PROGRESS COMMITTEE MEETING.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 283, 7 August 1874, Page 3

PROGRESS COMMITTEE MEETING.

A meeting of the Committee was held on Wednesday night at the Empire Hotel. Present —Messrs. Busch, Collett, Craig, Jackson, Shannon, Mulholland, and do Lautour. The Secretary read the minutes, which were confirmed. COBBESPONDENCE. —OtTTWABD : Letter, enclosing railway memorial, to the Hon. the Premier. inwabd : Letter from Town Clerk, Palmerston, in answer to Secretary's letter, asking for the Council's co-operation in the railway movement, stating that the subject was to be taken into consideration, and a memorial would be drawn up, and forwarded to Wellington. Letter from Secretary Hyde Committee, stating that a memorial, as above, would be forwarded by next mail direct. Letter from Secretary Kyeburn Committc , enclosing memorial (which the Secretary had forwarded) signed by upwards of forty persons. Letter from Secretary to the Hamilton Committee, stating that a memorial signed by over fifty persons had been forwarded. . Letter from Secretary St. Bathans Committee, stating that his Committee would at an early date take the matter into consideration, promising warm cooperation.

Letter from Mr. E. Fjx, Private-Sec-retary to the Premier, stating that the Provincial Government have not made application for power to raise such a loan as that mentioned in the memorial.

The following letters had been received by the Chairman, in answer to letters he had sent by the Committee's direction, from Messrs. Mervyn and Pyke.—

G. A. de Lautour, Esq.: Dkah Sia,— In reply to your letter in reference to having a railway constructed to Mt. Ida and Clyde from Palmerston, I wish to state that the ProTinciul .luthorities have decided not to introduce the Bill to which you refer, us they think it hopeless. 1 may also add that this question iim-t be fought out in the local Council.—l have, &c., D. Huntbb ALEuvrN. Saturday, 25th July Wellington, 24' h July, 1874. O. A. de Lautour, Esq., M.P.C., &c, Ac:

Mt Dkab Sib, —Your note dated 15th •inst, is duly to hand. Before mi receiving it, the Premier had made his Financial Statement, in the course of which, referring to loans for the Provides, he said that the General Government did not propose any this session. In the case of Otago, you will notice (for I presume the Finuncial Statement has ere this reached j ou) that the Government will not ngree to the proposition of the Provincial Government. But, by way of assistance, Government offer to purchase the Bluff ta Winton railway (estimated value, £300,000), paying for it in three annual in ■t almeijts, and proceeds to be devoted to the construction of branch railways. You will see, therefore, that the proposed reserve of laud will not be required ; and, astheie is not to be any loan, the Palmerston to Clyde line cannot be dealt with, as you propose. I intend, however, to see the MinisterJor Public Work* on this matter, and will thereafter communicate with you on this subject. Of this be sure, it will afford me very great pleasure to work with the members for Mount Ida nnd Dunstan in endeavoring to obtain the construction of this most necessary and desirable line. One difficulty puggests itself-—the rivalry of the alternative lines via Pulmerßtou and via Tuapeka to Clyde. I think it would be i.ise, as a preliminary step, to have both lines examined, and flying sui vevs made during the recess, so as to definitely settle a moot poiut which, unanswered, is detrimental to both lines, because it leaves the door open for the indefinite poßtpoumedt of both. I wouli suggest, as a step in aid, that your Committee should collect statistical information bb to traffic, &4., capabilities for settlement, population, and extent of country that would be benefited by the line, and similar mutters.

Believr mc to be, My dear sir, Yours, very truly, Vincent Pykb. bailway. Proposed by Mr. Shannon—" That the Secretary be instructed to write to the Provincial Government, asking their intention with regard to obtaining a flying survey of the Palmerston and Clyde line of railway." Seconded by Mr. Jackson, nud carried. Or-ENING (F LAND FOB SETTLEMENT. Proposed by Mr. Cbaig—" That Mr. Mulholland accompany the Goldfields Secretary during his inspection of land in the vicinity of Naseby, as representing this Committee." Seconded by Mr. Collett, and carried. Proposed by Mr. Shannon —" That an advertisement be inserted in the * Chronicle,' culling upon all those who desire to take up land to hold themselves in readiness to accompany Mr. MacKellar in his selection of a block of land, due notice of which will be given." Seconded by Mr. Buscb, and carried. SLUDGE CHANNEL The Secretary and Chairman were authorised to write to the General Government more fully in explanation of the desired alterations in the Channel. The meeting then broke up.

NOMINATION OF COUNCILLORS. On Monday last, about noon, some score of ratepayers collected at the Council Chambers, a little interest having been engendered by it being known that a few nominations in each Ward had been put in under the non-consenting Clause of the Ordinance. The Town Clerk, having read the advertisement, then proceeded to read the nominations received:— WEST WAED. Patrick Jackson Greer—Proposed by It. Glenn, seconded by C. A. de Lnutour. pHter Law—Proposed by E. T. George, seconded by P. J. Greer. Robert Glenn Proposed by P. J. Greer, seconded by E. T. George. John Dillon- Proposed by J. Packman, seconded by J. M'Gregor. George Alexander—Proposed by J. J. Smith, seconded by T. Pinder. ... BOOTH WABD. John Ganld Bremner —Proposed by W.

J. Millar, seconded by G. P. Newmarch. George Frederick Xewmarcu («.>nse:iting)—Proposed by G. Raven, seconded by G. Stephens. William Hay (consenting)— Proposed by B. Strong, seconded by T. Vickery. Mr. Nbwmabch hoped they would all rote for him, and get the money spent in the South Ward.

Mr. Bbemneb said that, there being two consenting candidates, he should be allowed to retire. At any rate, ho bejTcred to decline to have his name brought forward. It had been done without his eonsent. He might say that be would not act. He only hopfcd whoever gf ts in will do something for the Ward. There had been nothing done for the South Ward or the Ward in which he lived. The position just now is something like this : We started a little bit of business up the street, and we don't quite know how to finish it. If he was a financier there might be some sense in putting him forward, but he was not. He hoped some money would be spent, as he had said, in the Ward, but he was afraid there would be none to spend. It would take ten years to pay for the Hall. Mr. Hay came forward, and said: Mr. Returning Officer and electors of the South Ward, —I have come forward with the full determination to get a fair share of expenditure for the South Ward. If returned, I will do my utmost for the whole of the Borough, but intend to have, at any rate, a lair share of the money expended on the Ward to which I belong. The non-consents present refused to speak, and the Returning Officer then adjourned the proceedings to Saturday, the day fixed for election. It seemed to be thought that the nou-consentinp candidates would be exempt from election if a consenting candidato came forward; but this is not so. That privilege would only attend the first nomination day. We need hardly say how unwise it would be to force a man into an office he was determinedly opposed to take. A nomination for Mr. James Thomson, for the West Ward, was handed in two or three minutes after the hour, and therefore et»uld not be received.