HOKITIKA AND GREYMOUTH TRAMWAY CO. V. TOWN COUNCIL.

West Coast Times, Issue 337, 22 October 1866, Page 3

HOKITIKA AND GREYMOUTH TRAMWAY CO. V. TOWN COUNCIL.

(to the editor of the west coast times.)

Sib. — Knowing the impartiality of your journal, I trust you will kindly insert a few observations made by a witness to the proceedings of our newly elected Municipal Council on Friday evening last. Mr Shaw made a motion " For permission to lay the line of Tramway from the old hospital to the beach," ■which w?s opposed by some four members. Especially by two gentlemen ; on a purely public spirit, as I will proceed to show. One person goes in hot and strong to oppose the whole concern, for why ? because this purely public-minded individual follows the occupation of a carrier, and is quite aware the Tramway -will oppose his monopoly of prices now charged for the conveyance of goods, &c, through the town and elsewhere. The other, on the grounds that not being able (if willing) to forward the interests of the community himself, would like to seek a little importance by obstructing every one and everything. Also having an interested feeling for sea carriage to Greymouth, the tramway and cheapness of carriage would naturally be an obstruction to him. If last Friday's proceedings of our Town Council are to be taken as a criterion for the future public weal of the community, I, for one, think we have made a poor choice of members, as far as public spirit and not private interests are concerned. Of course, Mr Editor, there are exceptions, but no impartial witness to the proceedings of Friday evening could arrive at any othev conclusion than that some of the elect have obtained their positions to forward private and not the public interest of the town. In conclusion, I wish to Bay that I haVe no interest whatever in the Tramway Company, but I should be sorry to see a really public boon destroyed on account of the private interest of any or all of our Municipal patriots put together. Apologising for trespassing so much «t j length, on your valuable columns, j I am, &c, I Observer.