PUBLIC MEETING AT STOKE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VII, Issue 79, 2 April 1872, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT STOKE.

A meeting of the inhabitants of Stoke was held last night in accordance with an advertisement that recently appeared in the newspapers. Mr. Luckie, who was called to the chair, stated that when iv Wellington, two months ago, he had, on speaking of railway matters, notified to the Assistant Engineer-in-Chief tbe desire of the inhabitants of this district for a deviation of the line as first surveyed, so as to prevent the numerous skew cuttings of land which the first surveyed showed ; ttmt Mr. BlackeU had said a divergence might be : agreed to, and probably would, on good '

cause being shown. When the Hon. Mr. Gisborne, the Colonial Secretary, was in Nelson a week ago, he had also mentioned the matter to him, at the request of some of the landowners of Stoke; and Mr. Austin bad, subsequently, had communication with the Government on the subject, and had received instructions to report on a divergence which would lessen the difficulty. Mr. Austin bad made his report, which projected the line close by the first bye-road from the main-road, taking it along the lower boundaries of the upper sections. Mr. Buxton said that since the meet- | ing was first called, he had seen Mr. Austin, who had told him that he was authorised to make a deviation in tbe course of the railway which would, probably, meet the views of all interested. The diversion would commence on a terrace near Mr. H. Stafford's house, from whence the line would run along the lower part of the upper sections, with a station at the corner of the racecourse, and from thence straight along the lower part of the sections. He was strongly in favor of the railway as a part of the system now commenced in the colony, and, while he was much gratified at the concession the Government had made, he would have been willing to see it pass through any part of his land, if necessary, rather than not have it at all. In every other country railways had improved trade and commerce, and he believed they would have the same effect here. Mr. Rout then moved : —" That this meeting views with great satisfaction the prompt manner in which Mr. Austin, acting for the Government, has met the wishes of the inhabitants of Stoke in the direction of the proposed line of railway ; it also desires to express its opinion that the action taken by the inhabitants has not beon from any antagonism to the railway, but from a desire to see it most effective and useful." He said that the fact of taking a small strip of land from tho lower portion of the sections would save the bye-roads, and would not interfere with the line of traffic which might be expected to arise along these roads in after year?. Moreover, it would be far better to take the strip of land along the upper sectrons, because the frontages of tbe lower sections with the houses were towards the bye-road, and if these were cut they would suffer damage which the upper sections would not do. He thought the arrangement was very satisfactory. From what he could understand of the feeling of tbe district, he believed it was the desire of everyone through whose land the line would pass not to ask for much in the way of compensation, but rather to give than take, because of the benefit which the line would be to the district. He had spoken to several people on the subjpet, and that was their opinion as well as his own. The resolution was seconded by Mr. Buxton and carried unanimously, and after a few remarks from some of the other gentlemen present the meeting broke up with the customary vote of thanks to the chairman.