MEETING AT GERALDINE.

Temuka Leader, Issue 992, 17 August 1882, Page 3

MEETING AT GERALDINE.

A public meeting was held last Saturday evening in the Oddfellows Hall, Geraldine, at which Mr Coltman presided. The principal object of the meeting was to urge upon Government the placing of a sum on the estimates to censtruet the Temuka-Oxford line as far as Peel Forest.

Mr C. G. Tripp handed the Chairman a letter from Mr Postlethwaite explaining what he had dene in the matter . ' At a caucus meeting of Canterbury members he urged the claims of the dislrict to a share of the money andobtninee* a promise: of help from Mr Roliestion. He had over and over again remonstrated with Government about overlooking the line, but they replied that out of a three million loan it was impossible to carry out all the works asked for. Extracts from a printed schedule which were read ■bowed that it was proposed to spend about £2,650,000 in railways, as follows : —Otago £438,000; Canterbury, £167,000; West Coast, £140,000 ; Marlborough and Nelson, £270,000. North Island Special loan .of one million ; also a fur-

ther sum of £635,000. Mr C. G. Tripp pointed out that the line asked for by this district had been under consideration since 1878. The ' line from Temuka to Hilton and Wailii JBmh was surveyed, and a sum of

money had been set asicte for it construction, with which money a bridge had been b'ult over the Temiika river. It was a pity to see money waited in this way. The other end of the Temuka-Oxford line was carried on, and why not this ? The Albury line paid handsomely because it passed through a fine agricultural district. The Temuka-Oxford line not only passtd through a fine agricultural district, but through a district rich in minerals, which would make traffic. Captain Sutter had got £35,000 for the Albury extension, Mr vVright had got £IO,OOO set aside for the Mount Somers line by the Provincial Government, and now had got another £15,000 for the same line. Our representative had done his best to get money for this district, but failed. What was wanted was to get a monster petition up to strengthen his hands, and ask the allocation of £60,000 for the construction of the line. He would move—'• That a petition be circulated in the district urging the Government to set apart n sum of money to extend the line from Terauka to Peel Forest, via Kakahu and Woodbury, and that it be forwarded after signature to our member, Mr Postlethwaite for presentation." (Applause.) The raoticn was seconded by Mr. Dunlop, and carried unanimously. The following requisition was then signed : "To William Upton Slack, Esq., as Chairman of the Geraldine Road Board

"We, the undersigned ratepayers in Garaldine Road District, request you to call a public meeting (as required by the Local Elections Act) on Saturday next August 19th, at 7 o'clock, at Geraldine, or at such time and place as may be most convenient, for the purpose of considering the advisability or otherwise of bringing the Local Elections Act into force in Road Board Elections, as required under the said Act." It was decided not to take any action in the question of revision of the railway tariff, as the subject was under the consideration of Government at present. It was proposed by Mr Dunlop, and seconded by Mr John Pye—" That a letter be written to Mr Marshman it survey of Geraldine Township." The meeting then terminated.