LIGHT RAILWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1589, 5 November 1912, Page 3

LIGHT RAILWAYS.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ADVOCACY. Tho following resolution from the Hastings Chamber of Commerce has been forwarded to the Wellington Chamber for endorsement:--

"That this Chamber invites every Chamber throughout New Zealand to join with it in strongly representing to tho Government the impossibility of Dominion construction of all railways required for the development of New Zealand nt tho present time, and consequently to urge the Government to introduce a policy of light railway construction, particularly in districts where good arterial roads cannot be made, owing, to tho absence of suitable road metal; and that if the Government is linablo to construct such light railways, it bo urged to offer facilities for the construction by local bodies or by private enterprise undertaken with the consent and approval of such : local bodies."

. .It was pointed out at yesterday's meeting of the council of the Chamber of Commerce that local bodies already had powers to construct railways unde£' tho Tramways Act, and one had recently been constructed in the Waikato, - and another was to be constructed at the Eiitt.

Mr. A. Leigh Hunt said that he did' not think they should agree to support the building of railways by private enterprise, ' ■ ' The chairman (Mr. A. E. Mabin) pointed out that the reference to private enterprise was qualified. „Ho did not think there was any harm in supporting the resolution.

On his motion it was decided to endorse the resolution, of tho' Hastings Chamber of Commerce.