MEETING AT THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

Southland Times, Issue 571, 28 September 1866, Page 2

MEETING AT THE MECHANICS' INSTITUTE.

EOADS V. EAILWAYS. According to announcement, a public meeting was held on Wednesday evening, the 26th September, in the Mechanics' Institute, for the purpose of considering the most suitable plan of opening up the country, whether by means of railroads, tramways, or metalled roads, and other business. The assemblage was large, the Hall ' being filled in every part. Mr Buchanan was called to the chair. The ChaieM/IH", in opening the meeting, explained the views of the promoters, pointing out the importance of the questions for which they had been called together to consider, and expressed a hope that every gentleman who had a resolution to propose or to speak upon, would be attentively listened to, in order that correct conclusions might be formed.

Mi £. Daiib?TO«, in proposing the first resolution, remarked that two meat* inga had been hold, regarding roads in the Ea&iftrn District, and an numistakeable expression of opinion elicited, bat mtAxy in town were not satisfied with the decision that had bsen given, and this meeting was called in order that the subject might be more fully discussed. To commence the business of the evening, he begged to submit the following resolution t— •" That j this meeting is of opinion that the questions of forming and metalling the Bast Koad for a few miles from town, Had the construction of a railway to the Ma fcaura, are entirely distinct, and not opposed to each other." Captain Thomson seconded the resolution. He thought all present knew that it was next to impossible for any one to get even a few miles into the interior owing to the state of the roads. He considered that horse-tramways were the best adapted for the speedy opening of the country. He thought that five miles of metalled roads in each direction within five .miles of the town desirable. Bail- j ways were good things to get at the right time, but not good for Southland at the present time — they were too much in advance of our means or our requirements. He had been round about among the farmers, and in" speaking to them, the invariable question was^ — " How should we get our produce to the railroad ? " He had no other answer than— construct sledges. To agitate for a railway was lie thought a mistake. A good tramway would only cost about £1500 a mile, where a railway would be £3000 and upwards per mile. The past mismanagement in railways matter was immense. The Bluff Harbor and Invercargill Eailway, would, before it was finished, cost £10,000. per mile — almost £400,000 had been thrown away, a sum nearly sufficient to make good tramways to within a stone throw of every man's door in the country. The motion was put and carried. Mr Lumsden moved the following resolution : — " That the general industrial and commercial interests of this Province are at the present time in a depressed and languishing state in consequence of the serious check given to the progress of the colony in agricultural industry by the waut of passable roads to secure easy and cheap communication between the chief port town and the country districts, and that to remedy this disastrous state of things, this meeting is of opinion that it is urgently demanded of the local government to the appropriation of rural land for the purpose of liquidating the cost of opening up communication into the interior." In proposing the motion did so with confidence, as it was a proposal which, if acted upon, must prove beneficial to the Province. : There had been many meetings of late — three within as many weeks — all for legitimate objects. The question of a main line for internal communication was, however, the most important of all questions that had been submitted for public discussion. Railways opened up the country,, and if constructed would not clash or impede the formation of branch metal roads. In the present state of the Province it was necessary to be cautious and economical, and it was evident that a tramway, or even a cheap single line railway would be less expensive than a metal road. He might, as argument, point out that tramways would assist and facilitate the making of metal roads. Also, that there was not the slightest prospect of getting roads made for any distance from town. The financial position of the Province was such as to lead to the conclusion that such could not be obtained. But railways, wisely designed, with, the object of opening up the country, and promoting the solid progress of settlement, would command the serious attention of the General Government — they would be more disposed to appropriate land for railway construction than for metal roads. The benefits arising from rapid and cheap communication with the interior cannot be over-estimated. During the last few days information had been received that coal had been found in the district of Eiverton, and also at the Mataura, not far from where the proposed railway would pass ; and this coal would become available for town use and export, while without facilities for inland traffic, this important provincial product would remain undeveloped and useless. He thought that every support possible should be given to the G-overnment in any legitimate railway scheme they might present. Mr T. M. Claeke, without comment, seconded the resolution. As the Chairman was about to put the motion to the meeting, Mr ELrtfboss rose and submitted an amendment in favor of metal roads, as follows : — " That this meeting is of opinion that good roads are more suited to the present requirements and resources of Southland than either railways or tramways; and would therefore respectfully urge upon the Provincial Government, the necessity of constructing roads of a substantial and permaneut nature between the town of Invercargill and the interior of the Province, at the earliest possible period, and that the Chairman of this meeting be requested to convey their decision to the Provincial Government." The mover, having made some preliminary remarks with reference to the part he had taken at previous meetings, gave it as Jus opinion, that neither tramways or Tailways would meet the requirements of the settlers of the Eastern district. Eailways were desirable in such places as England, but only when the population has become great. "At the present time they have not here become necessary to progre. s. If roads were made, he maintained that carriers would be able to convey all the goods required for inland consumption at a smaller cost than would be necessary for the working expenses of a Tailway. He had examined the Government Gazette and found that the .Oreti" Eailway wasnot paying half its wof king expenses, that it was a positive loss to the Province,- — the maintenance of a railway was more expensive than that of a road. He Had much experience in these matter* And

could »ay that th« natural feature* oi Southland weft such m rendered rowi* making far frora difficult. Mid eompar** tivaly ineipeniivt- j if pitching we* fl* quired they would bo costly, but them was no necessity for ftdottting that ay item. There was plenfcy of timber Mud gravel close at hand, which would make excellant roads. He would strongly advocate roaJs constructed with wooden sleepers and gravel in preferance to all others— this system was applicable to the whole Province. He hadseen in Glasgow a road which he thought should be aiopted in this colony, viz : — an iron plate upon a gravel bad ; this he thought the system that should be adopted. From his experience while in the Lake trade he could say that a good road is what is wanted. A Kail way to the Mataura would not benefit Invercargill ; it would create a rival township at Winton, and the advocates of Railways were chiefly the representatives of large companys who might profit from their construction; but they would not pay. The Railway advocates were for the most part actuated by selfish motives. Mr Dalbymple seconded the amendment.. He_said, I have little to say, you have heard able arguments from a settler in the Eastern district, and he has exhausted the subject. But I must say I admire the pluck of the gentlemen who have come forward with the cry more railways. I find a Samson coming forward and crying more railways. Upon good authority it may be stated, about that £480,000 has been spent on Bailways, and £50,000 more will be required to make them useful ; had this amount been spent on roads, - 240 miles of good road could have been made. Had these roads been made, and toll-bars put up much might have been accomplished, but now we have not even a road that we can traverse even to bury our dead decently. Mr. James "Wilson" rose to support the amendment: He considered that the G-overnment should have nothing more to do with the construction of railways. If they were to be made it should be by private enterprise — that it should be by a company, and not by the Government. We can do nothing with the railways we have ; the working expenses are more than the receipts, and the whole Province has to pay for the benefit of the few. With regard to the statements as to the enormous expense of keepiag in repair a;-metalled road, he asked — " had one shilling been expended on the North Road since it had first been formed. Long before thk road was made, and when timber was plentiful, urgent request was made for the work to be gone on with, but it was put oft until the work cost three times as much as it should have done. The cost of this road was £16 a chain for laying down scrub, or £1.200 a mile, and no ea.rth put down to protect the scrub. There was plenty of gravel for road purposes near the bridge. This road was a specimen of professional ingenuity — an engineering curiosity worthy of inspection. The professionals do not, however, seem to know how to throw off the water from the road. They make culverts through which the water will not pass, and roads that become expensive and troublesome to keep in repair. His opinion was that roads constructed with ten feet sleepers closely laid and gravelled, was what was wanted for Southland at the present titna, and would be the cheapest that could be executed. Railway Responsibilities should only be taken, in order to carry a , main line to the Molyneux. Separation from the Northern Island was what was most to be desired. He was an admirer of the Provincial system, but its . working in Southland" had. been a miserable failure. Annexation to Otago was much to be dreaded, but that would be better than what had been experienced in the past. Mr Habyey suggested that Mr Kinross should withdraw his amendment, and submit it as a distinct resolution at a subsequent period, and after some hesitation, this proposal was agreed to. Mr LuMSDEif, having replied, the motion was put and carried. Mr Habvet moved the following resolution — •' That this meeting is of opinion the Council should be immediately summoned for the purpose of considering the matter, and that the Government should be memorialiised to bring in a bill for the purpose, and that the town members be requested to support it." This gentleman had scarcely finished reading the resolution, • when Mr Kinross rose and- claimed as a right that having by request withdrawn his amendment in order that it might become a distinct resolution, it was right that it should be disposed of before other business was entered upon. The Chaibmait pointedjout that it was not the proper time as the programme should first be finished. Still it was insisted upon, and Mr Kinross moved the amendment above mentioned, as a distinct resolution." Mr Pbatt seconded the motion. He had no intention to have appeared on the platform, but he saw a disposition to silence, Mr Kinross or burke, the resolution he had submitted. This gentleman, he believed, knew more about road making than anyOne present, he has had experience and can speak with authority. He strongly supported the motion, and could endorse the views of the mover. The views the mover had taken as to the desirability of roads over all other systems X)f communication with the interior was sound. £40,000 has been expended on the North Road, and he need not tell them how it it was expended, as everyone know it was not with uncommon wisdom. What is wanted is cheap roads. The farmers as well as others must be content with what the Province can give them, and for a time put up with partially good roads. Such roads as are for the present required would not be costly the. chief cost would be the ditching, as there is abundance of gravel everywhere to be got, The road to the Waihopai Bridge could be made at a small cost. If it was decided to have a railway he would tell them it would

r«evDp be finished »a lon* a* there was & alttgla acre of waste b\u<\ in the Province. He then reviewed the Bluff. Harbor, tmd Inverfctrgili Baihvay difficulties &nd blunders as fcyidenea that railway works were dangerous undertakings, *He believed good roads would more than anything else, add wealth to the Province. It "was wrong, and cruel, that the present Government, or any Government, should give the land for works of a magnitude largely beyond the capabilities of the phee. It could not be denied that we wer^ in>"<paM9, not fitted to conduct our own huainess. Everything has been bad that the Government has taken in , hand; compensation, compensation, or delay, delay.

Mr T. M. Clabke pointed out that the views taken by previous speakers were essentially erroneous and destructive of the object it was intended to advance. It was certain that the Greneral Government, to which Southland was pawned, would not sanction a large expenditure for roads, while they might sanction the appropriation of land for the construction of railways. Mr Pehkens would support Mr Kinross's motion, but he could not allow the xnisstatements that had been made to pass unnoticed. The assertion that at previous meetings the decision was decidedly in favor of roads was wrong. At the Bridge meeting, for instance, the most intelligent present were in favor of tramways — metal roads were desirable if they could be got ; tramways, however, would be only half the cost of ordinary roads.

Mr Haryey stated that the objects of the meeting ha-d not been thoroughly comprehended. Mr Pratt had made a telling speech — not to say a clap- clap one — but he had not mnch enlightened his listeners as to the subject matter that it had been intended to bring forward. The resolution that had been entrusted to him was one soliciting his Honor the Superintendent to call the Council together in order that the question of internal communication might be fully discussed. ■;■-■■' The Chairha^ read Mr Kinross's motion, put it to the meeting, and declared it carried. A vote of thanks to the Chairman ter. minated the meeting, much to the surprise of all present.