RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2222, 28 October 1907, Page 1

RAILWAY LEAGUE.

REMIN DERS TO THIS GOVERNMiENT. A meeting of the East Coast Railway League was held at the Borough Council Chambers on (Saturday afternoon to urge the more vigorous prosecution of work on the Gisborne-Motu-Opotdki railway. The Mayor presided, and a fair number of town and country members were present. A letter was received from the Bay of Plenty Railway League, stating that the League intended urging on the Government the prosecution of the line and the surveying of the whole line. •The Mayor arid the objects of the two Leagues were identical, though the Gisborne League was mainly anxious to get a lino to Motu* so that timber could bo got for the local market.

The Bay of Plenty League forwarded a cony of the petition being signed in the district. It was decided to wri-to to the member for the district asking him to support the Bay of Plenty petition. The .Mayor said tlio chief business of the meeting was to approach the Government before tile Public Works Estimates were' dealt with. He moved that the Government be urged to accept a tender for the Willows Crossing bridge. They .had to consider that the. Premier had laid it down that no more money was to be spent on railways until... after .the completion- oi the Wain- Trunk..line. Despite tlr.it they could do no harm by urging their claims. Mr. Gaudiin, secretary, said in Opotiki there was a feeling that tlie East Coast League did not wish the line to be carried via Opotiki. The Mayor said that all the EastCoast Lengue was urging was tlie construction of the line to Mobil. After passing that point tlie other Railway Leagues should be ablo to control its further progress. ,Mr. Elliott said that the Government should be urged t,o spend all money authorised. He had never noticed any feeling in Gisborne against the line going to Opotiki; hut lie was surprised to see the little interest taken by Gisborne people, in tlie line. The Motu people were just as bid. He bad heard a reliable opinion that the two best forests ill the Dominion were Waimarino and Motu. The line when completed would add more to the national wealth than any other new line in the Dominion.

The Mayor said that the Government were opposed to the construction of railways by endowment. Mr. De Lautour said he felt sure ■that by the time the line got to Motu it would he impossible to stop its progress—at would be paying so well that the Government would want to extend it. The motion was oarried. Mr. De Irautour moved that the Government be asked to make a large appropriation for extension of the line. 'The Mayor seconded the motion, and drew attention to the fact that the line would puss for its whole length through very excellent country. The motion was agreed to.