THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2565, 27 June 1878, Page 3

THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY.

A MEETING of ihe delegates of the Thames and Waikato Railway was held at the City Council to-day—Dr Kilgour in the chair. The draft bill was taken into consideration. It contains 79 clauses, -which specify the various steps which have been iakea to construct the railway ; the definition of railway districts and classification | of lauds ; the mode of application for the ' Governor's approval after the plans are deposited; the talcing of lands fo, railways, including payment of compensation, powers of construction, contiolling power over railways; power of purchase, also provisions as to custody, carriage, and delivery of goods. It also provides for empowering the local bodies to levy special rates to pay the company a guaranteed interest of 7 per cent., or 2 percent on the cost of construction, the Government guaranteeing the remaining 5 per cent, as long as the lands in possession of the natives was not rateable property; or should three-fourths of the land become liable to be rated, then the Government will guarou tee 4 per cent., and the local bodies are to raise 3 per cent. The i ! only schedule to the Act is the form of order I

to bo made by the Compensation Court. The proposed Act also contains a clause enforcing on the company the running of a cheap_ train at least once a week between the different stations, —samething of the nature of the Parliamentary trains in England.

After gome discussion, Mr Firth &aid he couldn't see the .sense of making a railway along a navigable river. If a railway had been proposed from Hamilton to Omaha, he should have supported it. The Chairman said that was a question that could not be considered. It had been settled long ago to make the railway, and they could not go back again and discuss the question all over again.

Mr Firth said he should withdraw from the conference if his objection was treated in such a summary manner. He thought they ought to know what they were doing before they committed themselves clause by rliUi.se to a Bill of this description. The Chairman said lie was very sorry that some of the gentlemen there had not boon present at previous meetings, but certain resolutions had been passed, and he did not see how they could di> cuss them all over again. lie valued Mr Firth's opinion greatly, but it was impossible that he as the chairman could ignore what had previously been done.

Mr Firth said nearly one half of the lino would have to go through Piako, and therefore it was necessary that they should know something about it.

The Chairman thought they might adjourn the present conference tor half-an-hour, in order that the matter might be discussed.

Mr Fiith then resumed his speech. Kailways, he thought, were most admirable things ; but when made against a navigable river must prope a mistake; In this case the liver and railway terminus would be at the same place, and his opinion the railway would go to the wall. He was quite ready to support a railway from Hamilton to Omahu, but not to Grahamstown. Mr Brodie said the railway would he no uae to the Thames if it did not go to Grahamstown. The river was frequently impassable at Omahu during the summer. Mr Firthj said throughout this past summer, which had been a very dry one, the river had beeu navigable. The chairman thought it very important that the railway should be carried right through. Mr Firth said he thought when the matter was mooted in the House it would be stated that it was provided for by the District Railways Bill. The Chairman said the Government had expressed his approval of the Bill. Mr Firth said if the House approved of the Bill, and thought the railway ought to come to Grahamstown, he was not going to set up against a large number of people. The chairman said that he thought they might go on with the consideration of the Bill after Mr Firth's expression of opinion. The confeicuce then proceeded to discuss the clauses of the act in detail. Soon nfter one o'clock the meeting adjourned for an hour. At that time 12 clauses of the Bill had been gone through, and carried. The most important of these was clause 10, which provides for the raising of the money. The Bill states that the company is to be guaranteed 7 iper cent, interest on the cost of tho railway, 2 per cent, of which is to be raised by a special rate levied on each Borough, Council, County Council, Eoad Board, or Highway District Board, in the Thames and Waikato railway district, and 5 per cent, by the colony. The following property will be rateable : —Land within a radius of |-ruile ot the centre of any station. Land outside such radius, aud within a distance of 2 miles of the centre of any station. Land outside such distance of 2 miles, but within a distance of 5 miles from the centre of any station. Land outside such distance of 5 miles, but within a distance of 8 miles from the centre of the line of railway, and the rate to be levied in .respect to the various classes of land, shall be as follows: — "The total amount to be raised overall the lands within the Thames and Waikato railway district shall be ascertained and ordered as herinafter mentioned ; thus for every 6d in the £1 on the rateable value as shown by the various valuation rolls in force within such railway district which it is found necessary to raise on class d.; Is in the £1 shall be raised on class c, Is Gd in the £1 shall be raised on class b., and 2s in the £1 shall be raised on class a., and in the same proportions, either increasing or decreasing as may be necessary so as to raise the sum required on the whole, shall the total amount be raised."