THE CLUTHA RAILWAY.

Bruce Herald, Volume VI, Issue 363, 12 April 1871, Page 3

THE CLUTHA RAILWAY.

A public meeting, called by Mr John M'Neil, Mayor of Balclutha, at the request of a number of settlers throughout the district, for the purpose of taking steps to secure the commenceriieht pf the railway at the Ckitha end, was held at Balclutha on Saturday evening. There was a large attendance of settlers and inhabitants bf "tlie township present., . . _ • His Worship the Mayor having beencalled upon to preside, said— Yoii aire now all fully aware that the object of this meeting is to bring pressure to bear upon the Government in order that the immediate progress of the railway may not be confined to a mile or two at the Dunedin end. It appears to me, and I think you will all agree with m : 6, that however honest the irif cation of the Government may be in this impbrtant matter, we have not a sufficien t guarantee of their honeity to do justice. tb theni and give satisfaction to settlers in this and tbe Tokbmairirb districts. (Jpori all such matters as this we have met to discuss, we are very much guided by tlie opinions of the press. J?or my part, although I have carefully read everything, which the newspapers have published upon the subject, I have failed to discover anything that could be construed into an 'assurance. that we are any nearer the co'iLsummatidn. of dur hopes

than 'we were five years ago, for against tho fact that a tender has been accepted for one section, and tenders invited for the construction of two more, we are repeatedly told Hip object of these small beginnings ir; to make political capital. My view of the matter is simply this, that when a man, or a company, oi* a Government commences anj'- nevr undertaking, if he or they ba wise, the experience of others in carrying out similar undertakings, points out the course they ought to steer. I am not aware that I could point to a single line of railway anywhere which has been constructed in continuous sections. Assuming it to be the intention of the Government to complete the line, I should think the members of the Executive would lie very glad to be shown the best way to ensure public confidence, so that in carrying out the object of this meeting we are only doing a service to the Government and justice to ourselves. I see many gentlemen present who have no doubt come prepared to afford us their influence and advice ; I shall, therefore, not detain you any longer, but will call upon— Mr J. W. Thomson, M.P.C, and M.H.R., who read the?following memorial which had been prepared *. — ■ " To the Honorable the Colonial'Sncretary. "The bumble memorial of Ihe settlers and others residing near Tokomairiro and Clutha, in the Province of Ofcago. " Your memorialists observe with pleasure that the railway between Dunedin and Balclutha hr.s a'r-.ady been commenced, and that a contract has been taken fortbe construction of the road as far as. Caversham, and that tenders have been invited for its further construction to Look-out-Point, thus in carrying out such work, affording important assistance to the settlers in the vicinity. ** Your memorialists would therefore earnestly draw your attention to the expediency of enabling the settlers at Tokomairiro and Balclutha to participate, during the present depressed state of the Province, iii the public works undertaken by the Government. '•Youv memorialists would point out that by bee-inning at Tokomairiro and working both towards Dunedin and Balclutha, and from Balclutha towards Tokomairiro, a great and much needed assistance wbhldbe'aftordrd, and eventually the iron rails could be cheaply transhipped at Port Chalmers and landed at Balclutha. ... -,•,-«■.- • . " Your memorialists would further point out that when the railway, was, originally designed, it was always considered that it would commence simultaneously at both ends, and they urge that the justice bf such a course is clearly manifest, for it is evident that this neighborhood, remote from a port, and from the° large demands of the local market at Dunedin, requires a full participation in any measure which may be adopted for assisting in rescuing the Province from ita depressed condition. - - •. . '" Your memorialists, confidently relying upon the fairness bt their claim, which involves no additional outlay, pray that it may receive early attention by tenders being invited for the "formation of the necessary earthworks in the directions above pointed out, and your memorialists as in duty bound will ever pray." - . v In moving that the memorial be adopted, Mr Thomson said it had just <;hat moment been handed to him, and there might be expressions iii it with which he would not altogether coincide. But as to the spirit of th© memorial that the railway should be commenced at Balclutha and other points, he heartily concurred. He believed that the railway would be more satisfactorily carried out under provincial administration, and by a company as originally proposed, than by the General Government. But if the railway was to be earned out by the General Government as a part of the colonial scheme there was no reason why it should iiot be commenced at the Balclutha end, as well as at the Dunedin end. As representative for the Clutha in the General Assembly, he would do his very best to bring about such a The hon. Major Richardson, in seconding the adoption of tbe memorial, remarked that at the close of the evening it would not be ri<rht to detain thero, He thoroughly agreed with the memorial. This, he said, was not a political meeting in any shape. The matter simply stood thus —A public work was being carried out ; we had our labor to give for a fair remuneration, and all we asked was to be employed on reasonable terma so as to share with others. This was a mere act c<_ justice,, and would he believed, be readily acceeded to. The same was carried. . Capt. Mackenzie in a few words, proposed the following resolution :— _ . "That the memorial be circulated for central signature, and so soon as returned, be forwarded to his Honor the Superintendent, requesting him to forward it to the honorable the Colonial Secretary, with a recommendation that its prayer be complied The resolution was seconded by Mr J. P. Ma'tland, 8.M., and carried unanimously. Mr _>. Maitland proposed the following resolution :— ■ .. - . ■• ■■ •• That an address be presented to the Provincial Council fo soon as it shall meet, tb be si<mod by the chairman on behalf bf the meeting-, soliciting its influence in carrying out the prayer of the memorialists." , . In doing- so*; Mr Maitland said it no doubt was a great matter tb have the railway commenced, but it would be a much greater matter to bave it finished, and in order to get this done as quickly as possible, the best way would be to commence at both ends and also the middle if possible. .At the present rate of progress it would take, lie believed, somewhere about twenty-five years—(laughter)— to complete the work, and he thought some other system should be adopted-. The plant for the railway,, he said, could be easilytranshipped at Port Chalmers aiid sent fbund. to Balclutha by water. This, he considered would be the cheapest course the Government could adopt, while ifc would at the same time afford the greatest amount of benefit t6 the settlers in the district. He was glad that the Clutha had taken the initiative in the matter, but whatever their influence might be with tlie ? Gbvernment there could not be '_» doubt that their action would prove far.more effective if. backed up by the Provincial Council, as lie b .lieve i it would be . He had therefore much pleasure in proposing the adoption of the resolution he had just reach Mr P. Ayson, sen., seconded the resolution^ and which was carried unanimously. ' - A vote of thanks to the chairman terminated the proceedings.