LICENSING COURT.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 69, 8 June 1878, Page 2

LICENSING COURT.

Paimebstoit, June 6th, 1878. (Before His Worship E. Ward, Esq., E.M j and Messrs. V. Monrad, and J. T. Dalrymple, Esqs., J.s.P.) CLARENDON HOTEL. James Carroll, applied for alicen.se for the Clarendon Hotel. Mr Staite, soli- ; citor appeared for the applicant. His Worship enquired how many staircases were m the building. Mr Carroll stated one. His Worship, -remarked that one was not suffioientto give egreaa

conscientiously say that he had neither pecuniary nor personal interest m doing so. He had been actuated by no ether motive than to add to the prosperity of the country; and the development of its resources— the motives by which he had been inflounced since his coming to the colony. In the very able speech delivered by Mr Gower— although he agreed with it m the main — there were, one or two points on which he did not agree. That gentleman had drawn comparisons between Bulls and Foxton unfavorable to the latter, because the people of the former place secured a hairdresser; but the Foxton people had done a great deal better — they had lassoed a great Southern capitalist, and now that they had him, he hoped they; would open shop for hint. Then, again, it was said, that Fox. ton wanted a stimulus. Now he did not believe, as most people knew, m such doses, which, only created spasmodic action. What was wanted was good, wholesome food, which would foster continuous and permanent prosperity. The sum set down for the construction of the line wasremarkably low, still he believed it could be done at that figure, and if so, m his opinion it would be much cheaper than the formation of roads. . They could construct the line for about £25,000, and to make roads instead would cost very nearly as much; beside a perpetual outlay for keeping them m repair. There w;ere only fourteen miles needed to be made, as the six miles to Carnarvon could be utilised, and.-jfc could be m working order m about ; months. Tt . fell to his lot to explain the nature of the Bill under which it was resolved to construct the line, and consequently what part the meeting would be called upon to take m the proceedings. According to . ; the 75th clause of the district Railways Bill, every company constructing a railway under its provisions shall be guaranteed interest on the cost of the railway not exceeding, seven per annum. The Borough Council and County Coun- i cil m the district m which the railway is constructed shall yearly, levy and raise by means of a specified rate, such a sum as will produce not exceeding five per centum per annum on such cost, the remaining two per cent being a charge upon the consolidated revenue of the colony. . The guarantee shall only attach when and so long as the railway is open, for traffic, and subsist, for a period of fifteen years fron; the date of of the opening for traffic. The classification of lands for the purposes of the Act were four m number, as follow: First, lands receiving or supposed to receive immediate and direct benefit from the construction of the railway ; second, lands receiving or supposed to receive less direct benefit ; third, lands receiving only the benefit incidental to or derived generally from the construction of the line ; and fourth, all other lands effected. That was one way, but another scheme would be that Mr Campbell would take say £5;000 and the remainder be allotted m £10 shares^ Within eixty day's from the, deposit of the, plan, and book of reference, the votes of the ratepayers and owners of property within the proposed district should be taken, and if a majority of the whole body of ratepayers, and owners of property consent to the construction, then the Governor may declare his approval of its^ construction; ■Thejr- were not asked that night to give any individual bond to the scheme ; if they liked it, let them show their approval. It should be ; borne m mind that the railway must be finished, and the trains running before the settlers can be called upon to pay a rate, and also that the very outside sum could be demanded would be five per cent upon the cost aof ihe construction. If the profits arising from the working of the fine were three per cent, then all that would be asked would be two per cent— the difference between, three and five. Supposing, then, a man had two hundred acres ranked m the highest or firstclass, he would be called upon to pay about £4 per year : and if two hundred, £2. The money would be invested m the very best possible manner,; inasmuch as the value of the land would m many cases be doubled, quadrupled, and even quintupled. ' The mere smell of the line m the Rangitikei District had sent. the value of land up m the market. . The proposed railway was one of tWcheapest m the world, being'not quitelß2OdO per mile, and it would have the effect of giving Foxton a steady," permanent prosperity, instead of the uncertain j fitful, and spasmodic action alluded to by other speakers. - The Chaerman said that although it was not usual for those presiding at public meetings to speak to the subject, still he claimed the indulgence of making a few remarks, and those were m reference to the areas which it was intended to take m. He was very sorry that the sketch, map exhibited such a large area of blanks, but still they represented a vast extent' of splendid country which remained to be developed. The map exhibited that evening gave, the two routes north— -the proposed one being •hown m black, and the old m red; and it would be thus seen that the former was a short route into the interior of the country, and the inland communication, with the port was a question of great ! importance with settlers so located. It would tap a large area beyond the Feilding settlement, and the effect would b 6 that land which was worth. 25s two years ago on deferred payments would bo worth £4 per acre.. When Mr Gower stated that there would be 800 acres under crop, he certainly left a very large margin, an<l was considerably below the figure. The County of Manawatu could boast of a population of close upon 6000, or nearly 2000 m excess of that of the older settlement of Eangitikei. They could see the advantages of a district being opened up by railway, as instanced m the population brought to Palmerston and Feilding, and there was no district m the CQlouyat present "exciting more attention m Wellington than bh'e County of Manawatu. As an evidence of the rise m value of land, he might state that sections adjoining the railway which had been bought, two years ago, for £4, per acre, lately changed hands at £9, or an advance of 120 •per cent. For some time the imports of Foxton had averaged li tons per head of the population, with a total of 8000 tons, and they had shipped- 3J millions of feet of ■awn timber. They were now beginning to establish better markets for their timber, and had opened some where, a short time since, none existed. The celebrated Una of Ghithrie & Lariiach were extensive buyers for their white pine, and the firm that he (the speaker) represented. had|shipped, during the past week, no less than

120,000 feet of timber. This wouW show the rate at which the port was advancing, and as time went on, it would witness sitnilor strides m the commercial progress of Foxton. In the Manawatu there are now numerous saw-mills, with others about. to start, and various flour-mills m full swing, where, one year since, such a thing was unthought of. They need only look to the history of the old country and they would see what a revolution was accomplished by the substitution of the rail for the cumbrous old stage-coach. At one time it had taken Ins father nearly a day to go alittle way out of London, but with rail and steam a journey could be made into the centre of Scotland or the West of England m less time. This enabled his father to extend his business a hundredfold, and' to employ a dozen clerks where he needed but one before. He believed m the future of-Foxton, and with the great lever of development which it was now sought to introduce, he trnßted that his turn might come to increase his business and his stafE of clerkß. As the Jne was at present, it had to be traversed for nearly seventeen miles before it began to receive any freight, whereas, . by -the Carnarvon-Foxton, four miles would not be gone over before the feeding to the line would commence. Under those circumstances, then, he had no doubt m his own mind as to the self-supporting nature of the line, and that it would not only pay the working expenses, but also the guarantee. Mr Sansok said he begged to submit a resolution somewhat similar to that moved at the Sandon meeting. It was, however,' slightly, modified m its provisions, and, consequently, it might be more acceptable to the meeting m its modified form. Last night it had been moved that the Awahoiij Kawakawa, and the Oroua ridings be a railway district m the meaning of the Act; Some exception had been taken to the boundaries, and it was thought advisable to alter it, inasmuch as some persons who would be rated at a minimum would have the power of voting on the day of polling, and doing so adversely to the project. He would now read the resolution m its amended form :— " That the following be the boundaries of the Eailway District within the meaning of the District EaUways Act, 1877, i.e., the Eangitikei River on the west, the sea coast and the Manawatu River on the sbiith, so as to include four miles m the Foxton Local Board, five miles from the line of railway on the east, and five miles from the township of Sandon on the north." / Mr. Fox had explained the nature of the four classes, and he might now explain that by_ the .first .a rate would be levied at something lik sd. per acre; the second class, 2£d; the third class; 2d.; and the fourth class, Id. per acre. The town rate would have to be on the annual value. He: might point out, however, that with the prospect of freight and traffic from the Sandon district, ifc seemed more than probable that but a small portion of the guarantee would be needed. Hitherto threshing had to be done at an outlay of Is. 6d. per, bushel, and find the men; wherein now' by the aid of steam it can be done for 3d. People were beginning to have confidence m their own resources, and 300 tons of wheat had been grown m the district m excess of what the people could consume. For the future the surplus could be sent away and a handsome profit realised, but they were*debarred from doing that now. Potatoes had been grown which it had been necessary to give as feed to the pigs for want of transit, which, under ordinaryjeircumstances, would have easily realised £2 per ton. Mr. Campbell-proposed m the first instance that the setters should pay him a bonus of £600, and the Government add another £600, whereon ho would find the moneyfor the line, which would be his until purchased according to the provisions of. the Act; The. clause, referred to stipulated that the Governor shall.be entitled at any time after the expiration of seven years from the date the railway has been opened for traffic, and upon giving six months' notice m writing to the company, to purchase the railway, stock., &0., &c., at a price to be determined by arbitration. The projectors of the scheme . did not propose to include the people of Motoa, but those who reaped benefit from it, such- as Mr. Larkworthy. . Mr. Dawson briefly seconded the resolution. Both the resolutions were carried unanimously, there being not even one dissentient, and votes thanks to Messrs. Fox and Gampbell, and the Chairman, brought the proceedings to. a close.