CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 4136, 24 October 1884, Page 3

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A special meeting- of the committee was held at 2 p.m to-day to consider the railway time-table, .survey of a line of railway to connect Napier with Main Trunk line, and .survey of a line of railway from Waipukurau to Porangahau. The following members were present: —Messrs Ncal (in the chair), Tanner, Lyndon, Irving-, P. S. McLean, Knowles, McVay, and Large. The Chairman said the reason of the meeting- being- called was that he had been requested to call _ a meeting- -when the new time table was issued, and he had also been asked to convene a meeting- to discuss the construction of two new raihvay lines. The time table, he understood, had been urged on the Government by Messrs Smith and Ormond. It had been said that the first train up and r l down should bo a passenger train so that - passengers might reach their destination earlier." He had represented the matter to J Mr. Ormond but had got a reply that the time table had been agreed to, and ho was J afraid it was too late to interfere.

Mr. Kiiowles said it was too late to try and make any alteration for next month as it would bo necessary to forward their suggestions to Wellington. Tho present time table it was expected would bo the one in force when the extension of the line was opened in January next. The Chairman said Mr. Macdonald had informed him that the first train travelled at its full speed. Mr Knowlos saw no reason why they should interfere with tho time-table, lie ■would like to put before the members the inconvenience of passengers travelling through, just getting to Palmerston in time to miss the train which leaves for Wanganui. Tlie chairman said tliej- oug-ht to have a fast train each way, so that people could do their business and return during the same day. Tho trains were now travelling faster. No action was taken.

The chairman said tho next matter was the getting a survey to the main line. Mr Tanner moved " That this Chamber is of opinion that, concurrently ■with the construction of the main trunk line of railway, there should bo made a line from Napier to some convenient point on the main trunk line, thus bringing Hawkc's Bay in direct connection with Auckland. That this Chamber believes that such a line could bo easily and cheaply constructed via Patea, and that it would open up a large extent of most fertile lands, and that the members for Napier, Hawke's Bay, and Waipawa bo asked to arrange ■with the Government to have a survey made to determine the best route and a report on tho quality of the land." Of course much depended on the central lino "being adopted. A line from Hastings or Napier through Patea would put them in communication with Auckland, and ■would open up a large extent of valuable country, which was of the best quality, being of limestone formation. He understood from Mr Donnelly that the natives wore in favor of it, and would make large concessions of land. From the surveyor ho knew that there would be no engineering difficulties for nine-tenths of the line. It would be quite a feature of the trunk line and help to do that which the central route ■was advocated for settle, namely, people on the lands of tho colony.

Mr McLean would like to say that the object of the resolution was to secure for Napier the Patea trade which had been got by the opening of the present road. Tho lino would be eighty or ninety miles which would connect with Auckland. To him it seemed that they would bejgivingtho Patea people a chance of trading with either Wellington or Auckland as well as For his part he did not see it was necessary that Napier should bo joined directly with the Auckland line. If they wished to secure the Patea trade and get to Auckland, they would not mind going a little out of their way to do so without putting the country to the great expense of making such a line. He thought the line from Napier should not be taken beyond Kuripapanga which would .secure the trade, without encountering the engineering difficulties of Gentle _ Annie which they would have to face if they wished the line to join the central one. Ho might say that tho Government looked upon part of the lino as impossible, altogether, owing to two bad miles. Of course, it would be possible to go through those two miles, because engineers could do anything, but at a cost which the Government would never sanction. They would, by the line he proposed, get all the trade except that near to Erewhon, which would be nearer to the central line. It was an important point for them to consider whether they would not gain more by simply carrying tho line to Kuripapanga or some such point. He would not move an amendment. 'The chairman said Mr Kennedy had surveyed tho road, and said there were no engineering difficulties. Mr McVay said the road could not be altogether impracticable, because carriers last'vear had gone further than Mr Birch's. Mr Tanner said Mr McLean had said the two reasons were not sufficient to justify such an expenditure, but he had overlooked the third point that it wouid have a colonising effect, as it would 02>en up the country and settle it. The land was suited for a large population of .small farmers, and that was the chief reason he had urged the construction of the line, as it would settle native difficulties. At present the interior was not occupied, and it was desirable to settle people in the interior so as to help to pay the burdens of the country. The local view of the case was that the Patea traffic would be got if we got the harbor because of the shorter distance to Napier than to Wellington or Aucklaud. He did not think the shortening of the distujwe between here and Auckland was as unimportant as Mr M'Leau seemed to think, as it wordd shorten tho distance by sixty or seventy miles. (Left