AKAROA RAILWAY.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 4, Issue 371, 10 February 1880, Page 2

AKAROA RAILWAY.

Public Meeting.

The largest, and certainly the most representative, meeting that has been held on the Peninsula took place yesterday at the offices of the County Council, Duvauchelle's Bay, in response to an advertisement in our last issue. The meeting in question Avas called by Mr Dalglish, the Chairman of the County Council, acting on a suggestion thrown out by the member for the district, Mr Montgomery, at the last meeting of the Council that, as the Minister for Public Works was in the South, a deputation of residents in the County might do considerable service to the district if thay waited upon Mr Oliver and explained the position of public works in this part of the colony. The Minister having been communicated with, expressed his desire to Mr Montgomery to meet a deputation from the locality interested in the furthering of the Akaroa railway, and the meeting of yesterday was the result.

Shortly after the hour indicated in the advertisement, the meeting was held in the Council room of the new chambers of the County Council—a room admirably fitted for public meetings on such occasions.

Mr Dalglish, the Chairman of the Council, took the chair, and read the advertisement from our columns calling the meeting, and explained generally the purposes for which the meeting had been called. He expressed the wish that any resolution arrived at would be unanimous so as to strengthen the hands of the deputation, as such difference of opinion might weaken the cause they all had so much at heart. The Chairman also read a telegram from Mr Montgomery, in which he stated that he had asked the Minister for Public Works to'give the convener of the meeting three or four days to call the deputation together. He then called upon the Mayor of Akaroa to propose the first resolution.

His Worship the Mayor of Akoroa had great pleasure in moving the resolution put into his hands. Ha was sure there could be but oue opinion as to the object they all had in view, and he had great pleasure in proposing—" That this meeting resolves to appoint a deputation to wait upon tho Hon. tho Minister for Public Works to urge upon the Government to press on the work of the extension of the Akaroa railway towards Akaroa Harbour."

The motion" was seconded by Air J. B. Barker, ond carried unanimously. Mr F. W. Williams said he had great pleasure in moving that the following (rentlemen be appointed members of the'deputation. His only wish was to make the deputation a thoroughly representative one, and he trusted ho would be successful. He would beg to propose His Worship the Mayor of Akaroa, the Chairman of the County Council, Messrs J. D. Garwood, A. C. Knight, J. E. Thacker, Jaw. Hay, G. S. Fleming, W. Coop, T. 11. Parkinson,

J. Gebbie, J. R. Menziea, G. R. Joblin, F. W. Williams, J. B. Barker, B. Shadbolt, and the Rev. A. P. O'Callaghan. Mr J. Gebbie seconded the resolution.

Mr Shadbolt thought the deputation was too large, and was of opinion that if four or five persons who had taken an interest in the matter were appointed the deputation would be more successful.

Mr Garwood was entirely opposed to the contentions of Mr Shadbolt, and was in favor of a large deputation to show the Minister that all tho different localities in the Peninsula were interested in the question of the extension of the railway.

Mr Joblin concurred in this view of the question, and Mr Shadbolt withdrew his suggestion. The deputation as originally read by Mr Williams being agreed to.

Mr Coop thought that it should be an instruction to the deputation to state in their opinion in what way the line should go. The meeting seemed to be of opinion that this was an engineering question, and in the present state of their information thought it not wise to give any opinion on the subject.

A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings of the public meetings.

The members of the depntation present then held a meeting, when nine members were present. The deputation elected J. D. Garwood, of Akaroa, as their convener. Itj was arranged that the deputation meet in Christchurch the evening before seeing the Minister, and the convener promised to give the earliest possible information to the deputation of the day of meeting.

It was arranged that Mr M'Gregor act as secretary to tho deputation.