LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 14035, 16 April 1909, Page 6

LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY.

MEETING OF WOMEN. [Special to the Star.] ROXBURGH, April 16. A meeting of the women of the district was held in the Athenaeum yesterday afternoon. The mayor (Mr Veale) introduced the question of "railway matters. A Protest Committee was formed, and Mrs R. Gilmour was elected chairwoman and Mrs Veale secretary. The matter was taken up quite enthusiasticdly by the twenty ladies present, all expressing their determination to do their utmost in the interests of the district. The following resolution was carried unanimously, being proposed by Mis Jeffery and seconded by Mrs Behaii : That this meeting of the women of the Teviot district protect against the action of the Government in stopping work on the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway, regard it as a gross breach of faith" and call for an immediate resumption of the work until the money voted by Parliament has been spent" The women also passed resolutions cooperating with the other meetings, and agreeing to assist in the matter of gettim' a petition signed by residents right through the district from Coal Creek to Lawrence. TRADES AND LABOR COUNCIL. A RESOLUTION OF PROTEST. The Otago Trades and Labor Council, at their meeting last, night, passed the 'folio wing resolution :—" That this Council consider that a breach of faith has been committed by the Ministry in declaring the stoppage of the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway works, after being sanctioned by Parliament, after leading people in trie district to incur expenditure in the anticipation of the early construction of this lice. Such a breach of faith, is not in conformity with the traditions of British fair play, and in common honestv. not only to the people in the district, but to the Ota-'o province, the promises already mads .should be honorably carried out. 'and this Council expect their . members of Parliament, to see that this is done, as in their opinion no valid reason has been shown why the construction of the line should be stopped." SIR J. G. WARD'S DEFENCE. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The Prime Minister's apologia concerning the stoppage of work on the Law-rence-Roxburgh Railway, published by you in to-night's issue, fairly bristles with "debatable matter, and certainly gives no more satisfactory reason for' the" Government's action than did those now historic telegrams containing the word*; "from information furnished" and "in common honesty to the country." If the Government act so quickly on " information furnished" the work can hrammed immediately, as I can furni-'h them with tons of solid facts and ficur-s from responsible settlers in the districts to prove that this line will be- one of the be*tpaving lines in New Zealand. _ Tlie Prime Minister is most inconsistent m using the phrase "in common honesty to the country," as it is surely ar.vthin-' but "common honesty" to the" people of tne Roxburgh and Millers Flat districts to be treated as they have been in this matter. _ However, we gather a little further information from the Prime Ministers statement, and that k that the estimate of the levenue likely to be earned" by Jv\™ When competed would be only £1,400 per annum. This amount is <renerously doubled by Sir Joseph making £2 800 per annum. Unfortunately for the Prime Minister, in another column of the same issue Mr Tonkin, speaking at the meeting m the Chamber of Commerce yesterday is reported to have said that he'alone would be able to supply the railway with produce, upon winch the sum "of £2.500 would require to be paid. Thus is tliis precious estimate completely upset. 'The failure of the Otago Central line to pay the necessary 3 per cent, bulks largely among the reasons (I had almost written excuses) given for stopping the Lawrence extension. It would be quite as reasonable to compare either line with any other line in New Zealand, and one is surprised at such a comparison being made by the head of the Government. The statement that the line would be completed and trains would be run to the mouth of the funnel shows a complete want of knowledge of. local conditions. Anything short of Beaumont would be of absolutely no advantage to the great bulk of settlers whom the line is to serve. Max the people of D-nnedin let themselves be heard on this railway question at the indignation meeting to lie held in the Town Hall on Monday night.—l am, etc., E. Tambly-w April 15. An advertisement appears in another column, in which the Mayor of Dunedin calls a public indignation meeting of citizens to protest against the action of the Government in closing down the construction works on. the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway. The meeting is fixed for Monday evening in the City Council Chambers, Town Hall.