MOKAU WAITEWHENA RAILWAY LEAGUE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 160, 31 May 1909, Page 5

MOKAU WAITEWHENA RAILWAY LEAGUE.

The r.initial n;r. tin£ '•( thr rir.\r League wa? hrl-i on May loth. There wa» a good nttrnHancp.iVr P. O'Dwycr. President, taring in the chair. Tbe minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Mr Rawstron moved that Mr Elliott represent the League at the Conference of Railway Leagues to be held in Auckland. Mr Pettigrew seconded the motion, which was carried. The Sccrctory read the report on the year's workings, and submitted the balance sheet. Mr Elliott spoke of the financrial position of the League and said he considered the league was in a good rosition. Mr Rawstron moved that Mr Jac'r.son's action in regard to the prcparation of the msp be upheld, and his untiring efforts on tbe League"* behalf be placed on record, On Mr Johnston's suggestion the names of non-financial members was read out by the Secretary.

Mr Alder moved that members of the League who bad incurr>d expenses while doing the League's work be paid, but owing to no accounts being presented for payment the matter was j allowed to stand over. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows: Executive Committee Messrs O'Dwycr, 'Jawstron. Alder, Kctghlcy. Voycr. Elliott. Jackson. Pettigrtw. Hickman, Livingston, Daly. Evans. Williams., and Johnston. President. Mr O'Dwycr. vice-President. Mr Elliott; secretary and treasurer. Mr Hickman.

Mr Rawstron moved that any member who absents himself from the successive meetings be crossed off the roll. Seconded by Mr Keighley and carried. Mr Voycc moved that the services of Messrs O'Dwyer, Elliott, Jackson and Hickman, during the past year, be recorJed on the minute book. Seconded by Mr Johnston and carried. It was arranged that meeting* of the League should in future be held at 1 p.m.

Some discussion took place re the petition now being signed ready for presentation to Parliament, Mr Elliott suggested that the league be represented by delegates when the petition wai presented, but the decision was left for another meeting to be held on June sth. Mr Elliott movcJ that this niectinc instruct the Secretary to write to the Hon. J. Carrol), Minister for Native Affairs.re the purchase by the Government of the Native Land about Miroahuiao for township purposes. Seconded by Mr Rawstron and carried. The meeting was then adjourned with thank-t to the chair.

—Report. First Annual Report of the MokauWaitcwhena Railway League: - "In submitting this report I must congratulate your League on the success of its efforts during the past twelve months. From its inception the work of the League has been carried ou under difficulties, the distances between the residences of member.-*, and the state of the roads during the winter months beirg a great drawback. However,the energy of those member.* of your League who undertook work in its interests did not allow any difficulties to master them, and if the end in view was not reached in every case, something tangable was done. Among the first things recorded on the League's bo:ks was the visitof the Premier to the district, and it must be gratifying for your League to know that it was solely due to its efforts that the visit took place. A deputation from your League waited on the Premier on that occasion, and brought under his notice the needs of the district. The state of the road spoke for itself, and the need for metal, was impressed upon the bead of the Government. Three crushing plants arc now on the road, and. while the shortness of the season allowed only a limited amount of metal to be laid, your League can take the lion's share of the credit for the progress that has been made.

In connection with the mail service your League has again succeeded in getting a satisfactory promise from the Government and a bi-weekly service will probably be started soon. The question of Railway Routes has been discussed from time to time, and delegates from your League visited Ohura during October and placed its views before the settlers there, resulting tn a better understanding between the two districts.

The pamphlet prepared by Messrs Elliott and Jackson i* b*ing distributed, and great praise is due to your League for the good fight it has made for tbc Stratford-Main Trunk deviation. Memebs of the League met the Hon. the Minister for Poblic Works at Ohoraand conducted him over the Waitewhena deviation during his inspection of the proposed routes in March last.

Tbc membership of the League is sixty-one, but it is regretablc to note that the average attendance at meetings is only eighteen or twenty. Some of your members have never attended a meeting. The balance sheet of your League shows a deficit on the year's working, but with the subscriptions for this year, and increased membership should show a balance in band shortly. The amount of expenditure is due to the preparation of the pamphlet a*»d map issued by tbc League |n conclusion { wish your Lcagut: every success in the present year. TABMAN HICKMAN, Hon. Sec.