RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1755, 22 May 1906, Page 3

RAILWAY LEAGUE.

GISBO 11 XE-Al'C KLA X 1 > El X T

APPOINTMENT OF DELEGATES TC ACCELAN I > CONFEEEXCE.

A largely attended meeting of the East Coast Railway League was held at the Borough Council Chambers yesterday, the President, Mr J. Townlev, presiding.

The business of the meeting was the appointment of delegates to the Auckland Conference and general. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The inward correspondence included telegrams from the Auckland League asking names of the delegates to the conference on the hist inst. ; letters from the Bay of Plenty Railway League cooperating with the Gisborne League, and stating that the line from Ivaraka to the Motu was of the first importance and they were prepared in every way to assist in that connection ; also from the secretary of the AVharekoptte Tahora Settlers’ Association in regard to the surveying of the Waikarcmoana-Eotorua route.

The secretary staled that he had been invited by tbe members of tbo Auokland League to meat them, when tbe question of the conference in Auckland was dis oussed, and it was decided the same should be held on May 31st, after which a deputation wouid be sent to P irliament, At the oonfereDoe mentioned th 9 several L agues in the district all the ohief local bodies, and members of Parliament would be represented, and it was hoped that tbe sum el £150,000 would be obtained towards tbe fucther extension of the line from Gisborne to Aucktaud. It was also necessary that statistics io regard to the timber resources of the Motu, as well as the area of Native and Crown lands in the districts should be obtained. The Chairman referred to the necessity of the farther pushing on of the railway aod the Deglect that the East Coast had undergone. Their local railways had been verv muoh mismanaged, and they had only two trains a day instead of four. The returns from the railway showed that the line had proved. moßt profitable, and that tbe district was worthy of more consideration. He thODght that they should be very glad that tbe Auckland people were taking snob an interest in tbe line. Coming into the field at the stage they did it was evident that 'he line would be pushed on, and that th-y would reach tne M itu w tain -'tne r-a-nntble distance of which st> j y anticipated. Tnere Was a vaßt timber are-, going t a waste Iheis, and to » »ve hi* t wis n c -nary that they should make 1 0: y . £f. rt for the speedy p'OsfCnt-'OO of t>e line. It was pleasiog lor them to join with the Au li land people, aod he wa3 sure that tbe conference to be held in Auckland would Jesuit in a considerable amount of good, It was their fi-si aim to g - to too M. tu, and tha correspondence showed that they had the beet wishea of the Opotiki and Auokland Leagues. As far as he ocu'd learn the country between Gisborne and Opotiki was of tbe very best, MrJ.W. Bright made a very telling speeoh in iavor of the speedy prosecution of the line to Opotiki. He considered that it was only necessary to bring it under the notipa of the ohief bodies interested to show the line would well repay any expenditure put upon it. The district was one of the beet in the oolony, and oould not be kept back. Mr Whinray, after an excellent speech on the Motu timber resources and railway development, submitted a few leading facts obtained by actual investigation, at tbo instance of the Government, some two years ago. The data from which this computation was made, he said, lay in the hands of the Government, and therefore could bo verified. Roughly estimated, the amount of timber on 20,000 acres was 000,000,000 foot, which at 12s 6d per 100 feet was £5.025,000. Railway freight on same from the Motu, computing it at the low iiguro of 2s per 100 feet, would bo £910,000; or say 500,000 feet per week would give a return to the Railway .Department of £SOO per week for 05 years. The 20,000 acres is but a small area of the vast timber country adjacent to the same district. These figures take no account of the requirements of the settlers, which in ten years' time would require another line to handle their produce. With these facts to support the League, they need not hesitate to push the railway to the Motu at once, and develop one of the most prolific and fertile districts in the colony, as well as an important timber industry. Continuing, Mr Whinny stated tba' they woujd sae by the returns that the railway revenue was double ihat of the expenditure. They should urge the extension with every possible foros they cou'd bring upon it. It was woll known that Gisborne was importing over half a million feet of timber per month, and with an ever increasing demand they could see what this meant to the town. Besides this tboy could see that their vessels were going away loaded with ballast; they were oven oarting away their own township shingle from the Watkaoae, which it would cost them double to replace. (Laughter.) It was to bo regretted that tbo vossels oould not got a back froight, but this could bo ovoroome in time. He hoped that tbo delegates would be bucc S 3 £ d in raooveripg lor the railway freight which meant at tbe least £SOO a weik for the noxt 35 years. Mr G. Matfch' wson boirtily supported the remark' of the previous speakers. It was indeed p'o-siog for him to see iho combined opinions of the northern members. Is meant muoh for the Ei*t Coast distriot, and ho hop'd tbai the Eaas Coass Ratway w 'U ! d do its bras to sooure an increased » (■ Dr 'he railway Mr M -t huwson U"d >r-nd tho r-maiks ol Mr Whinray and o.hs-r- in rega d io the timber resout ces oi tho Motu Mr Patkavo", af'.or ref-ring to tbe sborsige of trucks an the railway, also urged tbe speedy prosecution of tho line. Mr O. Nioid had no hesitation in on-dn:Bii-g the rtrna ks of the ss-cretary, Mr Woioray, and util >r« m regard io too lino. As ooe who was thoroughly acquainted

wi'-h the timberi he had no hesitation in bffittniDg the statements. One of '*'*• the greatest hardships thoy bad was to send away month after month, and l?ay timber from outside when they had hundreds of millions of feet at their I very doors. His firm had even that day had to refuse one hundred thousand feet of white pine. He sincerely hoped that the league would use evory effort to get a speedy connection with the Motu timber forest, os they all must reoogniae what it meant to Gisborne, Mr Gaudin stated that the Farmers Union conference suggested the name of Mr Eliott, of the Motu, as one of the dslogatoa to the conference, The gentle-

inan mentioned was woll acquainted with Mr Bright propes-rd that Mosers Townloy, Gaudiu aud lidiott should bo iho delegates. , „ Trr .. „„ Tho Chairman suggostod Mr Whmnry, as that goutleman had takon a leading part in connection with the Molu. Mr Whim-av a'so suggested the namos of Messis A. F. Konnody aud V. ljko. After discussion it was dcoidod that the geDtlomou montiouod should repriseuttbo district at the conference. A iottor from the Whan k ipso-Tahora Bottlers' Association, in rogard to a trial survoy being tuado from Waihuka to Vi»i* knr.moana and liotorua, was approved ob The communication from the Bay of Plenty Ltague, previously referred to, was ho irtily supported. . The delegates wore instructed to obtain all information in the way of statistics, with the yiow of urging upon the ooufrr ence the neoossity of the more speedy prosecution of the Gisborno*Auoklaod railway. , . It is hoped that as an ontoomo of the oouforenoo in Auckland that the sum of .fiIdO.OOO will bo obtainod during the p i-ont year for the extension of the railway from this end.