THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1373, 1 August 1885, Page 4

THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

The following telegrams were received by the Mayor of Christchurch, in answer to resolutions passed at the public meeting at the Tuam Street Hall and by the City Council on Monday evening ; From Sir Julius Vogel—“l have to thank you for the telegrams forwarded to Government, and inform you that we had determined to recommend the House to refer the East and West Coast Railway proposals to a Select Committee, to report in a few days. In arriving at this conclusion we have been influenced by the feeling that members of the House generally would be better satisfied if the matter were first considered and reported on by a Select Commute.” From MrE. Wakefield—“ Public meeting misled concerning me. I am not their county member, hut the representative of the Selwyn elecioral district in the blew Zealand Parliament. lam no more responsible to Christchurch than to Auckland. As one of the original Canterbury settlers, however, 1 am grieved and ashamed at the reckless disregard of the pubhc welfare which is shown at Christchurch for the sole object of getting an immediate expenditure of money. 1 never allow myself to be subjected to pressure whilst engaged in my parliamentary duties, even by my own constituents, much less by other people’s. Out of courtesy to Your Worship, 1 beg to inform you that 1 am opposing the railway concession because 1 consider it an extremely profligate proposal, and 1 have no doubt I shall succeed, in company with the most public-spirited and tiustworthy men in the House.” Mr Wakefield’s telegram was answered by the Mayor as under “ Thanks for your courtesy. The resolutions sent to you were unanimously passed at a large public meeting and the Christchurch City Council. As Chairman, I was requested to forward the same. You are grossly misinformed, if under the impression that Christchurch advocates acceptance of proposals for the sole object of getting an immediate expenditure of money. No one better informed than yourself that railway connecting Canterl try with the West Coast has been accepted by Parliament, and every leading politician in the House during the last twelve years has advocated and promised to support the same. Was suprised that you consider the proposals profligate, when, unless misreported, you proposed a similar scheme in a speech to your constituents in July, 1884, and regret that you consider it your duty now to oppose, but sincerely hope you will not succeed.” The extract from Mr Wakefield’s speech referred to by the Mayor in Ids telegram occurred in an address delivered by him to his constituents at Leeston on July 7th, 1884, as reported in the Press, and is as follows:—“He hoped to see the West Coast line made without raising money for that purpose. A public company was prepared to lend the whole of the money for that railway, if they could get the Government to give the Company some guarantee. He did not see why they should give them assistance. Land had been reserved for tiftjen miles by the side of the railway, and he did not see why they should not give the Company some of that, and then when the railway was made they could assist the Company to the extent of 1 per cent, or 2 per cent, for a few years, until the railway should not be in working order. In this way they could get a great work done, and one whicli wouln be of great benefit to the farmers of Canhrbmy, and which would also cause the population of the west Coast, to lise to 100,000.’'—Press.