THE PROPOSED SANDON RAILWAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5408, 27 July 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE PROPOSED SANDON RAILWAY.

The Rangitikei Advocate of Monday last contains an interesting report of the public meeting held bn the previous .Friday for the purpose of arranging the necessary preliminaries for the formation o! a company to construct a railway from Carnarvon Junction, op the Foxton and Wanganui line, to Sandon. Mr. Gower occupied the chair. i Mr. Sanson gave a history of the movement to establish the line, and read several letter? which had passed between the Hon. Mr. Campbell and himself on the_ subject. From that gentleman he had received on the 17th June a prospectus of a similar undertaking near Oamaru. On the Bth July Mr, Campbell had again written him, enclosing articles o( association in connection with the Oamanl railway undertaking, and promising to puslj the Sandon matter on himself when in Wellington. Thu speaker then made a strong appeal to the meeting, urging them to com-, bine to get this most important work accomplished, They should order the rails from] Homo while the price of iron remained low, as jt would be certain to rise now the prospects of war were over. He had written to the member for Manawatu, Mr, .Johnston, in refu- • rence to the proposed line betweeii Greattord; and Bolls. The reply from Mr. Johnston was to the effect that he had seen Mr. BaUancej and other Ministers on the matter, who badtold him that the Government had*not thej slightest intention »f authorising the construe-; tion of that branch line. If they did they; would be overwhelmed with similar applica-j tions from other parts of the colony. Neither* would they be favorable to the construction of i tho lino from Carnarvon to Sandon, ns it would be like running a line •in competition with the main line, 1 and would have the effect-of diverting the traffic from it. The letter went on to say that it was to be hoped the Bulls people would unite- with the. Sandon people in continuing the branch line right from Carnarvon through Sandon via eat ford, as. if; they wished to have railway communication they must depend upon their own exeitions, and not upon the Government. . He pointed out the advantages of the line, which, if once pushed through to Greatford, would command all the traffic, and ultimately the Government would be glad to take it off the company’s bands. The people at Foxton were enthusiastic in support of the line, and would guarantee their share of responsibility. He produced a stamped document for signature, by the terms of which every subscriber' thereto would have a share of the burden in proportion to his rates, so that the strongest back would bear the heaviest burden. The read the following memorandum ;—“ In the event of the General Government undertaking to construct the railway from the Carnarvon Junction to Sandon, we, the underssigned, severally agree to pay our share of the preliminary expenses of the proposed company, provided the amount does notexceed £SO, and provided" also that the residents of Foxton be liable for a fair share of said expenses. The amount for Which we shall be liable) shall be in the proportion as our rates are to the said expenditure divided proportionately among those who subscribe to this and a similar memorandum.” He then addressed the meeting, urging the importance of the work, and the great advantage it would be to the district. He -concluded by observing that when Mr. Campbell knew they were working with him, it would give him encouragement to use every endeavor on their behalf to obtain for them the consummation of -their wishes in the matter.

Mr. Piuou and Mr. Tompkins spoke in support of the undertaking, the latter remarking that since the line had been talked abont land had risen in -value, and would rise from £1 per acre to £2, and £3 and £4 and £5. He then dwelt upon the additional price of goods through cartage, loss, and breakage of one kind and another, owing to there being no railway. And he humorously added—“ Who pays for all this ? Not we storekeepers, you bet!” ■

Mr. James BOWATEB referred to the high prices of iron and coal, owing to the cost of carriage, which was three times as much from Greatford to Saudon as from Wanganui to Greatford.

Mr. G. Fabmeb then proposed,—That a provisional committee of fifteen settlers be appointed, to take vigorous steps towards forming n railway company for the construction of the line from the Carnarvon Junction to Sandon, such committee to consist of Messrs. Sanson, Gower, Hammond, Bocks), K. McKenzie, Bailey, Edwards, G. Farmer, Tompkins, Phillips, Bishop, J. Harris, Gifford, Prior, and H. Bowater.. Five to form a quorum.

Mr. H.‘ Bowateb seconded the proposition, ■which was carried unanimously. The Chairman said that tho proposition would go forth with power from the district. Success was theirs if only they stuck to their colors.

Meantime tho memorandum had been taken round for signature, and twenty-eight names were affixed. -

■lt was arranged that the first meeting of committee should be held at the schoolhonse, Sanson, on the following Monday, at 7 o’clock, when the committee would go at once to work to secure the desired end. Hearty votes of thanks to the chairman and to all who had assisted to promote the undertaking were unanimously carried, and the meeting %dispersed. -