IMPORTANT MEETING OF THE AUCKLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Waikato Times, Volume XX, Issue 1707, 14 June 1883, Page 2

IMPORTANT MEE TI NG OF THE AUCKLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, [BY TELEGRAPH.— OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Tl\e Rotorua Railway.— The Northern Trunk Line.— The Native Question. Auckland, Last Ni«ht. At the Chamber of Coinmeice today, Dr Campbell, picsident, in a speech, commented on the inconsistent conduct of the Government in actively promoting certain railways in the South, of no gieat practical utility, and at the same time refusing to relax the Thermal Springs Act .so as to facilitate the success of the Rotorua railway, which li.ul been undertaken more out of a patriotic spiiit than from any desire or hope of direct pecuniary g.iiu The first section to Lichfield would he> let in a few days, and the second section to Ohinemulu was .surveyed, aud all engineering difficulties hud been surmounted. He expressed a hope that the prosecubion of the Northern Trunk Line might be vigourously promoted by the Government. Mr >T. C. Firth commented upon the comfortable railway equipment which the people of the South enjoyed compared with the rattletiap anangemont with which we had to put up. He attiibutcd the anomaly laigcly to the fact that our members in Parliament had always been divided, while those of the South had ever presented a united front when their interests were at stake. He thought it was high time that our members perceived the importance of working together and demanding that justice for this portion of the colony to which it was fairly entitled. Mr Firth went on to advocate the advisability of action for the purpose of inducing the Government to undertake the extension of the Te Awamutu line to Taranaki, and indicate the advant ages which w ould accrue to Auckland fiom being thus brought into speedy communication with the fcitile country on the YVo«t Coast. He belie 1 , cd a practicable loute, free from cngiueciing difficulties could be found. The speaker went on to ci iticise and condein the action of Govei nment in declining to assist the Rotoiua llailway Company Il3' allowing them to procure fiom the natives hinds which wcie necessary for its success, and thence passed on to allude to the rumour that Government intended to levivc the old system of the Crown's pre-emptive right in respect to native lands. It it were to do so it would letaid settlement by locking up uati\e lands. He hoped, too, that our mcnibei 3 would set i heir faces against such a wi etched fad as tiie nationalisation of land, although it seemed to find favour in in some quarters. Nothing but land on freehold tenuie would attiaot bona fuh settlers to the colony. He would move a soiies ot lesolutions by which to uigc Auckland members, (1) To piess upon Government the immediate construction of the railway from Te Awamntu to Taianaki ; (2) To remove obstacles to the construction of the second section of the Rotorua railway ; (3) Thai Auckland membeis should take steps to remedy abuses of the Native Land Couits, and oppose the resumption of land purchases by the Crown. Mr McMillan seconded. Mr J. M Clark, in supporting the lesolutions, stated th.it he attiibuted the indisposition of the Government towaids the Rotorua railway to their intention to resume the abandoned light of tin* sole puiohiisp of natno lands. He had good iea i -on for believing t that such was their intention. The icsolutions were put souliin, and caui'd unanimously.