THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY COMMITTEE.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 798, 28 July 1877, Page 3

THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY COMMITTEE.

(From the Grahamstown 'Star,' July 24.)

The adioumed meeting of the above Committee was held at the Borough Council Chambers, last night, at half past seven o'clock. The business was to receive and consider the petition to the Government and. statistics attatched to urge the immediate construction of the Thames Valley Kailway.' prepared I by a subcommittee appointed at a previous mesting of the general committee.

After some discussion, the following drft petition was adopted, on the motion of Mr McCallougb, seconded by Mr Binney : The petition of the lesidenti of the Thames uuu Waikato humbly showeth— Thut siuce the report of the late Daniel Simpson, Etq, upon a flying Burvey of a proposed railway between Thames, Ohinemuii, and the Waikato, made by order of the Government in June, 1873- no steps appear to nave been taken to carry out the proposals and recommendations coutaiued iu that report. Since the date thereof a considerable additional population has been settled at Ooinemuri, Punn, Hikutaia, Katikati, and Piako. VV uile increased necessity thus exists for intercourse between the various poiuts of production aud consumption, in connection with the prop sed Jine, the dificulties to aucii intercourses remain ; tbbt these difficulties wiil be feit more and more evory day ; aud industries— such as mining aud tue trade in timber, gum, agri» eulcural »ud dairy produce, articles some of wuiou are urgently needed in ;tbe Wainato and at the Thames— must remain to a great degree undeveloped, Wnile no means exists to carry them to a market. The , roduce of the Waikato coußumea ac the Thames, can only be eeno by ibe way of Auckland, thereby entauiuig 150 miles of carriage, while the dwtauue uy the natural route (the Thames Valley), from Hamilton or Cambridge to Tua-nej is 54 mdes from the former and 57 Itoin the latter township • and as a f urotiw proof of the loss which both districts suataiu by reason of the want of direct communication between them, it may be here stated that as, practically, cattle canuot be driven from the Waikato to Tnames, the latter place is thus compelled to depend for its supply of butchers' meac upon the cargoes of live stouk brought by coasting steamers and otiier vessels from the East Coast. The construction of this line of railway would greatly facilitate the settlement of the great area of fertile land lying between the river Thames and the Waikato [shown in the sketch plan on margin], while under the sanction of your honourable House no difficulty could occur in the acquisition of the land necessary to carry out the scheme, which would be hailed by the natives generally as a great boon. The country through which the proposed line of railway would pass i$ almost level, and no engineering diffiouities whatever exist. For tbe ast eight or nine yeaM, the necessity for commuuioation between the Thames and the Waikato has been apparent, the reasons tor such being no less political aud strategical than commercial and ■Joial. • In view of the great and obvious advantage to raaulfc io the whole of this district and to the Waikato by the construcbion of a railway between Thames and Waikato, and of the certainty of a great and increasing traffic on the line, connecting as it would, tbe whole of the peninsular with the Waikato and Tauranga district, your petitioners would humbly beg that your hon. House would euhur authorise construction of the proposed line of railway, or give such a guarantee as might lead to its oonstruction by private enterprise. — Aud your petitioner* wilt ever pray, &o. It was also resolved that the Hon Secretary be instructed to send a copy of the petition to the different local bodies in Waikato, and to request their assistance in the matter.