STRATFORD TO KAPONGA.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 41, 11 June 1914, Page 2

STRATFORD TO KAPONGA.

PROPOSED PRIVATE RAILWAY. MR COLEMAN'S SUGGESTIONS. Following is the full text of Mr A. Coleman's letter which was read at Tuesday's . meeting of the Stratford Chamher of Commerce:— Stratford, sth June, 1914. The Secretary., Stratford Chamber of Commerce, Stratford. Sir, —Re legislation authorising construction of railways by private enterprise,—l wish to bring before your Chamber the necessity of moving in the direction of initiating a movement for the substantial amendment of the existing legislation in regard to the above matter,, or, if such a movement has been already initiated in other quarters, of actively supporting the same. As you are doubtless aware, the law at present permits a local body, or a combination of local bodies, to construct railways or tramways within their boundaries, and,, if necessary, to levy a rate for the interest and sinking fund upon the loans required for construction and equipment.

This power is largely, if not wholly, useless, as, owing to the obv r ious fact that the districts and areas to be served and benefited by" such a railWay would seldom bo coterminous with the boundaries of the neighboring local bodies, an agreement between all the local bodies concerned would practically never be arrived at, and an absolute itnpasse would be the result. To take an illustration which may, later on, be one in point, viz., the' Stratforcl-Opunake line, the bodies interested, if the line wore to be built*by other than the Govern-

merit, would be, (1) the Stratford Borough Council, (2) the Stratford County Counwl, (3) the Eltham County Council, and (4) the Kaponga Town Board. The Stratford Borough might possibly agree to a scheme for the private construction of this line; the Stratford County would'—with the exception of the West Ridng—certanly reject it as it would be of no direct benefit to the other four ridings, and the Eltham County would, for similar reasons, act the Kaponga Town Board would probably bo favorable to the scheme. In the event, threfore, of the residents of the two terminal towns and the feettiers along the route desiring the private construction of the line their wishes would be thwarted through the opposition of a majority of the other two bodies, which opposition would not be founded upon any real objection to the line per se, but simply because, if they assented, a large proportion of the settlers within their boundaries would object to assume rates payable in respect of the undertaking, upon the reasonable ground that they would derive no possible benefit therefrom. It can readily be understood that a Stratford County ratepayer residing at, say, Midhirst, Punewhakau, or Xgaere, would have good grounds for" so objecting. The remedy is to be found in making the settlers directly interested in the iiue—that is, those at the terminii and in the country tapped by the line—responsible, if they are; willing to assume responsibility, for the work. . Legislative machinery could be provided along lines analogous to the special rating sections of I'The Counties Act, 1908," and "The Local Bodies' Loans Act, 190 S.

The Legislation should provide:— (a) For power for local authorities, ■or a body of settlers acting privately, though in concert, to agree to specially rate their properties for the requirements of the railway in a manner similar to that in tfthich such a private body of settlers may now specially rate their properties for road and bridge construction. i

(b) For power to such settlers,

!, acting with any local bodies inter- ; ested at the torminii or elsewhere, 1 to form themselves into a legal corporation to be known as '''The. Railway Board for such and such a District." (c) For power for such legal corporation to borrow from the Government,' or elsewhere, under the ''Local ißddies' Loans Act" such sums as are required. The loans to carry, if possible, a State guarantee. (d) For power for such corporations to contract and generally ex-* ercise the functions and powers necessary fpr the construction and operation of such a line. , s , I would point out, in passing, that, at the present time harbor boards have somewhat similar powers, and, as you are aware, levy their rates over areas not coterminous with any particular local bodies' districts. -The necessity for speedy action upon the lines indicated arises, in my opinion, from the fact that a deputation has been sent to Wellington from New.'r,.V|Vmouth to obtain' enabling legislation with regard to the proposed private construction of the Opunake-Moturoa railway. I have no idea of the lines upon which this deputation proposes to work, but I would suggest that, as the Honorable the Minister for Public Works has favorably received that deputation, it would be advisable to do all possible to have the enabling Bill drafted upon the lines indicated heroin, before he is committed to other procedure, for the following reasons:— (a) The New Plymouth deputation | may have asked for purely local le-, gislation. (b) It. may, seeing that the line from Opnnake to Moturoa would equally benefit all the local bodies e n route—the lay of the country being totally unlike that of the Stratford-Kaponga line—have asked for legislation which, would not be of Dominion usefulness. (c) It might bo difficult, in the near future, to get a UovorWment . to consent to the private construction of railways and' it would be only prudent to obtain a practicable working Act whilst it is yet

possible. In conclusion, I would like to say that it is the hope of all" of us. that the Stratford-Kaponga railway should be constructed by the Government. Circumstances may, in the iuture, render this impossible of attainment, so it would be sound business to act now that future settlers in the district—and, indeed, under the proposed legislation the benefits would be available for the whole of the Dominion—may have the power, should they so wish, of opening up, by railway facilities, what is generally regarded as an extremely fertile and productive section of the province, thus mutually benefiting both town i and country.

As the furtherance of all measures designed for mercantile expansion and transit facilities come within the legitimate functions of Chambers of Commerce, I make no apology for drawing the attention of the Stratford Chamber to the urgency of the matter under reference herein. Yours faithfully, ALFRED CDLEMAN.