NEW ZEALAND RAILWAY REFORM LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7342, 1 June 1885, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND RAILWAY REFORM LEAGUE.

[FROM OCJJR OWN OORBKSPONDKNT.I Hamilton, Saturday. A meeting of the Tamahere Farmers' Club and Waikato settlers Interested in railway reform was held last night in the school* house, Tamahere. There was a full and representative attendance. The Chairman (Mr. E. Rhodes) introduced the buniness.

Mr. Graham said the meeting was the result of a public meeting held at Hamilton on the llth inst., when a resolution proposed by Captain Steele was adopted embodying a petition to Parliament now fore the countfy for signature. A second meeting was also held, when it - was thought it should be left to the Tamahere Farmers' Club to appoint a permanent committee of the League. Mr. Von Sturmer then read the minutes of the meeting at whioh the provisional committee was appointed, and the Chairman read the petition. ~ . Captain Steels thought no argument as to the need .of railway management reform was wanted. The Waiikato alone lost £200 a-year through the loss of settle 4 merit, occasioned by the want of railway facilities. The railway as at present conducted ms a'btr to lettleo&wt Th?re was a great talk about settling the King Ccantzyv. but if the long-distance freights were to continue, by tha time they * reached a short distance into the King Country they would be prohibitive. At first he objected to Mr. Vaile's scheme because he did not understand it. The more he looked into the scheme the better he liked it. The railways were not wearing out, but rotting out. He hoped a good strong committee would be appointed to work the matter up. The freight on potatoes from Cambridge or Te Awamuto was 15a per -ton; the average value per tea was £2 10s. , Thus 25 per cent, of the gross value was taken for seven hour*' carriage. If it were 5s instead of 15s per ton, ten tons would be sent where only one now was, sO that the railways would make 50* where they now mad 153, He would sooner see a Land or Property Tax to make up any deficiency, if Mr. Vaile's scheme were adopted, than go on as now. The movement would require some little money"to carry it on. Mr. Graham had handed in a guinea, and he himself would give another. Mr. Graham proposed that the club take the matter in hand and organise a strong committee to carry out the matter of railway reform. The petition did not confine itself to Mr. Vaile's scheme, for it asked the Council to appoint a commission to enquire into Mr. Vaile's or any other scheme. The Commission, too, it was asked, should consist of certain officials and one member of each Chamber of Commerce. This, at least* showed that the country settlers were not seeking to have a Commission, whioh would look at the matter only from a country settler's point of view. He believed that the object for which the railways Were con* 8 true ted was to push forward the settlement of the land. It was for this purpose, fee believed, that the colonists submitted to be taxed for their construction. It was absurd to think that the railways should pay, it was the people who lived alongside tn«m that would pay. Captain Steele had said that he would be willing to be taxed for any deficiency. He (Mr. Graham) believed that no deficiency would ever have to be made up. If ever such deficienoy as the railway authorities predicted, occurred, a very infinitesimal tax on property would more than make it up. The country would' never be settled till cheap freight gave the farmers a margin of profit for their produoe. He moved "That the club take the matter in hand and organise a committee." Mr. Baruoh seconded the motion, He had every • faith in Mr. Vaile's scheme. It matte-red little what railway officials said against it. ■' When Rowland Hill initiated the penny postage reform, he was ridiculed by nearly every post office official. Fanners must have cheap freight for their produce, or they need not increase production. The Chair it as* said there were thousands of pounds worth of hay and chaff that would rot this winter. in Waikato because they oould not send it with profit to a market on account of the high rates of freight. The freight was the all-important matter in the scheme, otherwise the northern farmers could nob compete with those of the South Island. Captain Runcimau' alluded to the management of railways in America. They were fun by private companies for profit. The freights there wore but a fraction of those in New Zealand. So far from Vaile's scheme having a centralising tendency, he believed it would be the means of causing people of the large towns to go out into the country and settle the waste l&cds. v Captain Steele explained that what was wanted was that the Farmers' Club having adopted cue movement should nominate the permanent committee ox the League, not to throst the onus of carrying out the work upon them. Mr. Graham stated that money would be required to carry out the work in both islands, if 20,000 or 30,000 signatures were to be got to the petition. Mr. Graham's motion was put and carried. On the motion of Mr. Baedgh a committee was appointed, consisting of Messrs. W. A. Graham, Captain Steele, Captain Runciman, Mr. E. Rhodes, Mr. Barngh, Mr. Wheeller, Mr. Von Sturmer, and Mr, J. Martyn, with power to add to their number. Seconded by Captain Rusoimak, and carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. Graham, a subscription list was opened to defray the necessary expenses, and the Tamahere Club gave the subscription of 5 guineas. Mr. R. 'Rhodes was appointed President of the Reform League. A vote of thanks to the Chairman terminated the proceedings. T. and J. McMaster have confidence in Inviting special attention to their autumn and winter stock, being large, viirted, and received direct from , the best English and Scotch market*, consisting of costumes and mantles, jackets, ulsters, and waterproofs, millinery, itylish and new, cashmeres, metinos, and dress materials. Novelties in dress trimmings, braids, aDd buttons, umbrellas, ribbons, laces and gloves. Hosiery, specially good. Abo. ladies' and children'): stays ana naderclothlar, children's pelisses, squares, and robes. Blanket", flannels, and shirtings, English and colonial. Also the new paper blankets, 'Clothing, men's and boys', colonial and English, J.'so, shirts, hats, and ties, Jersey suits, football jerseys and stockings, men's and boys' orercoa* s and waterproofs Inspection invited by T. and J. McMaster, 252, Queen-street, and at Surrey Hills. ■■

Novelty in Carpets.--' Byzaittma Carpet 'a a new mtkf, very rich In ?ppearance, having a gold thread worked into the design, making it pretty and effective. Garlic); and Cranwell have jut received their first shipment, and they Have also furniture coverings, table cloths, and antimacassars to match. .Tapestry.Carpets, from Is lid per yard; Brussels, from 3a 9d; Kensington and Tapeitry Squares, Yeddo, Rugs Md other novelties.— and Cranwell, House Furnishers, Queen-street, Auckland. If you have not; seen Lewisson the Jeweller's Grand fehow Booms, you hare missed a treat that you cannot .et in New Zealand: and I will tall yon what I saw there—if you don't believe me go and' see for yourselves. To commence with, there are two female assistants, who take any amount of trouble, buy or no buy. and they seem to take a pleasure la showing the goods for sale* The assortment is grand* Sterling silver plate, in cases, for wedding presents; cups for Cbri«tmas presents; knife, fork, spoon, aba cup. In cases; salvors, silver tea and ooaee lent, card cn-es, ete., etc Then we come to eieciro-piatea koods, which are of the very best quality, from Dixon and Sons, and Martin Hull and s, the two best Sheffield houses ; goods that wear a lifetime : rathe? costly, but good goods are the cheapest in the long run. The assortment is too large to psrticnliuriMi A grand musical box thj.t plays thirty-el* tunes is kept going all day ; soma grand inlaid-photograph 1* frames, from pictures Im the Berlin Museum: a novelty in the shape of looki.>g-«l»'s« painted With lowers' the largest as ortmenli of fans In the colony; hand painted work-boxes, writing desks, Jewel cases, don boxis, ac-i a large stock of all kinds of the beat fancy goods. ; . ■ . ,

1 Evisr-Y Englishwoman will remember how cwful Hudson's tract of Soap was in the old country ?« washing, c.eaning, and scouring everything. You can obtajin a ilb. packet from every storekeeper in the colony. Ask for it. N.B:— is a pure dry soap, in fins powder ard lathers freely la hot or cold water. •, The horrors of war, multiform as they an, might be readily lessened, if precautionary measures were taken tn guard against disease. J But,' Inured to the dangers o! the Bold, the soldiery become reckleiis, and many fall from carelessness and imprudence Severe cold, intense heat, malft'-*v —erexertion, are all swift destroyers of life, hu. u iore nature , yields, the surrender might :be averted by nerving the system, and to fortify this, the best sfirengthener is UdolphoJWouo's Schiedam Aromatic SahnaoDS. • iste. »Vbs