A RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9183, 6 April 1910, Page 7

A RAILWAY LEAGUE.

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 5. Mr J. H. Gunson, President of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, when spoken to this morning on the question of the formation of a League, as suggested by the Hastings Chamber of Commerce, for the purpoise of endeavouring to get the whole of the North Island Members of Parliament to combine to obtain a measure of fair play for the North Island in the matter of railway management and expenditure generally, said the time was certainly ripe for carrying into effect something like this. "The members of the Auckland Chamber," he said, "are of one mind on the subject, and although for some time past the Auckland Chamber has not been taking a very active part in bringing railway matters very prominently before the Government, it has not overlooked the importance of the question, and has been working quietly with the Railway League to further the interests of the northern lines. Now that the North Island holds the balance of power so far as membership in the House is concerned, some united action should certainly have an appreciable effect, and there seems no reason why the hands of the Government should not be forced to give that attention to the railway lines of the North that in he past has been given to the South end of the Dominion, to the detriment of North Island interests. Among the most important matters so far as the Auckland Chamber is concerned in connection with railway construction are the East Coast railway and the energetic forwarding of the North of Auckland line, Avhile there is also the question of the Kawhia extension from the Main Trunk Line, from say, the vicinity of Te Kuiti. All those lines must in the near future receive big consideration from the Government, and it depends largely on the attitude which Auckland and North Island people generally -will adopt whether the construction of them will be advanced or delayed. The population of the North Island is increasing at such a rapid rate that further railway communication is important, and lines must be constructed particularly in the northern part of the province, in the Kawhia district, the Ohura and other parts. Every week now I receive letters from settlers in the out districts, complaining about the lack of railway accommodation, and asking that something be done by the town to awaken the Government to the necessities of the situation." . Mr A. J. Entrikan, chairman of tne Harbour Board, expressed a doubt whether we were not doing better now j by having Railway Leagues m every | district. "You see, ea t ch district will | be pulling for itself," said Mr Entrikan "I suppose the idea is to bring about a federation of leagues., and such a federation would seek to control the support of the Members. 1 do not think that you would get the whole of the North Island Members to combine together otherwise, but where there is & Railway League no doubt the local Members would have to support it. There may be a considerable number of districts where there is no possible chance of railway extension and where railway leagues would not be formed, and unless some way is found of bringing pressure to bear on a representative in his own district, it is very questionable whether yon are going to persuade him to work against his party, if he be a Government man."