RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2698, 30 November 1882, Page 3

RAILWAY LEAGUE.

The usual weekly meeting of the committee of the Railway League was held last evening at the Chambers of Mr T. S. Weston, M.H.R. Present—Mr W. Chrystall (chairman), Messrs J. Joyce, J. G. Ruddenklau, W. Vincent, A. G. Howland, T. S. Weston, J. R. Johnston, W. S. King, T. O. Kelsey, R. W. England, D. Reese, H. W. Peryman, T. Pavitt, T. Bruce, E. Wickes, H. Thomson, Blaokmoro, W. H. Packer, C. E. Button, A. Scott, R. L. Higgins, R. D. Thomas and T. B. Craig (secretary). A letter was read from Mr A. Chalmers, of Lyttelton, asking the. intentions of the League with reference to the formation of local branches. The Chairman reported that the finance committee were not in favor of admitting persons on payment of a subscription, as it would weaken the constitution of the League. Mr Reese thought the fact that Lyttelton was already represented on the League would be sufficient, provided those representatives attended the weekly meetings of the committee. It was not desirable to alter the present constitution of the League. Mr Joyce suggested that a public meeting might be held at Lyttelton, at which members of the League would attend. Mr Pavitt supported Mr Reese’s suggestion. Mr Thomson thought the absence of the Lyttelton representatives was attributable to other causes than want of interest in the movement.

Mr Higgins thought a great deal might be done by the members of the League bringing the subject which they had at heart before the people in their respective localities. It was his intention to adopt this course, and the Lyttelton representatives might do the same. Mr Pavitt thought that they could hardly expect Mr Allwright to attend the meetings, as, though a member of the League, he was not on the committee. The same might be said of the other Lyttelton representative. Hev was aware that Mr Allwright was strongly in favor of the West Coast railway, and the movement also had the sympathies of Mr Garforth. After' some discussion it was decided that Mr Chalmers be informed that the League did not see its way to alter its constitution in the direction suggested. Mr J. R. Johnston said he had a resolution to move, which he thought if carried would ensure the object they had in view. It was as follows :—" That as soon as full information can be got with reference to tho Bast and West Coast routes, the members of the League representing counties and Road Board districts be asked to call meetings, and to invito the members of tho House of Representatives, and request that they will at the next session of Parliament ask the Ministry to put on the estimates tho sum of £950,000 to make the West Coast railway, being the amount voted for that railway in IS7S, the district of Canterbury being entitled to two and a-half millions out of the various loans raised since the. abolition of the provinces ; and in the event of the Ministry not doing so they will all unite at the first opportunity and vote to turn them out.” Mr Joyce asked if the £950,000 referred to had been actually voted. Mr Reese said it was included in Mr Macandrew’s schedule in 1878 before the borrowing of the five million loan. Mr Higgins seconded the resolution. The latter part might, perhaps, be modified.

Mr Joyce said before considering the resolution they should hear what communications had been received from the Government.

Mr Reece hoped both the mover and seconder would see the propriety of with-

drawing the resolution. [Hear, hear.] He deprecated any attempt to coerce their representatives. They would get on very well without the necessity for such a resolution. The mover and seconder having consented, the motion was withdrawn. Mr Pavitt remarked that if it were found at a later stage that a number of Canterbury members would not support the object of the League, it would then be time enough to adopt the course proposed by Mr Johnston. Mr Higgins thought that some of the Canterbury members had already shown a want of sympathy with the movement.

The Chairman reported that he had received a telegram from the Hon. Mr Dick to the following effect : —“ The Government on the 24th of this month telegraphed to the Commissioner, asking them to report on the West Coast railway, and received this reply, that they had made such inquiries as would enable them incidentally to furnish the information now required by the Government. I may add that the Government also propose to have a flying survey made, and to collect such further information as may be sufficient to enable the Assembly to deal with the matter.” He thought this telegram hardly gave them what they asked for in the resolution forwarded to the Government. It proposed to make the West Coast route incidental and of secondary importance to the extension of the trunk line. The Commissioners, in thanking the committee for the figures furnished to them, said the information would be valuable to them when considering the branch lines, thereby indicating that they regarded the extension to Reefton as a branch line. From the tenor of the communications received by the president of the Chamber of Commerce from the Minister for Public Works, it would appear that everybody was at cross-purposes in the matter. He thought they should communicate again with the Government and endeavor to get them to consider the line to Reefton in the light of an extension of the main trunk line. Mr Howland said he had heard two Government supporters say that the Government had promised to instruct the Commissioners to report on the West Coast railway, and on asking one of those gentlemen why he did not make the information public, he said there was too much agitation about the matter. Mr Button said the sooner the League settled the question of what route they desired the better. Mr Scott and himself represented from 10,000 to 12,000 people, who objected to a branch line to Reefton, and would oppose any movement in that direction. They would much rather have no line to the West Coast at all than that the route should go round by way of Reefton. Brunnerton would take in the whole of the Coast, and there would be a branch line of 46 miles to Reefton. The line via Reefton would take 218 miles to reach Brunnerton, and would not touch Westland proper at all. If there was to be a sort of compromise with the Government to go only a certain distance to the west the line would be useless to the Westland people. Mr Higgins said if the Westland people got a railway to connect with Christchurch what would it matter if it went a few miles north.

Mr Reese agreed with the remarks of Mr Button with regard to the direction of the route. The League should pass a resolution urging upon the Government to give them the main line to Westland in preference to any extension northwards, and should try to get a straight answer back.

Mr Button moved the following resolution —“ That having heard the telegram from the Colonial Secretary, this League desires to impress on the Government that the object of its constitution is to connect the West Coast with Christchurch by the best and shortest route possible, having regard to economy and the commercial advantages the various routes respectively offer, and without reference to any main trunk line northwards.”

Mr Joyce seconded the resolution. Mr Weston said that he read the telegram from the Colonial Secretary with some surprise, having heard outside that the Government had promised to instruct the Commissioners to report on the West Coast line. An incidental reference, as suggested by the Minister, would amount to nothing, and the whole question would be practically burked. The League should have insisted upon a new Commission to report on the West Coast line per se. He would cordially support the resolution, but thought the last few words might be omitted.

Mr Thomas thought that if the resolution were passed the Government would take no notice of it, because Parliament having made no appropriation they had no power to go into the question of the Bast and West Coast railway. It was impossible to ignore the existence of strong local prejudices between Greymouth and Hokitika, and the League would not have the sympathy of the members of the Parliament or of the public if it went in for a direct line to the West Coast, so much as it would if it advocated a branch line from the main trunk lino northwards. Mr Pavitt did not think it should be assumed that it was definitely settled that there should be a main trunk line northwards. Mr Thomson concurred in this view. He heard with astonishment that the country or the Government were pledged to a Northern line. If they would take the trouble to read “ Hansard,” they would see that the Government had left out of the estimates entirely the whole of the £IBO,OOO, for the express purpose of giving them time to say whore they would like to have it spent. 1 hey should make up their minds what they wanted. If they really wanted the best line to the West Coast let them ask for it straight ; and if they thought it premature to make a line to Cook Strait let them say so. But don’t let them get playing at cross purposes. Mr Weston advocated the appointment of a separate Commission to report on the West Coast line.

Mr Button, at the suggestion of several members, agreed to strike out of his resolution the words “ and without reference to any main trunk line northwards.” The Chairman thought they might add the words of their former resolution, to the effect that the Government be requested to extend the powers of the present Commissioners, so as to admit of their reporting on the advisability or otherwise of making the extension of the main trunk lino by way of the West Coast. Mr Button would prefer a new Commission altogether. Mr Pavitt suggested that if the resolution formerly passed by the League were added, the Government could not avoid giving them a direct answer. After some discussion, Mr Button’s resolution was agreed to, with the following addition : —“ And that the Government be requested to issue a new Commission to report on such line before the next meeting of Parliament.” The Chairman asked what was to be done with the report submitted by the committee to the Commissioners. He would suggest that it bo forwarded to the Government.

After some discussion, it was resolved, on the motion of Mr Joyce, “ That a copy of .the report he handed to the Press, and a copy forwarded to the Government.” Mr Joyce moved “That a committee, consisting of the Chairman, and Messrs Vincent, Pavitt, - Inglis, Reese, Howland, Meares, and the Hon. E. Richardson, he appointed, to invite the Canterbury and Westland members to meet them, in order to consider the best means of furthering the object of the League.” Mr Button seconded the resolution.

The Mayor thought it would be better that the local bodies represented on the League should communicate with the members of Parliament, who were responsible to them more than to the League. After some discussion the motion was carried.

Mr Howland said he understood that funds were not coming iu as rapidly as might be expected, and he thought the members present should assist as much as possible. He would be glad to head iho list with £2. [Hear, hear.] Several other members also handed-in contributions. The committee then adjourned.