FEATHERSTON-MARTINBOROUCH RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1941, 26 December 1913, Page 5

FEATHERSTON-MARTINBOROUCH RAILWAY.

'Sir, —Some few months back; on account of co.'taiiKiesolutions-passed' by iho'Mastertou Chamber of Commerce, detrimental to ...the. interests : of • tho Lower Valley end of the Wairarapa, 1 had cause to inquire -of"several responsible business men in Masterton, as to whether or not they the opinions expressed. Tiio answer generally speaking was that once a year some half-dozen Mic.xwbers and budding politicians, gathered themselves together and'elected each other to certain imaginary positions, and 1 called'themselves the Miistcriou Chamber of Commerce. I personally ■ did not know the. name of a single representative of this august body until the ether day, when -1 saw .by a report'in tho Dominion-that at a recent, meeting . presided over, by Mr. Danicll certain resolutions wore,.passed which call.for some comment on behalf of the people, of the. South Wairarapa.' ~ ■' .'V '"■■.■ V-'' ■ On several occasions I havo been asked to place this end of the district's opinions on record,'when.meddlesome resolutions wero being passed by tho Mas-t-ertou body. But I have refrained, by reason of tho fact-..'already, mentioned (that tho opinions wore not the opinions of tiie sane'people'.of Masterton),'-.but only those „,',of' .a', self', super-imposed clique."'' '%'■■ t. '; ; ' ';' .- ' " .'' However, 'when this Chamber, begins tt> communicate with the Minister ■ of Public Works, and others, ,wiio inay have no knowledge of tho position ; and pass resolutions having reference to w ire-pulling, it is quite timo to ask the Masterton business men, as a body, do thev symaaihise with the utterances of liio'Masterton Chamber? As far as the Foathcrßton-Martiuborough railway is concerned, let mo assure tho Chamber that it is'going to be built,' with or without Government assistance: and that' no political wire-pullings lay beneath ail eminently practicable coinnior-ci.-il undertaking.' We do not pull political wires: we leavo'ihat to the Masterton Chamber's executive/who no doubt | havo had. a good education during their close".politic! association for 20 years with a political regime now.'"gone -.before."-- --.■'■'■?■:■". v "■.'•'.' *;' ■,'.■■■ . . ■•■'■• As doers, and' : iiot.:ivire-puller«, wo are prepared to take ; qirf.,stand on' recent haoixmincs"." Oiir-'connectioii i". the Poiith . Wairarapa..;■ with: -tho Mssterton show, with the.'Waingawa frr«"'.hig. nml with mnnv other enterprises, which havo benefited Masterton in the 'past, has not been-.'dishonourable: : .J''call. unon. tiro Masterton People now- to say if the action of their ClwmboY of. Commerce is honourable,-..f-r-'Jikely -.to. .improve the businesssrordialify.. which, has hitherto existed.-—I am. etc'..-,/ ■ >'■ /. ./ ~ -■'■'- ALEN..I>. M'LEOO. ■' Chairman ■■Featherston-Moitinborough Railway:.Lcague.;vi^;v<g.::/Vi.i"'■: ,