Mr. Leigh Hunt's Opinions.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1515, 10 August 1912, Page 9

Mr. Leigh Hunt's Opinions.

Mr. Leigh Hunt, who is a mem'uer of the chamber, and who was not present at the meeting, had a few words to say, when interviewed yesterday by a Domlxion- reporter. He said that he regretted ho was unable- to bo present at tho meeting of: the Chamber, of Couimeree on Monday. He had called on tho secretary EOmo hours before the meeting, and perused- the agenda, on which no mention was niado of tho subject of tho To Aro railway station.

"Jt was evident, therefore, (hat the motion moved by Mr. Pileher for thu closing of tho lino was introduced without notice, and my absence from the meeting precluded tho opportunity of replying to the arguments raised. The statement- made by Mr. Pileher that' it was ridiculous to suppose that Miramar would over carry a population of from twenty to thirty thousand people is, 1 consider, an admirable example, of (he shortsightedness of this gentleman, and is characteristic of tho narrow, view taken, by the Chamber of Commerce opponents of the possible extension of the To Aro lino. It is a significant thing that tho members of the Chamber of Commerce, who on Monday voted for tho closing of the Tn Aro line, have their business premises adjacent to the Bunny Street site. When wo remember that our proposal is not to deprive Thormlon of any of its railway facilities, but, rather, to afford the mum to tho rest of tho city, it seams difficult to justify the opposition of this small, but. noisy, band, who hnvo behind them a vote of sixteen of tho general body of members of tho .chamber, whereas the N petition wo presented to the Minister last week has tho voice of 35,000 people. At Monday's meeting, Mr.'Mabin, tho president, saw fit to introduco tho name of my company in tho discussion, which, I think, is not to his credit. "Tho whole question, should be judgdd on a broad basis, entirely free from, personal or individual interest, and to anyone interested in this aspect of tho case. I would refer them to a very interesting; marked plan of tho city, now displayed in Mr. Gco. Winder's shop window,"