RAILWAY MEETING.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 445, 19 July 1879, Page 2

RAILWAY MEETING.

A public meeting was held in the Carlyle Town Hall on Wednesday evening last, to consider what action should be taken to urge upon Government the desirability of commencing railway works within this County, or any other matter connected with the welfare of the district. The meeting was well attended. Mr G. F. Sherwood, being voted to the chair, said it was not the first time public meetings had been held about railway matters ; but in order to get their wants attended to, settlers must continue to agitate. One of thegreatest drawbacks to this district was, that it had no local member to attend to its wants in the House. A deputation had been sent from Hawera to Wellington to interview the Government on the matter of railways, but it was not clear whether they intended to make it a County or local question. The branch line to Carlyle had been scheduled, and even if the present Government went out of office, he believed it would bo completed. Once the main line was constructed, there would be little to fear from the natives. He would call upon those in the room to bring forward resolutions. Proposed by Mr Dale, seconded by Mr Williamson, “ That, in the opinion of this meeting, the most effective means of securing permanent peace on this coast, will be by the construction of railways, and that the Government be urged to commence a portion of the main line in sections from both sides of the Patea River, and in other suitable positions along the line.” The mover thought it necessary to deal with this question as a whole, and therefore works should be commenced at Waverley, Hawera, and Carlyle at the same time. He did not agree with the system Hawera had adopted—asking that their wants alone be attended to. By starting these works at the present time, hundreds of men who are now doing nothing would be employed, and the country saved from ruin. Labor was

far cheaper now than it had been for years past, and Government should take advantage of this. A few years ago this County was only known as a small strip of coast line, but it had now grown, and become an important district. To secure the peace of the district, a large force of men should be employed in public works, and this would bo of far more benefit than the collection of Armed Constabulary. Mr Gibson said that while agreeing in a great measure with the last speaker, ho thought the question was more a colonial than a local one. It would bo far better to have the railway completed from this port to Stratford, and so connect it with Waitara, than advocate the completion of the line on the Wanganui side. No line in the North Island would, he believed, pay better than the one between this and Nonnanhy.

Mr Coutts agreed with Mr Gibson, and said Wanganui had members of its own who would look after its interests. In Christchurch railway works were being carried on without the consent of the House, in order to give work to the unemployed, and to prevent a riot. We were in quite as bad a state here, if not worse, and by requesting Government to push on railway works, we would only he asking for that which we were justly entitled to.

Mr Hirst said that railway works had been pushed on at the New Plymouth and Wanganui ends, and this place was left out in the cold. This could be attributed to the fact of our not having a local man to take our part in the House of Representatives. Innumerable promises had been made to this district, but very little action had been taken. If a deputation was sent to Wellington, it was said Patea was a fine district, and our wants should bo attended ; but nothing ever came of it. An amendment by Mr Gibson, to strike out part of Mr Dale’s resolution for the purpose of inserting these words, “To proceed with the formation of the line between the Patea River and Hawcra, and so complete the line between this and Waitara,” was thrown out, and the original motion was carried. Proposed by Mr Hirst, seconded by Mr Chapman, and carried unanimously, “ That this meeting learns with great satisfaction that the Carlyle-Ivakaramea branch line of railway has been scheduled, and would respectfully urge upon the Government the advisability of the work being commenced as early as possible, as it could bo at once utilised by conveying material from the port of Patea to the main lino, thereby greatly curtailing the cost of construction,”

Proposed by Mr Tregear, seconded by Mr Coutts, and carried unanimously, “ That, on account of the groat depression prevailing in the district, caused by the unsettled state of native affairs, the Government ho urged to commence the railway works at once, as the only means of increasing commercial confidence and restoring trade to something like its former flourishing state.”—The mover spoke very warmly on the present depression, and predicted something very sad for the district if Government could not bo. induced to commence public works at once.

Proposed by Mr Dale, seconded by Mr Williamson, and carried unanimously, “ That tlie improvements which have been effected in the Port of Patea by the partial erection of the breakwater, now being constructed on Bir John Goode’s plan, the deepening of the river channel, and the regular trading of steamers direct with Wellington, have the result of making Patea occupy a good position as a depot and centre of railway construction ; the railway and harbor will mutually help each other and the progress of the district.”—The Chairman, in speaking to the above resolution, said too much prominence could not be given to the Patea Harbor by the people of the district, as it seemed to be ignored by other parts of the colony. It was a river capable of great improvement. This concluded the railway discussion, and the Chairman suggested that it would be advisable to give an expression of opinion with regard to the Wairaate Plains. On the motion of J\Xr O. Thomson, seconded by Mr Hirst, it was resolved, “ That in the opinion of this meeting, it would be judicious for Government to occupy the Wairnate Plains either by ordinary or military settlers, and the construction of roads.” The Chairman was requested to forward copies of resolutions to Government.

A vote of thanks to the chair brought the meeting to a close.