RAILWAY QUESTION.

Thames Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2974, 27 August 1878, Page 2

RAILWAY QUESTION.

PUBLIC MEETING.

. A public meeting, convened by His Worship the Deputy Mayor, Cr L. Ehrenfried, on a numerously aigoed requisition, was held at the Theatre Bbyal last evening.* The object of the meeting was to discuss the importance of the Thames and; East Coast' Railway. "." There- were about 300 persons present,' £ncf on the motion of Mr James Craig,, the Deputy Mayor was roted to the chair. •• , . The Chairman, after a few introductory remarks on v the; object of the meeting, which he said was following up the policy Sir George Grey had urged on them— agitation, called on Mr J. E. Macdonald to move the first resolution.

Mr Macdonald, on coming forward, was received with applause. After referring to the fact that this would probably be the last time he would have the opportunity of serving them, he said he bad been entrusted with the first resolution, 1 which he might say was .somewhat eu'mbrously formed—" That this meeting.is of opinion that the Government will be doing an aot of justice to the Thames by carrying out the Thames Valley Bailway.as * portion of the trunk line to open up the vast I extent of country on tb.6. East/ Coast; that'the connection'of auoh a line with the Thames and Waikato Eailway is a 'work of the utmost importance to the Colony, and it is highly desirable it should be proceeded with as soon as possible; that there are some 750,000 aores.of good land to be.opened up by a railway, the estimated cost of which is little over £200,000.; that the South Island will be linked,together in a few days .by a \ continuous length of 725 miles, of lines in Otago and Canterbury, inclusive of fork lines, whilst ttfe. Thames has reaped no advantage in the same direction, although the Electoral JRoll of this constituency it the largest in the Colony; that, the line proposed will open up a splendid tract of country destined to support thousands of settlers, and help to develop what will prow the backbone of this peninjula;

that the opening up of such a line when large numbers of new settlers 7 are a-rriy* ing, and expected to arrive, for the Eatikati and Upper Thames Districts, and when the freehold of the lands opening up a line of communication with the Bast Coast from this place are being rapidly acquired, is a step in the direction of progress and colonisation which should meet the hearty approval of members of both Houses of the Legislature, and as ■uoh this meeting commends the same to their earnest consideration and support." He said, what he bad read embodied several Views, all tending in the same direction, but when analysed it came to this:. That in the proposed extension of the railway, system, it would be only an act of justice to the Thames to be connected with it from the ainbunt they contributed to the national fund of the colony. Among the rival systems proposed was the West Coast line, which was favored by the Auckland people as it would answer their immediate purposes. There a was rumour afloat that not only did the Government intend to carry out the West Coast line but also an East Coast line, commencing from Hamilton, thence to Tauranga and Napier. It jfcouldbe seen that the East Coast line * would still leave them 50 miles but in the cold. (The speaker shewed the positions of the various places on a sketch map of the North Island of New Zealand.) The object of the meeting was to impress on the Government the advisability of connecting the Thames with the East Coast line, but they must impress this on the Government—" Whether East Coast line or West Coast line, connect us with some one of them so that we may be connected with the railway system of the colony." If they were connected with either they would be connected with both, If they could get that it would redound to the interest of every citizen in thisf place, and to the whole colony. (Cheers.) Mr Carpenter, after stating that he knew nothing of the intentions of the Government with reference to the railway extensions, referred to the claims the Thames had on Government for railway communication, and remarked on the instability of the goldmining industry. He said he did not despise goldmining, b.ut it was" precarious, and he thought if agricultural pursuits were followed, and a railway made, the time would come when the Thames would be second to no place in the North Island of New Zealand. The Thames would.•■"reap, great beneiSts from the railway, as it would be the natural outlet of the produce from the upper country,' Tauranga,and Katikati. The speaker again referred to the advantages of the railway, and in conclusion said it was their duty to urge on Government the construction of this line* He seconded the 1 resolution: ■■■•■•■;' ;.; :->'■■ ■ '"; ■'■'■'•/.v' . .

Mr Speight on rising was received with applause. He said that meetings at the ■ '■■' Thames sometimes did things without knowing what they were doing. The resolution proposed would make good heads for a leading article or notes for a ' member^of Parliament, biit was not fit for a resolution which should only ga into principle arid not detail. He then moved '"That this meeting considers it undesirable lo express an opinion on the subject in the way proposed until after the delivery of the Public ,Works:Statement/' He rev minded them that between two stools they, might come to the ground, and that at times true wisdom meant inaction.

They were told that it was understood the Government proposed to make a certain line of railway—the East Coast • one. He had thought that some of the conveners would hare known s the e^cact intentions of the Government but it ' appeared they had nothing to tell. He urged them to influence members on their -behalf, no matter whether they were Ministerialists or members of the Opposition. He himself had applied to the Hon. Mr Fox, leader,of the Opposition, and he , had received a reply that he (Fox) did not see why they should not have the line they had so long been contending for, and - he would give them his support. In 1 conclusion -he briefly referred to the necessity of unanimity in a matter like the one being discussed. Mr George Denbyi after apologising for his name appearing first on the requisition calling the meeting, "said he had signed it thinking the Public Works Statement would be submitted on Thursday night last. He seconded Mr Speight's amendment. Mr Carpenter suggested the adjourn- . : mentof the meeting, and some words to that effect were added to Mr Speight's amendment. Mr Macdonald again addressed the meeting on the necessity of being unanimous. After some further unimportant discussion, Mr Macdonald agreed to withdraw his nfotion, .and the meeting was adjourned till after the delivery of the Public Works Statement. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the meeting.