vote—has been spent. Further, that it be pointed out to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works that had justice been done to the work during the past year and an effort made to expend the sum voted, the railway formation would ere this have been far beyond Ophir, where*i another year will be lost waiting for the completion of the Ida Valley Ophir section, little or no progress being made beyond that point. Moved by Mr Kelman and seconded by Mr Schaumann—That the Hon. the Minister of Public Works be again reminded that in spite of tepeated promises the progress made with the extension of the Otago Central railway is anything but satisfactory. Pending the opening of the Ophir section little work has been done beyw.d that point. The increased passenger and goods traffic since the opening of the Ida Valley section should surely be a sufficient inducement to the Govern* ment to fulfil the promises made in the past, and extend the line to what is acknowledged by all who know the routs to be the paying point.. Moved by Mr does, seconded by Mr Buchanan—That this meeting enter aa indignant protest against the continued efforts of Northern members to decry the Otago Central Railway, and wool 1 respectfully urge upon the Government to disregard any unsupported utterances likely to detract from the value of the railway to this district and to the Colony. The 9 Government have on many occasions professed a desire to assist the various industries in which the people of Central Otago are en* gaged, among which may be mentioned i the mining, fruitgrowing, farming, and poultry-raising industries. For almost all these is required already and speedy means of communication with the seaboard. The furtherance of these valu» able industries in this district depends in a great measure on the rapid com* pletion of the railway. It was resolved that copies of the above resolutions be sent to Mesart Bennet and Fraser, M.H.R.'s, th» Minister for Public Works, and th« Dunedin branch of the League.