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Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1045, 1 December 1871, Page 2

There was considerable interest taken in town yesterday on the subject of the road from Greymouth to Marsden, in consoquence of the answers given to the quesI tions which were put to Mr Harrison at his meeting on Wednesday night. Yesterday several private meetings were held for the purpose of pressing the claims of the proposed opposition routes upon the attention of our member, and also for taking steps to communicate with the Government. It is. well known in town that upon this question there exists a very serious divewjityofopiTjioii, aijdjherq < is no doubt that to the gubftQ ?xs>jofssion '

of these diverse opinions may, in a. great measure, be traced the delay which has taken place in the commencement of the road. Some time ago a public meeting was held, and resolutions passed, in favor of the Omotumotu Creek route, as originally suggested by the Government Commissioner. These were sent to the Government, and immediately folio wing these - went a very numerously-Bigned petition from the residents, praying that the main road should be brought into town by the way of Sawyer's Creek and Tainui street. In sucli a position what was the Government to do, and what could our representative recommend ? On carefully looking at the report of the proceedings of the public meeting, he found the names of many gentlemen who acquiesced in the resolutions then passed, and who a few days after signed the petition for the adoption of the opposite route. We think Mr Harrison adopted the wisest course when he recommended .that both lines should be surveyed and^: estimates of the coat sent in, so that the Government could judge for itself. This was ordered to be done, but the complete surveys and estimates are not yet in, so that no very extraordinary delay has taken place. Mr Harrison, on arriving here lately, found such a diversity of opinion existing on this subject, that he determined to make every possible inquiry in the town and district, and meantime, recommended the Government not to .come to any decision untilhe returned to Wellington',) whe^he would place before them tho result of his inquiries. He was asked, at the meeting, how he intended to arrive at a conclusion as to what really was the opinion of the majority of the residents — would he call a public meeting? Now, when the existence of this great diversity of opinion among the residents was known, what was the use of calling another public meeting ? indeed, two would require to be called, at which the opposite sets of resolutions would be carried, and we would be as far as ever from arriving at a just conclusion. Mr Harrison therefore determined to make his inquiries privately, and we think he was right in his resolution. At the meeting he was rather hard pressed upon the point by Messrs Nichol and Smith, and he then stated that he had received the information he wished; that he did not think it right to state what recommendation he would make, until he communicated with the Government; but he believed the road would be brought into town in accordance with tbe wishes of the majority of the residents ; and on being further pressed, said he believed the majority in favor of the Omotumotu Creek route, at the aame time he thought that both roads should be made, or at least that a branch road should be brought from that main road into town by the other route. Whatever recommendation our representative may make when he returns to Wellington, it must be borne in mind that in comparing the cost of the two routes the amount of compensation to be paid to the two tramway companies, in the event of the Tainui street line being adopted, must be taken into consideration and. added to the cost ; but notwithstanding all local influence brought to bear, it is most probable, and indeed highly advisable, that in a case such as this the recommendation of the Government Engineer, after a careful comparison of the ..should be adhered to whatever that may be.