LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2814, 19 February 1908, Page 58

LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY LEAGUE.

A meeting of the above league was held on tho 11th inst. ; present — The Mayor 'Mr J. Loudon, in the chair), Messrs C. T. Paterson, E. Tamblyn, James Hazlctt, W. Gow, Gco. Fenwick, J. B. Waters, G. L. Denniston, A. Bathgate, T. Pryor, and J. F. Arnold and A. R. Barclay, M.P.'e. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs W. Taylor, D. E. Thoomin, M. Cohen, R. Chisholm, W. E. Reynolds, and T. K. Sidey, M.P. In a. letter apologising for absence Mr M. Cohen c.aid "he would suggest holding a, publio meeting to protest against the dilatory progress of the lino, and invite the co-operation of the City Council, the Chamber of Commerce, the Employers' Association, and the Trades Unions. Mr James Bennet, M.P., wrote stating that he had waited upon the Minister of Publio Works in reference to the pushing on of the line, but had been told that nothing would be done until a fresh survey of the Big Hill was made, with a view to cutting down expenditure and shortening the tunnel. He ur^ed that the utmost pressure should be brought to bear upon the Government to push on the line, a» it would appear that an endeavour was being mado by Southland interested people to have the line constructed towards Southland. The letter of the Minister of Publio Works referred to stated that, as & result of a suggestion to alter the proposed grades and alignment of a. section of the line, it was proposed to have a thorough examination made of the locality, and it was therefore advisable not to push formation work forward past the probable commencing point of the deviation, and accordingly a temporary reduction in the number of hand's employed was necessary. Mr C. T. Patereon said that, along with Mr Tamblyn, he had called upon Mr Ussher, of the Public Works Department, on Monday, and had ascertained from him that no alteration in the survey of the line was to be made. Accordingly he would move — "That this league draws the attention of the Minister of Public "Works to the slow progress of the construction of the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway, and request that, seeing £20,000 was voted for the work last session, more men be put on at the earliest possible moment, to ensure reasonable progress in the work, in accordance with tho strong feeling of practically the entire population of Otago." Continuing, Mr Paterson said there was not the slightest doubt but that it was absolutely necessary that, for the success of the Lawrence-Rox-burgh district, the line should be pushed on to the Beaumont at least as speedily as possible. Following on the promisee of the Seddon Government that this line would be prosecuted, hundreds of acres — in fact, he would safely say th.uosa.nds of aores — of land had been taken up and settled on and planted 'n fruit trees, so that it wae quite probable that within three or four years at tho very least the extra production of fruit alone would be sufficient to pay interest on the expenditure of constructing this line. There was at the present time a. great deal of dissatisfaction among eettlers and fruit-growere in the Roxburgh district at the delay in the construction of the line. He considered it necessary that their members of Parliament should do all in their power to impress upon the Government the importance of this 'inc. and urc© upon it to take measures to push on with tho work as speedily as possible. The motion w^s seconded by Mr T Pryor, who fully endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker. The motion was carried unanimously. Messrs Barclay and Arnold, M.P.'s, were both of the opinion that it was necessary that this line should be promptly completed to the Beaumont at least. Mr Fenwick said that proper representation should be made to the Government as to the claims of the district in the pushing on of the line and the matter kept steadily before the Government. Mr W. Gow spoke in the same strain. After the meeting the following telegram was despatched to the Minister of Public Works by Messrs Barolay and Arnold, M.P.'s: — "We desire to endorse the resolution of the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway Leauge in respect to the vigorous pushing on of the railway, and would Bay that we feel certain that in doinjr, 6O we are but mildly expressing the feelings of the Otago and Dunedin public." In reply to his telegram conveying «n«l endorsing the resolution of the LawrenceRoxburgh Railway League urging greater celerity in feh© construction of the line, Mr J. F. Arnold, M.P., on the 12th received the following telegram from the Minister of Publio Works, the Hon. W. Hall- Jones: "Your telegram endorsing resolution of Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway League duly received, and the representations will receive the consideration of the Government.'*