THE RAILWAY PETITION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 28, 28 November 1879, Page 2

THE RAILWAY PETITION.

TO THE EDITOR OP. TUB MANAAVATU HERALD

Siu, — To point out tha poltical somersaults Mv Rocks'row is habitually performing, would require the whole of one's time, but his latest outbreak is so strange, 'that I must trespass on a few incheß of your space At the Council meeting on Wednesday, he stated several influential ratepayers had asked him to dewy the action of Mr Loudon and myself in presenting the Foxton railway petition to the Minister of Public Works. I challenge him to name three men of influence in the district who asked him to do any such thing. The origin of thf petition was as follows : — Mr John Da vies, of Wirokino, brought from Otaki a petition to the Minister of Public Works, signed by residents there (both Maori and European), asking that the June tion of the line might be fixed at Foxton, instead of Palmerston. Upon reading this, several influential ratepayers thought it advisable that the idea should bo enlarged, and a petition organised, requesting the Government to push' on the work ofconstruction at the Foxton end. Mr Loudon took the matter up with his fcsual energy. He at once canvassed the township and obtained some few pounds. The petition was dtawn up, and Mr George Cook was appointed to take it round for signature, Thia was done,

and almost evory man in Foxton (of course . excepting Mr Rockstrow) signed it. Not^ only so but in Carnarvon, Sandon, Balls, an^^| RTarton, numerous signatures were obtained/ the total number of bonajlde settlers on the West Coast signing it being nearly 500 • Like all patriotic men, Mr Loudon lost money, as the expenses were more than the receipts. However, your readers will see how reliable Mr Rockstrow's statements are, when it is known that every man of influence in Foxton signed it (of course excepting Mr Book* strow.) N"o public meeting was veld to consider the question, for the simple reason the petition was the outgrowth of one started at Otaki ; and was intended to be taoked on to the same as its complement. Phis was done, and the two were presented together. The signatures of between 400 and 500 settlers in South Manawatu is sufficient refutation of Mr Rockstrow's assertion that the petition was unauthorised. A large petition was recently presented to the House from North Manawatu. So far as lam aware, no public meeting was held in connection with that, and Mr Rockstrow might also have called on Mr Linton to make a statement to the same effect !

Now with regard to the presentation, I have said some money was raised by subscription to pay the expenses of the oanvastf. After the petition had been complete 1 about a month, several influential ratepayers thought ib desirable to have it presented. Mr Loudon therefore called a meeting of the . gentlemen who had subscribed the money, and also of those who had a stake . in the district, to consider the matter. At that meeting there were present Messts. Thynne, Whyte, Liddell, Gray, C. Simpson, Al'liennan, Loudon, and others. It wai explained to those present that a petition had been numerously signed, and now* ~ awaited presentation. A deputation was.!: suggested; but the financial difficulty stood: . in the way, Mr C. Simpson remarking that it would not be fair for those present to pay the cost, when the whole district was interested. Mr Loudon then remarked to '■ the meeting that he and I were about to visit Wellington on private business, : andf _ ; that if the matter were left to us, we , would do our best to press the importance of the woric on the Government. One of the gentlemen suggested a resolution a«thorhing us to present the petition, but Mr • . Thynne pointed out — very properly, I think. — that as the meeting was not a public meeting called by advertisement, it had not the power to pass a resolution. . . Another gentleman pointed out that only a small portion of the whole signatures were t obtained in Foxton, and that Sandon^ Car- ;: narvon, or Otaki,]|had an equal tight to appoint a deputation to present it The whole [ '•; meeting,however,were unanimously of opinion that we should present it, and to thia view there was not one dissentient. At the • time I felt very reluctant to have any- • tiling whatever to do with it, as it was an unsatisfactory arrangement, and I felt cer« tain Mr Eockstrow would speedily be on the war path. However, as the best interests of Foxton (including my own) are bound up in the prosecution of the railway, I determined to dare the braying of the politician I have spoken of, and do my little best to advance the place. The public will now be able to estimate the assertions of Mr Rockstrow at their full value. lam fully aware that' so ! far as I am concerned, dozens of more influential settlers than myself might have been obtained to present the petition. However, the gentlemen who are the largest landowners and most influential in the dis*\ trict willingly left the matter in the hands \ of Mr Loudon and myself, and wo did what '■ we could.

; I am, &0., G. W. Russell. Foxton, November 27.