NASEBY RAILWAY COMMITTEE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 426, 9 June 1877, Page 3

NASEBY RAILWAY COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Naseby Eailway Committee was held at the Town Hall last night, Mr L. W. Busch in the chair. Major Steward and Mr E. Ihnith attended and explained all the details of the proposed line as submitted to the County Council during the afternoon. In reference to the shipping facilities, it was pointed out that all grain at present grown in the Waitaki is shipped from Oamaru without inconvenience to all ports in Australia. The Easby had no difficulty in being loaded through one day, with 3000 bags foT Sydney. In point of practise the grain exported does not go to England, but to the Northern Provinces and Australia. Mr Smith instanced his own benefit at Duntroon from the completion of that line : n I used to pay £3 per ton, and now am paying only 7s. 6d. to 9s 2d., and should tho Pass railway bo made you would have the same advantage, say in proportion costing you 205., with an outlet for your produco at 6d. per bushel. Mr Creighton: At £6 per ton tho carriers are not maZtmg a living. Mr Smith: You have tho railway within thirtyfour miles. The next nearest point, I suppose, will bo Palmorston. Mr Inder : There is this, that though tho distanco would bo longer the country would be better. Mr Creighton: I don't see what benefit wo can obtain by land being opened flt Waihemo or Outram. Mr Inder: Then you look at it selfishly, because you can get nearer to Port by oneway than the other Mr Smith: How long do you suppose it would take to get the Outram line to Naseby ? In Oamaru yeu have an influential town willing to give assistance. Mr Indor : My idea is that there is no hope of there being two lines for tho next generation. I sympathise with tho Oamaru people, but to say I would support tho Pass line as against the other for the sake of carrying a few bushels of grain to Oamaru is what I could not say. That is not what railways are mado for, but to open lands lying dormant. Major Steward: Exactly. Afte/ further argument, in which Mr Inder said he wished it to be understood he was not opposed to the line, and Mr G-lenn, Mr J. Brown, and others warmly supported it, Mr Rowlatt propoaed a vote of thanks to tho visitors, which was received with applause. A public meeting is to be held to-night, Major Steward and Mr Smith having consented to remain to attend it. The Railway Committee will report and ask for further instructions.