Railway Communication with the South.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4625, 31 October 1883, Page 2

Railway Communication with the South.

(Pbb Pbkss Association.)

Ah interview toolc place between the Chamber of. Commerce, Auckland representatives, : and < the ; Premier, to-day. There was a large attendance of members arid Auckland ; M>H.R.>>— Mr,. L: / D. Nathan (Chairman) informed Major Atkinson that at a meeting of the Committee of the Chamber various rcsolu tions were passed which it was considered highly desirable to }ay before, him. The first ;was^~" That 1 the deputation of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and ,members of: the House of Representatives of Auckland district have viewed with apprehension the delay which has taken place in the surveys of the North Island Main Trunk line, and respectfully urge upon Government the necessity for a vigorous prosecution of these im« portant surveys."—Mr Peacock, M.H;R., said the matter was regarded with deep interest in Auckland, and reports of delay in proceeding with the surveysiwere. the cause of much dissatisfaction ; they would be glad, therefore,, : to receive an assurance of the intention of Government to push on these surveys, so that by next session of they might be finished. —Mr G. Aickin pointed out that there was reason for expecting the surveys to be pushed forward yigourously./ The^ Premier said^he had great pleasure in| assuring them that no unnecessary delay had taken place in the matter. It was being pushed forward with all possible expedition, and he-hoped that by next session :it -would be sufciently far advanced, if not quite completed, to allow of the route being determined, and work being definitely proceeded with. The .Chairman then introduced the second resolution, viz.: " That the Chamber .of Commerce, as representing the agricultural interests of Auckland, desire to express the decided wish of the people of Auckland that if possible rail way communication should be direct with New Plymouth by the West Coast route." He said he wa3 expressing the general cdnvictidu of the people that any communication with the West Coast other than that which links Te Awamutu and Waitara, would be, subversive to the best interests iof /the .colony. < -.Not; only was the Waitara conriectiori very' much shorter, but by all accounts of those best qualified to form an opinion of the agricultural, pastoral, and mineral value of the coast line of the country, it was infinitely superior to the more central route that had been suggested. We cannot afford to build any railway line that does not bid very fair indeed to in a short while be a payable concern—that was one reason why the Waitara connection was abandoned, but the Government should remember the great desire of Taranaki and the West Coast people to be linked more closely to this province, and we reciprocate that' wish most heartily. —Mr J. C. Firth supported the motion. He said the universal opinion in this part of lho~ colony was that the line should pursue m -Auckland as direct a course as engineeringdifficulties would permit to Taranaki, and that the point of junction should be somewhere near Stafford ; and, further that it should be effected with as little delay as possible.—Te Wetere, chief of Mokau, said he knew the country between Wai ■ tara and Te Awomulu—hajing explored it with Mr Hursthouse, —and he could say, therefore, there was. nothing to prevent the line running through it. The district inhabited by the natives who opposed the line was distinct altogether from the route that was being favoured at that

meeting. It was in Ngatimaniapoto co»ntry, and there was nothing there -to "obstruct the construction of the line. His desire in the matter was the same as that of the people of Auckland, and he knew Wahanui also desired that the railway liae should go by the route just indicated. The Premier said he understood that this resolution in no way committed the Auckland members to a declaration as to which line should be adopted, for in their representative capacity a duty was imposed upon them of weighing the respective merits of the various routes, and that could only be done when data now being procured was submitted to the House nest session. They not only representad their particular districts, but the colony at large as well. He might say, as an old Taranaki settler, that the feeling was exceedingly strong for communication with Auckland. The intention of Government was to have the country thoroughly explored, and then to make such recommendations \o the House as they considered would commend themselves to its judgmentr-Mx J. M. Clark mentioned that the line favored by the Chairman would tend to open up the King, Country.—The Premier replied that the alternative route would also have this effect ? as it was made to cross the Mokau in some part.—The Chairman then sub*' mitted the third resolution :—"That it is desirable further facilities for traffic be given on the railway line between Auckland and Penrose, as the line now in existence had been insufficient for the requirements of . the district.—'The Premier replied that directions had been Siven to make a survey of the proposed alternative line. The Premier also said the railway station would be erected as sdon as the reclamation was finished.