INVERCARGILL CHAMBRE OF COMMERCE.

Mataura Ensign, Volume 6, Issue 346, 8 April 1884, Page 6

INVERCARGILL CHAMBRE OF COMMERCE.

Friday, 4th April. Present — Messrs J. W, Mitchell (chairman), A. L. Wilson, J. L. McDonald, McFarlane, Bain, Dennistou, J. T. Martin, J. Turnball, Gilkison, and Handyside. A letter signed by 75 settlers was read, asking the Chamber to use its influence in nriring the Government to acquire the Waii,. P'nhis railway line. iur Denniston said that in other words, they wished the burden that fell on the district to fall on the whole colony. ' Mr M'Donald moved — " That this Chamber cannot see its way clear to recommend the Government to purchase the "VVaimea Plains railway line." The time was not opportune to ask the Government to take over the line ; in the face of the retrenchment proposals, it wquld not be judicious for a section of the community to urge such a thing. They must remember that it would not only be this line that would be effected, but there were other lines in the colony in the same position, and if the Government took over one tbey would probably be asked to take over the other. It.was no doubt very hard on the settler to be heavily taxed, but the old maxim — " Buyers should beware " applied. The Government at present had to pay two per cent, on the cost o£ construction, and, besides, the Government land in the district was liable to be rated. The Jseti tiers knew their part of the bargain when i they went in for it, and now that it had turned out a bad thing they came forward and asked the Government to take the lire . over. Although they had different names, the Agricultural Company and the Railway Company were the same. (Mr Denmston : ' No.) At anyrate the members of the Agiii cultural Company held a great many shares in the company. Their great object had been to enhance the value of the land by con- ; structing the raiway, and now that it had been enhanced they wanted the Government to take the railway off their hands. The shareholders were justified inflating the dis> tict, but the law should be that in such cases, when the land affected was sold to settlers , the settlers should be compelled to announce and explain at the sale all the probable 1 burdens on the land. The time, he repre -ted : was most inopportune, for even if Ihe Go- . vernment had the money, which it had not, there were other districts crying ,out foi • railway lines. 1 Mr Denniston seconded the motion pn forma. ' Mr Bain was not disposed to give the set- • tiers' petition such short shrift as Mr M'Donaid proposed. What he intended to propose as an amendment was, that the request be referred to the Standing Committee of the Chamber to report. It was a most important matter, and required serious and careful consideration. H>i sympathised greatly with the settlers, for i.ot only were they subject to very high tariff rates on the line, but a rate of 3s 4d in the £ had been levied by the Railway Company for the year 1883, and a similar rate would probably be struck foi 1884. Many of the settlers had paid 'nigh , prices for their land, and in the face of bad seasons, the ruling low prices for grain, and other difficulties, this tax would be a, severe burden. The management of the railway had been frequently spoken about, and it jvould be seen from the report of the cqmpany's meeting that the profit for last,, yeai was some L6OO, and' that for the present year about L7OO When such was the state of affairs it would be an awkward thing to ask the Government to take over the, line. The company did not go to tbe Government, i&nd, therefore, if the Government went tc them and acquired the line they would have , jfco pay its dostf, between L 90.000 and L 10.0,000, wjtb> ten per cent added* -But something might be done ; in another' way to relieve the^ttlers. ; It would be remembered that something of "the s.ame kind Hail : dc;Curr.ed with the • dfef erred payment- settlers about that' very 'distnet/ ' They ;had' piir., fchased their land at a very.' high figure. . wad when, they got into difficult ios thsy . wore . oai. o£ them^v^J^^o^,e2UH»&ifc.-— £i -wi^^O^t'oKTfiaT'm'ttus case something oi tbe same kind might be done, Application might be mads to the Government, "and by •that m.e,-«Da a reduction of the rates obtained. Jrie 'reminded. the Chamber that' last year there had been a decrease in T&e Customs returns alone of L120,j00, and therefore ii they asked the Government totake the .lint over they would do so in the face of a falling revenue. The money lent to the" cbmpahj by the Government, L 40,000, could not 1 be used to purchase the line, as it had beer taken 'from the insurance fund, and was therefore devoted to a Special purpose. Th'< principle of rating was a most importan one, and he regretted, with many others that the original principle in Sir Juliu Vogel's Public Works scheme had beei altered. If it had not been they wcyild no have seen so many political railways. ~'l most important point in connection with th present matter was that the Government hai declared. that if district railwaj s were takei over the ratiDg power would have to be con tinued. The settlers would therefore % liable to be taxed then the same as at preseni but perhnps tho intention was to get som influence exerted to induce the Governmen not to lovy the rates. He would be yer glad if some means coujd be found to he! the settlers in the matter. He moved as a amendment, that the request.be referred t the Standing Committee, to report in a fort night. Mr Turnbull seconded the amendment. H knew that the rate fell on many persons wh had no interest in the railway at all. On gentleman with whom he was acquainted had sold his property there at the time th vote of the district was taken, but it after wards was thrown back on his hands. Ha< he been in possession at the time he certain ly would have voted against the railway Many had agreed to the railway being f orin^ without really knowing what the result would be . and they were now placed in sußl a posiiion that lie (Mr Turnbull) sympa thised greatly with them. He thought, thj matter should be considered carefully am dispassionately, and therefore he seconded the amendment. ' ■'■ ' The chairman said the railway could n© 1 have been formed without the majority fQ: the owners of land giving their support to it Not only were the then owners and occupier! of the land liable to be rated, but so alsi were their successors. He had intended ti suggest that the Chamber should express it* deep sympathy with the settlers in their pre sent position, and give as its opinion tha* they have a claim, in equity if not in law on the Agricultural Company. No doubi they paid high prices for their land, anc probably many of them could testify tha' they were not informed when they purchased that their lands were liable to be thus taxed It was difficult for the Chamber to interfen in this matter, especially after they hac asked the Government to retrench. It woulc be very inconsistent for them now to ask th? Government to launch LIOO.OOO for the pur. chase of this railway. At the same time il was a most serious matter for the inhabitants of the district, and he would like to assist them if it could in any way be done. Mr A. L. "Wilson sympathised with the settlers. True, they ought to have known what they were doing, but still they were now in a most unfortunate position, and would have to pay dear Tor their whistle ii they were called upon to pay first one 3s 4d in the £, and then another 3s 4d. In hit opinion, the time would come when the Government would have to purohase the railway, but the Chamber should not harass the Government by asking them to do so now when they had not the money for the purpose. He would be glad if some means were devised to help the settlers. He had heard it argued that they should not assist the settiers because they sent their produce to Dunedin. He answered that they should assist them to try and induce them to send theii produce to Invercargill. Mr Gilkison did not think the railway was such a white elephant as it was generally called. A large quantity of grain was grown in the district, and if the tariff was reduced to the same as the Government lines the railway would do a large amount of work. He tnew of considerable quantities of grain being sent from Lumsden by the Government

— r ir . w „" i -"_: ; r y : line Avhich would have , gotie. over "the^-: Waimea railway had the '. charges'- beeri^i^ lower» - • "'-"., -- A .. c -V^^yft Mr Denniston supported the amendmgnU^'^ I The subject had been yery well Wfqre-^---the Chamber. If- they looked at it ; in : oh h«rd, pragmatical light they would say;; thas^ the settlers had gone into the buisness. mtb7\|their eyes open, and should be made, to pW^ : But it could also be lookedat in the light -Mtsv a great unforseen misfortune had occurred byto which the whole colony would suffer.' These'^ were the two distinct aspects 0 fthe question/ '&> and both should be carefully considered;-"'"- '^ Mr McDonald, in replaying, said .tncS^ Chamber was already quite conversant -witu N : the matter, and therefore nothing would be*' gained by referring it to acommittee. -TneV^ all sympathised with ,the settlers, V4jritVi£ sympathy went for nothing in this- cpuntryi'vi There were only two courses. The.^rovern^ ment had either to take over the ■ line, orviet £ the law take its course. There would be^ ■'- no X* use of applying to the Government* ih> it's A present financial position. All.this preksure'- «■: had been brought to bear by the company!^ with the object of getting the Government- "+■ to take over the line ; the balls had beea^seV *' rolling for that purpose. It was a systenfcof - *- coercion to which the public should "iiyotr^submit. The government ought to be left' W-}'-deal with the company as they liked. v / ' The amendment was then put and carried ' Mr McDonald alone voting against it. " .- . Mr Denniston moved, seconded by' Mr Wilson, that Messrs Bain and Turnbull act .]• with the standing committee in considering the above matter, — Carried.