MR BALLANCE AT HAMILTON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1965, 10 February 1885, Page 2

MR BALLANCE AT HAMILTON.

Mr Bai.lanck and p.nty arrived at Hamilton on Saturday morning from Cambridge. A deputation, consisting of His Worship tin* Mayor and tin' Tow n Clerk, introduced by Mr Lake M. H.R, waited on thn Minister at Humilton on Siturdav morning in regard to several in itters of lmjHirtanca to the borough, Mr Graham said there was a railway reserve of twenty acres which the council had applied for hi the yo.ir IS7.S <>r IS7O Sir George Grey, who wa-« then in [mwer, "aid the land was intended for railway workshop*-, and as soon as it was a>cer. what amount of land the department would require the balance would bo handed o\er. Tho *ite was in every way suitable for workshops, but if thu Government did not utliM) it, it ought to be handed over to the c nincil. Mr Ballance ioplied thnt he would lay the matter befoiu the Minister of Public Work* who he did not doubt would give , it his earnest attention. Mr Giaham then drew the attention of thn Minister to tho furze question. He said the Government owned a large area of land in the borough, which was overrun with fui/e, and no lung as it remuned^there to eradicate it from the adjoining land was useless. Mr Lake complained that what Mr Graham had said of the borough was true also of the County of Wai pa. Mr Ballanco did not see how the Government could vote any sum of money for the purpose of clearing the furze, but ho certainly thought that such of thereseivea as were not required for public purposes should be handed over to the local authorities, and if the mayor would forward a memorandum on the subject, he would give it his consideration. The Mayor asked to have tho redoubt ie>erve fronting on Kno\ btreet handed over to the borough. Mr Ballance repeated that Government must «cc that sufficient land is retained for public puipotcs, but after due provision had been made in this respect, lie was in favour of handing over the remainder. Mr Graham In ought under the notice of the Minister tl.r nnjes-ity for attaching a foot bridge to the Hamilton railvv ly bridge. Mr Billance promwed tint the in ittoi should receive attention, and :is'<ed that full information be «ent to Wellington. Mr Graham s,ud, that, in view of the establishment of the sugar beet industry, it was very desirable that the Government should make some concession in the railway fieight. He thought that beet should be regarded as a speciality. Mr Hallance asked what possibility there was of the industry being estibli>hed ? Mr Graham «aid it rested entirely with the farmers, who on their part would bo guided chiefly by the co«.t of raising and transporting the crop. With the present freight charges it would be impossible to use the railway. Mr Ballance recognised the necessity of doing something in the direction indicated. He was very glad to hear thnt there wan a prospect of tho industry being est ibhshed as it was a most desirable one. He would biing the matter under the notice cl Sir Julius Vogel, who, they all knew, took a very deep interest in the subject. Mr Graham .said thatwhat was wanted was a uniform rate, say five shilling* per truck for a maximum distauco of about 12 miles. Mr Ballance, felt sure that some liberal concession would be made. He was very pleased to think that theie was a prospect of establishing the industry, which the act of last session would gieatly facilitate. Mr John Knox p »nted out the necessity of reducing the present high fieight upon cheese. At present it cost from 31s 4d to 37s 7d per ton. He saw no reason why the railway should not carry cheeso at the rate charged for potatoes, which was l.'Js Id per ton. The industry was ,i new one and required fostering, and the high rate of freight seriously interfered with the profits. Mr Hallauce said he had received similar iepie>entitioiis fioin other factories, and lie would sou that their ea>o was bi ought before the Minister for Public Works. He would do the best he could in the matter, and though he could not promise that the rate would be brought as low as desired by Mr Kno\, he felt sure that some concession would be nude. 1 Si>me conversation ensued on the subject 1 of increasing the limit within which actions 1 for recovery of rates might be taken. Mr Lake suggested that the limit should be six instead of two years, but Mr Ballance I pointed out that the law as it stood at present pi ovided the necessary innchmeiy for recovering all arrears of rate-, as the land after a cci tain time could be leased or sold. Mr Graham having thanked the Minister foi his courtesy, the deputation withdrew.

The Native Minister left Hamilton by tin* 11 o'clock train im route for Pukekohe, whore he remained on Sunday aw the gueot <.f Major Harris, lute M.H.K. for Franklin North.