WAIAU RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVI, Issue 16806, 16 March 1915, Page 10

WAIAU RAILWAY LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETING

The annual meeting of the Waiau Railway League was held on Saturday at Waiau, Mr K. Pettigrew presiding. The report and balance-sheet, the latter showing a credit balance of 8s lOd and liabilities amounting to £ll Is Gd, were submitted. Tli9 chairman in moving the adoption of the reports said that he was much gratified at being able to report that at lasi they had some material progress to show for their arduous eflorts to secure tho line. Whilst 1 that was so, however, he could not help expressing disappointment with the amount of work that had been accomplished daring the last nine months. They had all expected to see the line complete within eighteen months of its commencement, but on the present progress it would take throe years to complete. He had Veen told, of course, that similar lengths of line had taken much longer than even that, and members could have whatever consolatiou could be obtained from that. He recognised that this was a time of stress, but there was no apparent necessity tor holding up tho Dominion's public works —indeed, the Government deserved every credit for not doing so. He was afraid members would hnve to look torward to another annual meeting, though thero was time for speeding up the work yet. # ..''.•• Mr E. Foster, the Tice-president. in seconding the motion, expressed .■ the firm conviction that the line would be in Waiau before the next annual meeting. In following the career ot tho Hon W. Eraser, whom he had known in Southland many years ago., he had noticed that any promise made by him resulted in conscientious fulfilment, and he (Mr Foster> did not hold the pessimistic views of the chairman at all. The time had not gone by for the Minister to put up -a record, in quick and cheap construction. So far the work iiad proved very chetp. The committee required better financial backing from the district. To present a balance-sheet owing money here and there at the *rid of the years' operations after they had accomplished such tangible resulte was a state of things that had no right to exist. He presumed it was the apathy of the public now they had their railway assured but it was very discouraging to those working for the line, Mr W. Gain urged that they should impress tho Minister with the necessity for haste. The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce had questioned the Government recently as to the progress being made with the Otira tunnel that work had not the immediate possibilities of paying that the Waiau line had. There was an immense weight of railway motals stacked at Culverden and large stacks of sleepers, and he understood that the first four miles was ready for ballasting and thought that the Minister should be urged to commence platclaying straight away. It was stated that the Mam Trunk. Railway might yet go through the Waiau and suggestions L;id been made that the league should enlarge its scope by agitating for the extension of tho railway into the townsbip by the erection of a combined railway and traffic bridge. He strongly opposed the suggestion. The chairman said that it was the suggestion that the main trunk line should go through Waiau and the expense of building a. large and costly* bridge had retarded their progress in the past. He was much against anything that would hinder their lino and therefore opposed the proposal. Mr Faster also opposed the suggestion and Mr Sunckell .said Hint it would he too late to bring tho matter before the Minister when they had erected station buildings over the other side of the bridge. Mr W. T. Rutherford expressed the opinion that though he was personally interested the main mink l.co was a premature work for at least thirty years, whatever route it finally took and they were beating the air in discussing the question. The motion was then pnt and carlied unanimously.

The following' officers were elected for iho ensuing year:—President, Mr K. Pcttinrew: riee-r>f*ide!it, Mr F. Foster; honorary secretary and treasurer, Mr S. Biker: committee. Momsrs L. J. Ptillev. H. T. Beavaii, C. Nettine. Snnckill, J. Kennedy. D. A. M'Kie. E. Rinaldi, J. Brown and W. Gale. Mr Georgo Bailey was elected a member. -~