MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY. LAND FOR PENSIONER SETTLEMENT. WITH THE SOUTH. THE HON. MR. MITCHELSON DEPUTATIONISED.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 254, 11 April 1888, Page 5

MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

LAND FOR PENSIONER SETTLEMENT. WITH THE SOUTH. THE HON. MR. MITCHELSON DEPUTATIONISED.

Tin-: 1 1 on. I'l MilcheKon, -Mmi.ster ior , Public Woiks, leeched a (lojnitiition horn I, ho Auckland Chamber of Commeiee at the mauagei's loom, Auckland llailwav Station at 3 p.m. yesteiday. The deputation included Mc.s.->i- A. IL. Nathan iMcs-,i-, Aicli. Ckuk, It. A. Can, (' c:. McMillan, T. llc.dcr011, .itio. Milne, .). \ (iiiu^ (Sccielaiy). \les-i-, K. Wii'li}, M.H.K., Thos. Thomp-J -on, M.H.K., :iiul I!. Hobk-, Al.ii.!;., wuo .lisu piesent I Mr Nathan, addie-^ing- Mr Mitehalson, | ' -aid that the i epie-ontatnes ot the Chanibi r o) ( itinnii ice now pre-ent had t»iUou advantage ol hi-> visit, to Auckland Lo bung beloie him (wo hi llnee mallei r> ol gical pubiii iii(ei esi, and uupoi lam o to the people or Auckland, mnio e-.pi ci.dly to I he niei caul ilo pot ( ton of (ho community. The In st ot those mallei s \\ a- t In 1 main ti unkiailw ay line. Tin people of Auckland hud I ikena special intei - (-fin I Ins -üb|ect, .n\d 11, id1 I, id In out; hi it lictoic \aiioii- ( ' iluii' Udm ii. li, Ihe List lew >eai -. W ii< ii Mi MtiiclioNon himself was in ofbc 'iiuuuih!) Rua- biouijit belon him, and in M.i\. ItJHo, he wa- kind eiunmh lo icpoit lo the ( 'han.bei nil (he vat loits loutc- piopos< d On thai oeia-'on he -taled I hit, a < (/iii'C( l ton b( Iv.i ( n Aiukland and New i'lvmouth would In oik ol liiu mo-i unpoi (ant Inn - in I hi. ( oloin , uid tluL e\j)i c--ion had al all Umo> been i t-liocd 1)} all cla-M-in \iickl.ind Ilii ( h.unbci \\a- awalu 'lint h< (\h Mit(lul-on) i^ase hi-, dun-ion, oii<_;in.ilh in ta\out ot llic (ejjtial nmli j lln on^in.il l - Linj.it ( w.i- L'],3uU,oUo, and j )i had -nice In en loimd Lh.it it would] i ii~i, including t lie pun ha-e ol the imlim! land ,' etc , 12.205 000. Of the million io.ui -a. i d !oi tins woi k L'I77.UUU odd had am .id\ lucti -link. No dcuiit it \vould bt main \en- In Jolt t!u j in im lunik Inn 1 could In (<uil(d out .ioi Ismail) l.iteuded In t)-e fintial louU, and tin deputation v l-lu d to la) bfloie htm tlw c «.pu--ton i>i tin. t hainhei a- mo-t d'(idtdiN in l,i\mu ot tin l . ' 1 1 w.i \ bemu I'uiiiiLi ilil a- -oon ;is ])o—ibk \\ilh I'aianaki Tin Ihk b\ that inraiis \s onld | pi -thiou'jh a I.ul;i tpianliUot \aluibk : land, .mil would i oiiiili t Am kiaud with a ' di-ti k t v, hu h w ouKl at. om •■ <^i\ c a ( ci taiM ; amount ul tialltctoi lv liiil The (lepul.i , tioti would like (o ha\t -ouu e\pie->n>n ot opinum a- to the intuit ton- ot LheCibmet tv t hi- mat lei Mi Miti h( 1-ou, im t< I>l\ , -aid he w.i- \i l V plea-i d to idtne -v' 1. a lai <_v' aui{ iiilluliittal (li pill at ion, t spi elall) <i ■• tin -übjc' i bioit'jjit, utidci uotl' e v „s oik or \ei,\ tmpoitaiiie He mi^h' -a\ .it on< ( thai the (ui\ei ninent , a- a (lo\ t i i.im nt, had not t ( on-uU'ii d llu (jiic-tion ot llk loute-. alie male a piomi-e to the iion-e l\\.v no tin I hei ( out i.i 1 '- w ould b<^ l« l until I'ailiair.v tit Ltd dci id' d wiiellui oi not tin bin | -hould l)t pioo eded with. Ib lli-tMtcted | tin ijti^meu in ( hit! in (lit liiKiun to ' L..U-L Mi. \ 03 - lo be madt /(<iin thtce point-, a- th u wa- a di\i-iou ot opinion 111 New ! IMs mouth a- in >'.hich v.-s tho in-t inutc in adopt -c lai a- 'I'aiaiial 1 'w.t- com (lin d \V lv 11 th'j-e it poi t- wcil Ilium tlu ( !o\ ci niiieiit the (jm-tioii v ould I be eon-tihied, and ,111 online to intoima I tion he h.id in u\ ed tiom tin ilnjno; in Chitt, it w.i- piobtbh ih.it the\ woald net be il.kl\ in tune to 1 otnu bch.iu the toith1 omiiiL, J'ailtamcnl. Ihi woik ot .-ui\ev had pto\ed much moie dilln till than had been expected. One -tail wa- makmi; a -ui\v> tiom Mum, anoilui hum Inule wooil, ,md a thud iiom Sliatloid: and the co-t oi the-u -in\e}^ would amotui' to about fIO,UOO. Ihe tslwnatid < o-t ol the lailu i\ h\ the 'jititial 101H1 w.h C 0.500. 500 pu mife. 01 1'i,300.0u0 :b\ the Miattoid loute, C 7.000 pel mile, 01 C1.360.0U0. It the (Inurnment loin d thit the -ui\e\- weie eoinpleti it would biuiu the co-t ot the cintial loud up lo a million and a halt ol muiitj The loan authoii-id b\ the 11 n-e wa-onl> tot a million, and undu (he onumal Act theie w 1- no -lipulalioii a- to which loit'e the inoiie> wa- to lie -pint upon. The late ( .'o\ ci nmi nt, ho\\ e\ ci , pa— ed a -piual \i 1 w hie 1 eai-mai ked the loan ioi theiential loud: thintoie, no j)oi 1 ion ol the monc^ 1 ould be (In 1 1 ted to an\ olhel loute. In an> ea-e, il it weic (lei- 1 mined by th" lloh-e, m tin luleie-t- ol the colon \, that it wa- ad\ i-ablc to adopt oue vi the ot lv 1 , it would mean that the House and. the coiimli\ would ha\e to -auction a luilhei loan. The pie-ent loanwa- ti.-ullicit nt , inch laKniL; the 011<•iii.il estini.iti . A lai ue sum had .ibmdx hi en expendul m the puu h.i-t ot native 1 lands, 1 lie- making ol toad.-atid bttd^t-. A<\d the opeuinu up ot Ciown land- betwn n the (ential i.ulwaN and NN aiiuainu. lie wa-j not piepaied to -i) whcthci t.o\ einn.inl would, bt ton raihaineiit met, deeiiie upon lottinuaii} tui llici contiaet- upon the pic sent line; bill, an theie wa- no di.-pule be ) ond a ceitam point, linn wa- one con UaCt between (ho piesent eontiaetand the tunnel which couklbe let Thcio'to that sen turn would be -omcthtn^ like CBO,OOO i The most -uitable point toi a dneusion! ot the Hue was a,U)iit .-excul^ miles bom Auckland Some ot the people] in New H^moulh weie ot opinion that, the Muni unite was the mo-t suitable, and somi taunnel the Miationl loute j Tic latter was consuleied objectionable ; because it wcat thiou^h a lai^'O poi tion o* pmateland- lie (Mi .Milchelson) would: ha\e pietei led (hat the t'h.imbei had <'ip- 1 j)omtcd a committee of loin 01 livewhuhj would ii've the time piuefy in theiuteie-t- of the country to <^o ouM'tlx-e iou(e-, -o that they mi^h( lv in a position 101 0 Mipply the Chamber with mloi .nation which he ielt they Meie not now m pos ? e-sion of. Tins couis.o had boon adopted b> -ome of the Mow Plymouth metnbeis. Theie wa.s one Uinii. 1 which lie thought tlu > late lunon ment had ne^leeied. Aftei the llou^tOuid ii'iuiii tliem pouuifesion to < % \ptsiKl a portion oi the loan that was to be 1 aired tot (ho eoMsli'uciUon ot this laiiway, t'loo,ooo was spent upon the purclia.se of native land-, and it wa& a mistake that a lar«;c , poilion of thi.s money was not spent at the j Auckland end. (Hem, hear.) IFc had i ahvnys boon of that opinion. A ku«e portion ot the land aequiicd was magniiicent, and a largo aiea was piactieallj' useless foi any purpose whatever. Jlo intended to recommend the <!o\ eminent to allocate a lurther sum of money ior the ' puicha.se of ualno land at the Auckland end, seeing that' the Native Land Court now sitting at Otoiolmnga would deal "with the whole ot the land? in the Kin» Country. There was a large area near Kuiti wh.eh coi^ld be made available for settlement almost immediately. At prebend, lioin To Awamutu to Kuiti there was not one single settler, and some 30 mile-* ot the railway as completed would have no business, except that caused by the railway contracts of the tulme. If the Uovonimcnt puiehased I someof those lands, therefore, it- would go to-

wards making the railways pay. He would have much pleasure in laying the viewsof the ( hambei bofoi eh is colleague*, and on receipt of the btuvey.s Uovernmenfc would take into consultation whether they should lecommend Parliament to proceed with tho picosnfc lmc or whether they should recommend a diversion. Mr MuVitllnn asked it the Government would recommend tho Taranaki line in the event of the surveys being favourable. Mr Mitcholson replied that the Uoveinment would not undertake to conbulvv that quo-Lion until they bad su/Jieionb data to enable them to eoino Lo a conclusion. Mr Milne : Then the question )s virtually shehed foi twelve months. Mr MitcheKo-i added that a good deal depended upon whether die weather ivas line, iho s>mw«y having 1 to be made very complete. Mr Nathan npuU oi the diversion of part ot the million loan, and asked li theie wa> an.\ chance of Hie money being paid to the i-iedifc of tlv loan. Mr Mitelu hun .said he thought that all money paid for land which could not be eonsideitd axailablo for the mam fciunk ltihvay >ho(ild be lefunded. He had o))posed the \ote oi 1100,000, which wa< only caiiHtl t-\cntually by a \eiy small ma'joiitv Heaily all the niembojs or the piCMjnt (iovernment and their s>uppoiters voted against what they called lt a jobbery of money. ' The loads made in the direction of Wannanui and Marton should not ha\e come out ot that loan at all, airi they should be lefunded out of the (Jrown lands \ole. In answei to another obbeivation, Mr Mitehel-on s.ud that whichever way the line ueiii, fuithei bonowm^ would be m,cc-sn\ Ho w «i-. jxii -onally opposed to iionowin^;, Imt ot cour-e he dirl nob iu-pie->i;nt the (io\ eminent in that matter. The pie -.(ul m llion loan was tied up in such a \vn\ that it could not be u.^efl Jor an^thinu el-e let the ti link line. !\li \\itli\ Suppose the i\oith J Tiunk Railway Act were ie[>ealed v Mi Mitchflson. It would lequire <i Uill to leeoiipthf \u,tn ])iune\ alieady e\/jeudid, winch hinu h,dr-«'i-ni/llion

M'K( L\L M<:TTLHMENTS. Mi Mi MilK'ii mt induced Un-. subject, <m(! cvpi ('•>-(. <l Ihe opinion ot the Chamber that U \\a- absolutely neu^sdi^ to have \ M_Uki» uuli unMiii bioujihii to the ( olotiy j m uidu l*> make om iailua\s ptl,Y> iiinl U> H'muM the u\i^tn»u <lopre^-;ioti. lie m hiyh t*_tin'. ot (\ipL«vm Davoney's scheme, and in j:t d tlial <!o\eu>menfc should tri\eto pen-iumi-- Mofks ot land ioi settlement tilt l)t I Oil ! \li Mitt Ik i-on said that ( !o\ eminent had ] tin- mattd !)iou^hl \uuler then notice l>> ( apt.nn na\fne> hini-uli. Uc (Mr Mit(hcl^oii) m,i- \ci^ ta\out'a'ib> disposed 1 t(n\.ii(U it ( U)\ li nnieiit uould decide ih \ t ~t'-^ion \\ lv ( in i it was desu.iblu Li; ~et ai-aii laud for this piupor-c. They asked j - L>» t* llou-e to \(ite 1300,000 l'i-t' se-siun j (u mdut c lUiiiiim.inL^ of a .suitable eliaiac i(t i and wilh iiit,\"- to -cttle hei c. but the |\ot« \\a- leveled. 'l'he \olo \v<h, lion f\ei, id lined on the Loan l»ill, and anj otnei ctloi t uouhi be made to h i\e it passed ii<\t -L---IOH They lwul icceived a fjood di al ol lul|)ti iiu Mi (icoijjfe lliej in thiInuiltei, and in mtencU I to pa-s a Bill, if po— ib!e. to enable linn to introduce another, c.la*» ot »ct I Iri s u nil caniial.

TrU.<.K.\l'll!C COMMUNICATION. Mi N.ithaii ot llio iiicoriMMiicncu (,iu-iil !>> flu fi oqiicnl mtei i upuon oi t( It iii,i|)l)ii i oiii/iiimic.ilioii on the line l»et*< it .1 /\ '< Lund cdid \\ ullmiHon. and 01 .lie .nix iMl>ilit> ot c<ni\inn a (Jiiplu <i'< line ihi()ii^h rhu intciiiii, m-tea<l !oi \ <:i 1 1) ' ( 1.1-1. Mi Mid licj^.m -,nd that it the i.whwt} hm wilt ( oii-l linlt (I the leli'^i.ijih \\iil-> wou'i! 1t ( oil) I'iollm. Tlm" qui.>i]oii 1 n-l Imm n i)i iDi c I ])■ 1 <(mci iimcnt mid w.i- doh t" )> t oii-l ivied b\ tin.' Po»l]iia»Li;i ■< Jeiioa!. lie -<i» i!)( nuo^it) oi a (hi[)liCMtc Inn 1 . and no doubt. ii huul.^ vviv a\;ulabk, it \\ (Uil'l be undi'i ! . ikt i) Mi Aafli.ui then thanketl Mv .Mitchel.^on ioi l)\-> <iiuiU:^\ and the deputation witli(li ew