AUCKLAND'S WANTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 141, 16 June 1893, Page 4

AUCKLAND'S WANTS.

INSTRUCTIONS TO MEMBERS

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE 'j MEETING, ,A

ROADS AND RAILWAYS,

At eleven o'clock tjiia forenoon a public meeting, convened by the Auckland Uianioer of Commerce, waa held in bho Chamber's Rooma, New Zealand Insurance Buildings, for tha purpose of bringing under the notico of the members ot the House of Representatives, who hays neen invited to attend, the requirements of the Auckland provincial district, in view of the approaching session of Parliament. Amongst those present were:—Messrs J. M. Shera, T. Thompson, E. Mitchelson, F. Lawry, Jackson Palmer. M.H.R.'s, Hon. W. McCullough, M.L.C., VV. Crowfcher (Mayor of Auckland), Adam Porter, L. 1). Nathan, A. H. Nathan, C. C. McMillan. A. Kidd, E. Wcymoufch, P. Oliphant and others representing the Chamber of Commerce, City Council, Harbour Board, Northern Railways League, and National and Liberal Associations. The chairman, Mr Adam Porter (President of tho Chamber of Commerce), said that it was deemed advisable that not only sho Chamber, but all local organisations and other bodies should meet tho members before fchsy went to Wellington to attend the session. Large meetings of this sort had recently been held in the South, nnd at those meetings resolutions had been carried in bha direction of recommending a largo expenditure of money.

THE STRATFORD ROUTE. Mr A. Kidd, on behalf of the Northern Railways League, moved tho following motion :—" Thafc this mooting wishes to impress upon tho representatives of the 1 Auckland Provincial district tho importance of united action durin;: the next session, in order to attain the following objects :— 1. The construction of a dray road, connoctin^ tho Taranaki district with the Upper AVaikifco country. 2. The construction during next summer of the JMokau and Poro-o-fcsrao tunnel sections of tho Northern Main Trunk line, thoso sections being common to both tho Central and West Coast routes. (3) That tho reporb giving the result of the further exploration and survey necessary to locate the best route bo brought down at the very earliest moment, and that additional assistance be employed by Government if necessary." Mr C. 0. McMillan seconded tho resolution, and, in doing so, said he hoped that tho members would not forgot the objects of fcho Northern Railways League while they wore in Wellington, and especially uryed on thorn the advisability of getting the dray road fioin tho Upper Waikato to Taranaki completed, as well as cho necessity of the present surveys being completed as sosn as possible. Ho urged that everything should bo done to alter the present condition of isolation from the rest of tho colony in which Auckland lay. In this connection Mr McMillan explained that ho was not correctly reported tho other day when ho was stated to have expressed hira;elf in favour of further borrowing. Ho was averse to further borrowing, except under circumstances which rendered it absolutely necessary that a sufficient enm of money should bo raised for the purpose of carrying on tho Auofeland-Taranaki railway. Mr Adam Kelly (Liberal Asscciation) supported tho motion. Mr W. CrowDher (Mayor) also spoke to tho resolution. Mr J. M. Shera, M.H.R., mentioned that there were over COO men now employed on railway works in the province o* Auckland. This showed those works wes'o noti bsinj^ neglected. Ha iiad yesterday received a letter fiorn tho Lands Department in response to a ielttr of his owu with reforence to the Stratford route, to the Government, stating that the work on tho Mokau portion of the Main Trunk Railway was proceeding as rapidly as possible,, and tho work was being pushed en as fa.st as it. was found it could be. The engineer on that section of th« 3 line had been instructed to proceed with another length of six uiilea formation in tha vicinity of Mokau. Work was also proceeding at the Stratford end. Mr Shera then laid before tho meeting v scheme which he guaranteed wou.ld bo found to bo satisfactory, for the purpose of raising money to complete tbu Stratford Railway. Hisscheme wouldraiso a million of moueyfor tho railway work wit'aout allocating npinsle acre of land belonging to the colony or adding one shilling to tho gross public debt of the colony, as statod in tho public accounts. His suggestion way that tho balance of tho loau offs7o issued by the Homo Govern raer ,tj __ the balance not issued being £800,000 in de'oenbures—should now ba famed at four p<jr cftnt. If this were done, he guaranteed, that the loan wouid bs floated at fcwon ty-fivc per cent, above par. Mr Shera wens on to say tliab ho attached no iniportancj to what was known as the Donkin roufe, but he was giad to know that the Government woro appointing a thoroughly competent engineer to survey the country between Marton and Elbhani, j in the vicinity of Taranaki, in order to dis- j cover wbobber better grades for the railway could be obtained. The motion was then put and earned unaniuvau3!y.

NATIVE LANDS. Mr A. Boardman moved:—"(1) That in theopi.uion of this meeting tho interosta of this provincial district and tho colony at large urgently require the completion as early aa posaiblo oi tho puro'haße oi the 5,455,457 acres of native lands, <f.c"o'.-iations for the purchase of which are oonoleted at a cast of £1,248875, and tbro'wn open without delay to Luropofin settlement. (2) Thab the largo area of land at present in tho possession of the uoveruraenN amounting in tho Auckland land disliriob, in which En&t Cape district is noti included, to 1,500,000 acroa should alto be openod for tofctlfjineat as soon as p(i!!siL«lo." .. .. , Mr Growfcher seconded the motion, winch wcis unanimously agreed to, GOVERNMENT AID FOR ROAD 3. Mr Adam Porter nest moved:—"That in tho cpinion of this meeting it is advisable thab some arrangements bo made i for subsidising road works other than the nrvment on rates received, more particularly it; districts in which large areas ct Government and native lands are held and oh which no local rates are paid, and that the members of this district bo reaueatsd to move in the matter.' .Mr Alfred Nathan seconded the motion. Mr Jackson Palmer, M.H.K., suggested that the Government should undertake to I put through a metalled road from Auck--1 Lid up to" the vicinity of the North Cape, so as to asßist tho local bodies. He thought ' fchat the Auckland Chamber of Commerce land other bodies should do na muci aa they could to assist the north or Auckland and to push forward the hitherto "neglected North." The north of this provincia district was of great value to tho city of Auckland, because it abaorbed.urpluspopuSon on the gnmfiolda, and as tho consoalienees, tho Government had not to expend one penny on relief works in this provineia distHct, " The gum traffio cuttt« upm.l the roads under the nOfUievu Councils, tJL bodies could not taep. the roads „ order and the Government should do co to. S'a they were thu. relieved from he

to get the Government to carry his suggestion out. Mr T. Thompson, M.H.R., said ho was I anxious to do all in his power to givo otleco :to the wishes of the people of Auckland, as represented by the local bodies. This concluded tho business of the meeting. -