WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 99, 6 August 1880, Page 2

WEST COAST RAILWAY.

* PUBLIC MEETING? AT iEQXtON. * On Wednesday evening, an influential ] meeting was hold at tbe Fox'on Athenaeum ' to urge the Government to set aside the i Railway Commission Report, and to proceed, with the line. Ihe building was Crowded. Mr ( A. Gray was voted to.the chair, au^ briefly opened' the meeting. ' . •/**'-. . Mr Thynne explained that the jßjpeting had been called somewhat hurriedly^eeause it was necessary to anticipate the:*, deli very •of the Public Works Statemcnt,;if possible."Promises had been madia by .'success ye Governments to carry on tho line, but it seemed it wns now in danger vof falling through. Me ninved th * following rjrtOtio.n v :-., That this meeting affirms itl*-6pinion ; that a railway to Wellington via Wbjdyille' and Wairarapa would be -of no prt&tjoal heuefit to the settlers <m this coast, and-, would result in enormous loss to tho country, through deficiency of traffic*.. He referred to the, dangerous character, of tbe couutry through whioiVthe Wairara paWood ville lins would puss, especially the Manawatu Gorge, and also th> excessive cost of workin/* tho Rimutaka incline, upon which every pound earned co-t the country fifty shillings. It would bo suioid-.l to take heavy traffic over such a line as that. The distance would also bo much irreater, a? Wellington would be 45 miles further from Palmerston via A airarapa than per West Ooast "The Woodville lipe would be forcing the traffic contrary to its natural direction, aud whilst the settlers on this Coast would have to bear their share of the additional taxation c used by the formation of the Hue, they could not possibly derive any benefit from it. Ho referred to the large population ou the West Coast, com pared with the East, and in conclusion attributed the action of the Government to the influence of the lftrgd runholders of' Wairarapa. .',*■• Mr Jobn Davies, of Wirokino, briefly seconded the resolution. Mr Loudon said no reason had ever been shown way the railway should be made vi v Wairarapa, but every reason had been shown why it should bo made via the West Coast. The land along the line could be raade to pay the whole cost of construction. Reference had been mado to the difficulty of acquiring nativo land uloug the West Coaßt, but he would point out the Woodville line would also pass thiough native land. He bilieved Mr M'Donald would succeed iv purchasing the land from tlie natives, on favourable terms. The Government arged' Mie condition of fi .ance against th« West Coast line, bufc thafc conld easily be disposed of He thought the resolution should be more strongly worded. Tie Ch'airmau' would correct Mr IjoudonV The Governments objection to tbe line could not be based on rcisous of finance, as -the Woodville Hue would cost nearly double that via tho West, Toast. Mr 1 1 aukin3 thought tho motion should bo left as it stood, as it attacked the ai\ju me it of ibe Government, and directly con ttadicted the reasons they urged in favor of the Wairarapa line. Mr Tliynue "explained, the object of the ftamers of tho motion was to word it as temperately as possible, so that a uuited expression of opinion misrht go to the; Government from the whole Coast. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr Russeil then moved — That in the opinion of this meeting* the Railway ■'^mmiyio'p'Jii^-Qprtfi'-on jthe Coast R-ii^way, ia in IJinsctfe oppqsitibg^to-? the evidence given by witnesses** as td iho character^ quantity, arid capaoity f©resettlement of the land to be opened up. He. criticised the personnel of the Commis-' sion, and the manner in which they carried out their duties, aDd compared the length, cost, and paying prospects of the West Coast and Wairarapa lines. Mr Hankins briefly seconded the motion. He said any oue who noiice.l the network of ro-ids, tracts, and railways in Canterbury, and then rode from 'WeUington to Foxton per ooach, would see that the North Island had not reoeived its fair share of loan expenditure. The same lavish -expenditure of Government money wa» seen in Otago. He thought the formation of the West Coast railway would be but an act of justice to these districts. Mr Thynne strongly criticised tho manner in which tlCeComt^lstjiojrlor's^ tfielr, work, and said they evidently tried not to get evidence as to the line. Yet they could only find one man who supported their view. The motion was oarriod unanimously. • Mr Coley then proposed — That this meeting urges Mr Johnston, M.H R„ to support to the fullest degreo the efforts being made to have thp West Coastline proceeded with. Mr Thynne seoonded the motion. Mr Russell briefly supported the motion, remarking that whenever any matter, however trifling, was brought under Mr Johnston's notioe, he invariably attended to it with greut pains. , The Chairman corroborated this from personal experienoe. The motion waß carried unanimously It was then resolved to telegraph the resolutions to Mr Johnston early next moraing, and the meeting closed with a vote of thanks to the Chairman.