CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 62, 6 November 1912, Page 5

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

LIGHT RAILWAYS POLICY

SUPPORTED

The Stratford Chamber of Commerce met last evening, when there were present: The President (Mr. S. H. James), Messrs. W. P. Kirkwood, J. Munro, E. Jackson, P. 'ihoiusui, W .Young, J. McMillan, the Secretary (Mr. J. B. Richards).

Correspondence. The Secretary r,f the Hastings Chamber of Commerce wrote, asking taat the Stratford Chamber should endorse the following resolution: “That this Chamber invito every Chain her throughout New Zealand to join with it in strongly representing to the Government the impossibility of Dominion construction of all railways required for the development of Now Zealand to urge the Government to introduce a policy of light railway construction, particularly in districts where good arterial roads cannot lie made o wing to the absence of suitable road metal, and that if the Government is unable to construct such light railways, that it be urged to offer facilities for such construction by local bodies or by private enterprise undertaken with tlie consent and approval of such bodies.” Mr. W. P. Kirkwood said that as far as this matter was concerned, lie' thought it would be rather premature to endorse anything just at present. As far as light lines were concerned, they wanted to ho quite convinced that the light line policy was a good one. tt had certainly been advocated in many quarters just now, hut the adoption of a general light line policy throughout Now Zealand should he very carefully considered. They had the example of the Toko line, where it was found necessary to take up the light rails, and lay down heavy ones. There certainly would he cases where light lines would he serviceable, and they certainly were cheaper. ■ Mr. J. B. Richards said that there did not appear to ho any immediate necessity for the adoption of such a policy in this district. The Chairman said ho was in sympathy with the proposed resolution, provided the gauge of these light lines is not less than the gauge of the lines now made.

Mr. Kirkwood: Light lines might lie suitable for one district, where they 7 would not be suitable for another. Mr. E. Jackson considered that the Opunake district would bo satisfactorily served by a light line. Mr. J ames continued that unless a policy of light line? was adopted for some districts, it was pretty clear that there was going to be no hope of all the railways required in the country being made—-that was ordinary lines. They had to leave it to the authorities to say which lines should be light lines. He would prefer to see two districts having light lines, rather than one district being furnished with heavy lines, and the other district loft without any railways at all.

Mr. McMillan agreed that light lines were 'better than none at all.

Mr. W. H. H. Young thought the light lino policy was a waste of monev. The resolution was endorsed, with the addition of the' weds, “provided that such railways be of similar gauge to the present railways.” Mr. Young being the only dissentient. Ohura Mail Service.

Mr. J. B. Hine, M.P., forwarded to the secretary a letter from the Post-master-General, stating that tenders had been called for a mail contract between Whangamomona and Ohnra, but with no response. It was decided to write to Mr. Hine. asking him if tenders would again he called, in which case requesting that the Chamber should be advised.

The Railway. Mr. J. B. Richards moved: “That the urgent need of pushing construction* of the Stratford-Te Koura railway from the Stratford end until the Tangarakau coalfields are reached be urged on the Premier and Minister for Public Works, through the member for the district.” The motion was seconded by Mr. W. P. Kirkwood, and carried unanimously. Unsightly Premises.

The matter of the unsightly premises facing on the railway station came up for discussion. Mr. Kirkwood reminded those present that Mr. Ronayne had received very sympathetically a proposal to erect a high iron fence. It would pay from an advertising’point of view. It was decided to write to Mr. Ronayne, and remind him of his promise.