LAKES ELLESMERE AND FORSYTH RECLAMATION AND AKAROA RAILWAY TRUST.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 3, Issue 229, 27 September 1878, Page 2

LAKES ELLESMERE AND FORSYTH RECLAMATION AND AKAROA RAILWAY TRUST.

' A meeting of this was held at Wascoe's Hotel, on Tuesday, Sept. 24. Present — Messrs Latter (Chairman), Gebbie, Dalglish, Marshall. Joblm, Parkinson, and Ihe A. P. O'Callaghan, ■; The Chairman explained that ha had convened the meeting to take into consideration the present state of affairs in the matter of the Railway Bill. He then read the telegraphic correspondence which had taken place between himself and Mr Montgomery, and which was read at the public meeting held in Akaroa on the 20th inst. He also read the resolutions agreed to at that meeting. The most important of the telegrams was the one describing the action taken by the Waste Lands Committee with reference to the Bill, which runs as follows ;— ; " Waste Lands Committee of the Legislative Council has decided' that the estimated cost of. the tunnel was fallacious by at least & 100,000 ; that the estimate of the cost of the railway from Lincoln to Little River appears reasonable ; that the purpose of the Bill should be confined to the latter work; that it does not appear to be desirable to continue the Trust; that the endowments should be confirmed ; and that the Government should, undertake the construction of the line to River." These papers were read before the regular meeting of the Trust commenced, in order to give members an opportunity of acquainting themselves with the position of affairs, and talking them over conversationally. On the meeting being formally opened, the minutes of the previous meeting were

read and confirmed. A long conversational discussion then ensued as to the actidhmost advisable- to >be taken under the circumstances. The opinion was expressed, and all but unanimously endorsed, that the Trust was constituted for two purposes,*vi_.| the drainage of Lake Ellesmere and the construction of a railway to Akaroa Harbor,- and that, if their functions were to cease, they should leave on record their protest -against these objects being lost sight of in any future arrangements that'might be made. ,Theßev. A P. O'Callaghan drew up a series of resolutions which he thought Would embody the'opinions of those present. The resolutions were somewhat modified in discussion, and finally agreed to unanimously in the following form :— 1. "That in the opinion- of "the Trust, the endowments at present provided are sufficient to have enabled that body to carry out a considerable part of the work of opening up Akaroa Harbor." 2. "Thatthe Waste Lands Committee of the Legislative Council having recommended that the purpose of the proposed Bill should be confined to the railway from Lincoln to Little River, and that the work should be carried out by the Government, the Trust would urge that the whole of the funds derivable from the sale of the endowments should be expended in continuing the construction of the line towards Akaroa Harbor " 3. "That the drainage of Lake Ellesmere, which is necessary for rendering the endowments available, should be entrusted to some local body elected by the ratepayers interested." 4. "That if the Government take over the Trust endowments, the Lake land should bo sold subject to a rate of say one shilling per acre, to provide a fund for annual cost of keeping down the waters of Lake Ellesmere to its summer level, in order that the land at present affected by the Lake should fetch its full value." Two accounts were passed for payment, and the meeting adjourned sine die, the Chairman being authorized to call the members together whenever he thought it necessary to do so."