EVENING SITTING.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 49, 14 February 1879, Page 2

EVENING SITTING.

4\fr Halcomba took his seat

Tbe standing orders were suspended, to enable Mr Gower to bring on his notice of motion regarding the ■\VEIJ.INGTOX EAII.WAY. Mr Gower moved the following resolution, of which be had given notice : — " That in the opinion of this Council tha present aud future interests of the Manawatu County would bo best consulted by br ngiug the "Wellington Eailway into, the port of Foxton." In doing so he romarked that ho had no wish to bring on a discussion of the question, as he simply intended the votes of Councillors to be recorded* The Chairman and two northern members had been on the Pulmeraton deputation, and the other members wished their vie jvs to be made known. He reserved to himself the right of reply. De Rookstrow seconded. Mr Ilalcombe thought Mr Gower was unfair. Mr Gower defended himself, and whilst thinking the Council was not tho right place for a dobi'te, he said his constituents r'elfc so strongly upon the question that had he not done so, they wjuld h-ivo forced him to bring tho mutter on. The Chairman concurred with Mr Hal* combe. Mr Linton said their opinions ware already forme;!, aud it vris no use discussing tho question. A block vote was arranged agniasfc tho northern man. It would be a Government line, and Government should decide it. lie would lsavo it to them. The present resolutiou was not honest. Tho south had 5 motmber.3, but they did not rapraaoat tho built of tho population. Ho moved the following amendment :-!-"That in the opinion of this Coun% cil, the voufco of the proposed West Coa*t Railway Line should be left entirely in tho hands of the Goverumout, " to ba decide! by perfectly - disinterested referoos." (Th« words quoted were added at the suggestion of Mr Halcombe.)

Dr Bocksuow said he seconded the motion, not so much because he was in f tvorot' it as a matter of courdo. Mr G-.iwar kn<3W his opinion, and ho \va3 sorry tho resolution was tabled. i'heyhidaetedbec.ausD Paltnerston took the initiative. Me ha-1 taken no part in the rooent public meeting because ha felt. G-ovarnmont would not act in so saicidal a manner as to bring tho Hue within seven miles of Foxtnu and thon take it past. He blamed the Chairman especially for hU injudicious action in taking a leading part in the northern agitation. It was injudicious, as he was pledged to watch the interests ot the whole County. Mr Halcomba seconded Mr Li q ton's amendment. Ho said as each party oame with formed opinions and convictions, a discussion was usoless. He claimed that the four members represented the larger portion of the wealth mid population of the County (Air Gower — Why P because you have the railway.) He wished to correct a misstate*

ment to the eff ct ;h«t r.'»e line via FitssVrbijrt w.is 2) mile« lontrer th.iv old S.mt'on.

It wiih only 12^ milos lonsror. He ha«l srone into the question carefully, and his tigurPH ha j been checked by ' a gdnttei nwn homing opposite viotf*. l-fpS«urtff ;^Wi| I Hat aft .ihgy^VpVb fli> iiwir':^ b lauiied tft y hnoiiul do what waa uoiio i'pgirding the Swat of Oovernmont whai so many pl.-uvs cinimpd il ; — Appoint ai ui. infer -et-'d ■ ribnnn] to d^ci'lp <Hp quo^fcion. Ihe m itter wa« not only otip of distnnofl. 'J'ht i r<i wore oth^r cotißid'-.ratioiistiu.imuiil, country to be »<p*-»i <A \;p \y.. [{a cubti,ntt« t»J it*o !} m, whole itmueMf^e -nHV-itp arid piihiio— • With rtiembef." of Parii.-»nlent and Other* trt »et 'tne line nor'h. He supposed those on the other Hide would do the same (No, no.) At any rate, they lind a good frioud at co'vt in the Hon AJr O'ttri'ibelU tHroii'^h -Mfhrise iulluojice the w<ird Fox'otl was i linefeed in Hie floheriule. Mr Kuorpp hud only ciiraoiiiy TiVude a flying exploration of tile uuiintrv. Me wj.h qdite rigiit; as un eugiueetj to exp'i'eas ail opinion Upon shortening the uitttanoc, but other quootiona must b-i connVlnrt'd Hehii'l refrained troui cunnideriug 1 tho whole qtiftiGion.

Air Goww n.iid had no original motidri been submitted, he wouM Lave been willing to accept the aotendiriejß j but iAilmerston wia iiot lenving* the niutle/ 1 to t lie tJortM-n---iili'iit, as Afr I/in fon n<>i4r proposed. TJio nmendment vtiis intendo i to imply i t.liat the South \Vas not willing to accept the Government's decision ; wliich waa unti'uo. It wa3 an dttempt to take the wind out of their sails. He was for fair dialing airJ justice, and wanted nothing more. The Pabneiston meeting, pdtil ion, and deputation were all done to try and reflddt Upon tho Pouth, an. l -whilst uslilng for tho Govornrnont to decido t!»o question, they were doing all they" caiild to inuueii.-o Govefnment in fatfor o^ Palmerslou. The'i-e was neither a clifjue nor block vote against Palmerston. Me denied thnt the South-was iv imy sense banded against Palmorston. He doniecl that t!>e Soutli was in any sense banded against th<s North. They went in for perfect justice, and perfect equity for all. If there was a clique, tho four were | one just jU initoli t'.ie five. Mad the C/iiair- ; xnan refU3ed to go dn tii6 dopittatidn, he | trould not hare brought the motion up. ! Dr Uockatrow, spealting to t!ie u.iuiuli ment, said Mr Ilaieom'io had been for I woeks button-lioiing Ministers.

Sir Ilalcomba objected to tho lvnmr'c. Dr Roc'?strow would say» theiij interviewing Ministers } and tho r.stilt of thnt viras, the operations for beginning afc the Faxton end were stoppal. If other numbers had left tho matter to Grovernmcnt, lie. would liave absented himself from the Council when this qtrstion wa» discussed, and if he thought l!u> Fit^herbaifc route bent, he would vote for it. quite independent of his constituents' wishes. Air Halconbo svid qhe difference was only 12 miles ; the county map showed 22,

i\Fr Snnson considered it liia duty to do his ufcuiost for Foxton in this nutter. The advantage to PalmeratoQ and Feilding; of tho north route was purely mythical. T.j Smdon it T\ r a3 of vast importance, as aifjrJi-i* a short route to Wellington. If it c.imo to Fox'on it would open up moro land, tliough ifc wa3 perhaps held by private porsoiu, than if it went the other way. A brief contrast showed that Filzherbort, had received a large shara of public money already. They hul £3 X) 9on a bridge, a macadamized ro id, a luilway at Palmereton within a tnilo of the block, and next they would ask for a railway line to each man's doar. The Una to Fifzliuibort would for a long distance creep round swamp, and at the foot of hilly country, fit only for grazing. The sw.unp might ba drained and redaimo 1 by a coai pa.iy, bat to do so was out3ida tha Province of G-overmnsnt. If Mio nil way went through it, tho enhanced value wmU be very small. The Goro.-niwit would doubtloss buy the Sand m line. The beat tt-nboe was near tho point of divergence ; north of that along the Fstzherbort lino it w*s not worth much. Near S.iudoa they hal vimu, matai, an.l white pin,?, ia abundance*, and ao:no tofcar.i. Tiiis wonld probably uttlisa the line, and nuka l.hj lino pay bjtfc.'r th.ia through a sw.rnp. M- Hileo-iibo siid the four represented moro wa^lth and popu'alion than the fivo. That w.i 3 solely buo.iuse of the railway and a lirgvj outlay "of imblic money, without whioh the nppar district I .'Cltleinents would hive collapsed, (flea-, j hoar.) Thepuh'.ij money m-.<d to cj-.wtmcfc 'that line belonged to tho colony, and Oiuki, i Saudou, aid Carnarvon had a right to share in the pabli-j expondiUr/e, as tlii?y were assisting to miso tha inteiyst and sinking fund. (The Chairman — So is Filzhorbelt) Of course he felt sympathy for Fitzherbert, but moro for his district-, thj latter representing the greatest number. I Carnarvon had been settled 33 yean, but liitherto had roceived no public expanditnre. If tho North continued to thrive upon public money, it would far out-distance its le»-favorod Southern con.petitor. It was ungenerous of the North to want the line, whilst Sandon was hoping for tho Wellington line 03 an assistance to its own. If it were not for this ho would probably not feel so strongly on the question. T.io North cried for a clisiatereeted opinion, but any opinion which did not favor Palnu'rston would not bo accepted. Even if the difference won only 12J miles, it would bo a groat jone. lie lnped tho Govornment would ! keep to their resolution to m-iko Foxton the j junction. Ho might point out Mr Campbell iis a member of tho Upper lions?, and Foxton was in tho schedule before it reached that Chamber. Another member of the Legislative Council, who owned laud in Fi'.zherbert, ha 1 unsuccessfully tried to grit the schedule nltoreJ.

Tho Chairman replied to what ho consUered was a personal insult upon himself. At his election ho had statod that whilst ho would try and further Foxton as a port, ha would oppost)' ton tho railway and separation questions. Ho would not' giro u>j hi* j right net in private as he pleased. If ho*we-.jt to Wellington on a deputation, it w w as a ratepayer. A. man afraid to oxprc.*? an opinion upon diverse questions was not fit to bj a member of the Council. Ho n> spectod opponents, so Ion? as they wore not j scurrilous. Thoy could all interview Ministers if thoy likod. His side wanted Government to decide upon impartial data. Ho objected to tho manner in which t'lo i namo of tho line had boon changed merely I upon a flying exploration, Ha had had as much experience in bish work as oithar of j ihe engineers, and he held a proper survoy of th.-j country woull take 6 vreeks. lie would refuse to hold tho position of Chairman if liia private nation was impugued. (Dr Roekstrow said the faot of him being iutradueal :»3 t'n Ojunty Chairm ia gave additional weight to his request ) He claimed tho right to aw ovory effort to giin tho line for the North so lon<» as lie did not pat forth the position he held nt Chairman. An additional weight certainly did attaah to him, but that was a rU'< they aocoptud at his election. Dr Rookstrowwould not have blasted him, if his influence had beeu given foi* foxton. It was absurd to cuppo33 a uumber of^tho most influential men in the Oounty were to bo deprived of their right to express thoir opinion, ani forward their interests, simply beoau*o they wore members of that Council. Ho would giro thorn fair warning th it whatever he thought best he would do, so long as ha did not unfairly put forward his position as County

Chairman. The liberty he gave to others, ho muut havo hiuwdf.

Mr Lin'on's amendment was th«n put and loirt. — F >r the amen linent, Meaws H d<iimbp, Mucarthur ; Carr, and Linton. ate -.irt-K fJsiweTj anslou,- !tock«ti'd«r,-Ke'-H.-lij niiA Loiidari. Thu iscit-isitJii th'oii ddritiiiued upon tho o iartnal rnolron. . ...

?>lr Ualno nbo renorni'sed thpy; wmn* in for a thorough fi;/ht upon thin question, Hid wished to establish a ground .from \vhioh thd contest niiyht be wage.l. He jlad dpenlj 1 .Stated his views on thU question dome niontHs agb, arid lt&d aeiie'd fiiirly. He hoped dthers would do the same, though some appeared determined t-> blame hiui fif Ilia action j whilst wishing to do the santo thlrigS. Mr Sanflori had dwelt Upon the itdVtiiithtfes FitSsherbort had, but Sandon had also had the expenditure of laHg.j sums of nt >ney in f'o-ids, &o. t and was as near to the xailway as Fitzk>rberton. The branch lirte .would give direct communication to Sandon with' Fnxton, which it fegardefd as its port", but the Upper l)isr riot locked utl Wellinartoii a« its real port, and fought for tlie nhorteftt route to that, I'ho railway frrtm Fitzherbert would brinjf Feildin/.' into direct critnnlttDioation -^rith lidrbwliemia, instead of n circtiitoii" foiihd. He dalcitliited tliut the bulk of tha Niipier trufllo would oo:ri j do*u tho West Coait, as 2£ iijiles would bo saved, besides the Kimutaku Hill; rie lookei hopefully to the filtUre, arid Hoperl to ado Kiwiteaj tho la?'go block beyond ifcj anl tho Mrtrinlottt l! luiris all aottled, and the vast population it would darry travelling aloitg, and for thorn he spoke, as well as those now resiJont In the upper district As the population of North Manawatu will contribdte tHd larger portion o^ the through traffic (members— question), they should receive most consideration. The land alonsj the Foxton line wai fairly ijdod, aldrig 1 its rival fery poor; but the I question w'aa a larger* one; and if the Gi-o-vernment made oiie to F-.ixton now, a second oao would soon ba required. Though tho reaolution might be passed by a ma- | jority, ho claimad still that the minority roprJ3enfc.'d the larger part o£ tko wealth and population. He di-i not rememboi* Havinj used the words Sir Snnsou had j attribute 1 to liinrt re^ardiiig the nlairi line. ' Mr S.inson said tho ports of: \Vanganui j and Fox! on waro a' together ig.iorod by Mr Hale )mb3*t» rsm irks. Wator-carriage mast be cheaper thau land. Woodville inl-erests* tvoull b 3 coasu'ted by puahinaf foxton ahoai. £120,03;) would bo saved to the ooit-jtry by connecting at Foxfc-in. If the tfurhn )tu I'l.iins Wjre mar aad ivaly for tha plough, he could maderstanl Mr H:il« comb3's argaai :nt. It the Hue were m-ide tun Fitz'iotbert, pasiba«cM Would go that way, and tfools would corns to Foxton for ! shipnißut. I Mr Lintoa aaid the estimates of ths lan 3 to bo px«od th.'ou^h to reaci b'itzhorbiVt Were diif'-Taafc. Tin Heram> said there • Wero HjdO!) a ires in FitzhdcVert, Mr trowe t ! siid the swamp was 30,000 acros, whils j another peraou said 7a,0C0 acres. The Ojrnirvon lund was ve'-y poor ; whilst at i Fitzlxerberfc it was of good avorago quility. Mr Louiou briefly touched on the arjjuaments in' tha South.

Mr K*bbo'.l said he would propose an amouilmoul; which ho thought would suit bot'.i purtis3, a 9 follow :— ' Th.it in the o;)iuion of tiiU Council, it is desirable that to end thu dispute as to the terminus of the \Ve3t Coasb ltiihvaj, to o t i :n nyj the most country for ssttbuiant. the Chn^rnniant shoal I l»e asked t3 c insSmot two lina« £ro»a thb point of junction at Pitika, ono lino to Pul-noiyton, and ona to Fjxto.i."

Mr lialeojiba wroto his name asrO33 the slip of paper seconding fcha proposal, saying h<3 knew theiv was uo oh.iuco of gofcfcinir it.

Mr S.in.4O'.i thereupon romindo j .Mr Halcombo ho had on sotne previous occisioo 9:iid ha would never ask for what he knew could not be obtained.

Mr H il:o:nb3 then eros93.'l h'n nine ouh, ml pns.il t!i3 pip: t-i SCi- fjintta, w!io goo-l-liu:ri ire Uy a lid. *• I miy aa well do a silly tiling for on-M," aiul secjui-id the amond:ne:it.

Mr Grower, in reply, said the Uppar Dis» trict w.is fighting agatust t!i.j pj t of Foxton. It was a nationil qnajtion. On one side wu* the whale popuLition, forai New Plymoaih to Osiki, ou tin other side North Aliuawritu. Mr IIiloo:u ie refrfrrol t.» conniunb'.tion botsvoen H)rov»'!ionu:i anl Foildi'.ig'. Bjth wero timber districts, und tliew CouKl bj no vsa projiry batwaan thorn, but botw^ea S.xadon ani Iloi-jwlunua tharo woull ba an iutarchanjj of caraaU and timber.

Tho anvnidiuai wis c.imiil unani« mou^ly, and thus stood in plajo of tho original motion.

D.- Eookifcrow then propj-so-J on ivmondmei)b th:it thp line of railway should bo constructed f com Piaka ti fr'oxton. This the Chairman mled out of order. Tho ?amo gentleman than proposed unothor amea-1-mont, to tho effeot thut tho G-orernmoufc bo requested to make tlte lino to Kitzhecberb after that to Foxtoa was ftahhod. I'll is also was objected to, aa ombodyin.^ the original resolution, and was withdrawn. Sfc Kobbell's amoadmont therefore remaiaod. Mr Q-awer moved — " Thai t'io Chairman forward to tUo Ifon. the. Minister of Public Wor!cs, the rosolatioa raluting to the Wel-lin^ton-Foxton Itailway." SecondJd by Dr ltiok-jtrow, anl carriod > FJXrO.x LO2A r i IIOA'ID VALUATION. Dr Krjs'isii'ow B;)3'<<? of thu Foxton Loca Boar.l valuation, and said tho list, made two yoaiy ago, hid be9ti taken, and im-« provome.ifcs in mmy casei w^ra not rated at all. llowiehol tho nittier gone into, as the Council woul.l bo a groat losor by arx innoiTJcb valuation.

Mi* Sansoa proposed, and it was resolved — " Thut a Oominittoo, t$ consist of Messrs Roekstrow and Lou lon, be appuatod to exxmina the Valuation List of tlio Local Board of Foxton, aad to pritost against suoh list, it noc33.«vry, on behalf of the Council." UESOUU'ION'S i'.V5.)31). That the oliaicinin be roquasfcod to write to tlio Gjvorumoat aad reprownt that tho sooaer the money da; to the K>witea Hiding from tho £10,00u voted for deferred payment land, it paid to tho Council, tho bottoms tho mosti favorable season for road-making is rapidly passing away. (Mr Cair.) That £150 be oxponded in carting gravel upoa tlw Foxton-Saudon Road iv places wasro iujst ucod^d, as pointcl out by tho Engineer. (Me Uowror.) 'J^ho E.igiu'ier was instruotel to call for tenders for repairs to the Mauutvatu (jorgo Forry hoasa. Ttiat t!io Ohairmxn of this Council press upon the Waste Lauds board the great uecossity of at ouco throwing the Taonui dsfvu-rod p.iyaienfc blocic of 8.00;) acres open for sale, and taking steps to form the projectod roads through tho block as previously uiTangjd. (Mr Lintoa.) NEXT MEETIMO. The noxfc injatiug takoa pliyj oa March 12.

A scai'ldt fever epidemic is raging in New- York. A Cincinnati firm has taken a con* tract to build a railway from -Jerusalem to- Jaffa, Palestine.