WORKING MEN'S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2623, 2 September 1882, Page 3

WORKING MEN'S POLITICAL ASSOCIATION.

A speoial mooting of this association was held last evening at the Freothought Hall, Mr Handysides in the chair. There was a good attendance. Messrs J. Wiokeß, J. Rennie, A. Ayers and the Mayor of Sydenham were eleoted honorary members, and Messrs Lightband, Bradshaw and Hunt were admitted to ordinary membership. Messrs Wilkinson, Lightband, Fisher, Lockwood, Leo, Ryan and Squires were eleoted as committeemen.

Mr Fisher then opened the subjeot for discussion—viz., " Will the construction of the West Coast Railway be beneficial to Canterbury t" contending that the construction of thiß line of railway would open up fresh fiolds of labor iu the development of Westland, where forests of timber existed and almost inexhaustible beds of coal w?re not yet mined. This, he took it, was occasioned by want of efficient means of transit. He spoke from his own knowledge, having resided for several years in the distriot. He was sure that if New South Wales or Viotoria had suoh undeveloped resources a railway would soon be made and the produots brought to a market, but in this colony the idea that found favor was to make railways to nowhere or to plaoes where there was no produce to justify the work being done, or to pay its working expenses. It would promote settlement, for there it would be found that timber and fuel could be procured oheaply, and a stop thus put to the periodical agitation of the unemployed. If the Canterbury people had half the energy of Otago this line would have bean constituted long ago. Mr Maoandrew would have taken care of that.

Mr Wickea spoke at conuidcrablo length of the mineral resourooa of Westland, where iron atone and iron Band, ruby land, copper, galena, coal, and gold, existed in such quantities that made one wonder there was any delay in constructing a railway, which, had ■ome twenty-seven miles of the country been in the hands of a single squatter, would have been fought for and made long ago. Mr Guineas mentioned that the price of ooal in Ohristohuroh would be thus reduoed to 17e per ton, and timber in proportion. He regretted the Canterbury membera, with the exception of Messrs Holmes, Ivess, and W. White, had thought fit to ignore the resolutions passed at the meeting held at the Oddfeilows' Hall a week since. He oonoluded by expressing the hope that the wishes of the majority would not be thus passed over with impunity. Several others having spoken to the question, its desirability was unanimously affirmed, and the following resolutions were also carried unanimously—" That this meeting is of opinion that a railway to the West Coast would be a very great advantage to Canterbury and the oolony at large." " That a copy of this resolution be sent to the Canterbury members, urging them to do their utmost to have the railway made to the West COMt." A