AN EAST COAST RAILWAY

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10666, 22 June 1912, Page 5

AN EAST COAST RAILWAY

DISCUSSED BY MASTERTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. RAILWAY LEAGUE TO BE j FORMED. The following report o.f the subcommittee appointed to prepare data concerning llie proposed Master tanWa.ip ukur.au railway was presented at the meet ting elf itihe Masterto.il Oiaonber of Commerce yesterday:— "Your Committee ibeg. to report having given the proposed Mastert'onWaipukurnju railway project fudl considtwaitikyni, and .now deisirei to make the following recommendation^(l) Tliat the Maste-i'ton-Waipuku'raii Ra.it | way League he revived, with liesadquarters ait Maeterton. (2) That a pamphlet 011.the 1 Jimes of the one submitted herewith Ibe circulated sH'oacd. among sdt;tlc re. aJoii'g . the proposed .route, and to jeadikng; residents.of the towns, interested,'. a eii:-' ciilaj-.invitiiiHg those-pereon.s to become momibers the '/ (3>';T®at,:ith;ey ■n.ewap ; a,p£i'.is 'gf •jfepfe, Hastings, Waiprckurau awd Wellington! be specially asked to d ( o what they can to further the movement. (4) That the League Cbmrnitte© arrange* for public meetings at different points as soon as possiMie. (5) That the importance cif rt'h-o project, 'be urged Wellingtop Napier residents by pointing out thait great benefit must accrue to tfheiiir seapix't towns by opening up. the back country. In; addition, Wellington wiM be ibroughit jn.to_ closer haioLness touch with the Wairarapa hy itho R'mutaka deviation,, which must comic* with ithe Mastertcn-Wai-pukurau scheme." Mr J. Brown expressed the cvpimon tiliat it was mot .the duty ' of this Chamber to do more t'han. it had done. He thought Jtihey should now eaill a meeting of all. settleins inibeirei&ted. Tliey should dirap all lAcal considerations, and make the matter a national one. av'as the only way in which .'tfcy .could influence the Minuter and iPaafliami&nt. The aim should -be to urge 'the construction of a Gieborme to Welfagton. railway, with a View to the operating cif, feirtTle kinds ' on the East Coast. They should call a public meeting at an early date, supply the ihihrmation at their dispekai, a fid ©nfcfcavour to' form an East Coast League. ' ■

Mir D. M. Graliam thought an ,aliterationi of the name of the movement wfctold be a sign of weakness. They would be; .told that- they we're aishamed of the project. The MastortonWaipukiuirau scheme was> a national one, .ajad -it; ehoruld be advocated as such. Mr Graham agreeld that itwas desciraWe to "hold' a .public meeting to foi'm a Leagjue. " He thought, however, that they ishotfld deeue . a pamphlet dealing with the subject. Mir 0. E. DanieM considered it desirable that a -pamp-hlat should 'be issued. He .thought that a man should 'be employed 'to prepare a pamphlet who had a fyll knowledge of the wholo district. .The project was of national 'importaimaei, and railways were the orily .meaine : of openiiaig up tho East Ooasit lands. If a railway were constructed to Waipukura.u, a large area tif la'nd would be opened up. -Mr Daniejll 'Was of .opinion, that the line ishould be traversed, and the pamphlet written' up from the information thus received. Personally, Mr Daniell was of opiruion that the ultimate route 'of ' the railway would toe further east, tirawreing the .Woinuioru Valley, and going through (to Waipukurau, making vVoodeide the place from where the deviation eihouM be made. Mr Browh, asked ilf Mr Dan.'.cd suggested -the appointmdnt of some person outside Ithe Chamber to prepare a pamphlet. Mr Daniell considered that- a paunpMet containing full information should be available for a'public meeting. He pointed out that there would 'be opposition, eve.ni in. iibeor own district, to a lliinie embracing Masterton to Wairarapa alone. Mr R. Bitown was of opinion that the nlame of the League should be compreheinsive. They must endeavour to gain the sympathy of Wellington and Napier. Mr J. Casieiberg agreed tlhat they shdirM take a- comprehensive of

tire matter'. He did not think, however, that the Cliamihfir shoulld go to the expawse of issuing a pamphifct. Messrs Chamberlain and Donald expressed the topinioni that the Chamber should 1 issue a pamphlet- as a prcilimin'a.ry to the formation, of a League. The .secrerfary dialed that the co&t of producing a .(pamphlet would be vory comsideirable. uV'lr Giiiaham caid ifihe cost of a pamphlet /would net be more than £lO. Mr J. Birowin. was of opinion that a preliminary meeting -of <iibo.se interested ishou'ld be called. ~H.e. moved "That <thiis Couiic.il ca3l a public meeting for (the purpose of forming a Railway League, .to open* up the East Coast lands to the south di Naipier, and that this Ohamibtelr vote© a sum not ex- j ceeding £2O to further the project." j , ;Mr J. Caisielbtfrg seconded the resolution. , , i

i Mir Daniel eaid the Chamber would ihave to expefad money as well- as energy if itlliey wished to. carry the project through. He considered they (should expend £lO in preparing a pamphfet, and £lO in.' printing and airadalting it. -\ 4 Mr Donald (thought tho Chamber ibclxr""tihe. miitial ccst. ■■■\ -It might recover thifis amount from the League when* it was formed. . The chairman* didi nab think it necessary to go in. for elaborate jpirint'ing. Hie eoSnisidered a small sum ■wetcld be sufficient to set tine League in. -motion..-• Tihei siuibsequeoi'fe- expense could ibe borne iby the League. Mr Graham icor.teideTed that if they irorei .gci'iig to prepare an elaborate there would/bo an unneces- , sary delay. They eihould strike while tlie iron is hot. Parliament, he pointed out,, would be meeting n'oxt week. Mi- J. Bfrown, -urged /the necessity for invoking outside assistance. The formation of a /Railway League would, in his opinion, ee-cure support Ifirom a number ieff enthusiastic outsiders. Alfteir contddei-afefe diseuesion, the motion, of Mr .Brown, was: carried, and (the question of convening a public meeting wa# left with the President ■and secretary. '• "! ■ It was decided l to infolnm thf> Eketti-. liuna Chamber c.f the proposal to form a League.