THE NEW ZEALAND RAILWAY REFORM LEAGUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7646, 25 May 1886, Page 5

THE NEW ZEALAND RAILWAY REFORM LEAGUE.

[FROM OCR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

Hamilton, Monday. The first meeting of the new Railway Reform League was held on Saturday. There were present: Mr. W. A. Graham (Mayor of Hamilton), in the chair; Messrs. W. G. Russell (Cambridge), S. Vaile (Auckland), Henry Reynolds (Hukunui), Barton, Bright, Bindon, Seddon, Von Sturmer, G. Edgecumbe, Smith, and Captain Steele (Hamilton), Captain Daly (Hautapu), Mr. J. J. Barugh and Captain Runciman (Tamahere), Mr. Von Sturmer was appointed secretary and treasurer.

The following resolution was passed, "That immediat3 steps bo taken to form branches of the league throughout the various districts of New Zealand, and that a systematic canvass for subscriptions be instituted ; that the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and the Agricultural and Pastoral Association be informed of the movement, and be invited to co-operate in organising branches throughout the colony; that the gist of Mr. Vaile's pamphlet be reprinted in a series of say five leaflets, with the view of having the same circulated throughout the entiro colony, and sent to the colonial Press for publication and comment." It was also resolved that the local governing bodies throughout the colony should bo invited to co-operate in the distribution of these leaflets, and take measures to bring pressure on their representatives in Parliament to assist the member for Waikato in obtaining the commission asked for in the petition, a copy of which was adopted by the meeting as follows :—

To the Honourable the House of Representatives of New Zealand in Parliament assem'nljd : The petition of the undersigned Inhabitants of the colony of New Zealand hurablr showeth,—That the present system of managing the railways of the colony has proved most unsatisfactory in every respect: that it entails a very severe financial loss, which increases year by year ; that the arrangement of the scale of fares, rates, and charges causes great dissatisfaction ; that, in the opinion of your petitioners, a complete change has become necessary. Your petitioners therefore pray that a commission may be appointed to Inquire into and report upon the management of our working railways ; that no Railway Boards or commissioners may be appointed nnlil this inquiry has been held : that it may be a speclel Instruction to the commission to inquire into and report upon the system of levying fares and charges prorosed b>- Mr. Samuel Vaile, of Auckland ; that, as the arrangement ct the tariff Is mainly a commercial and financial matter, your petitioners pray that the commission may consist of tbe Minister for Public Works, the Under-Secretary for Public Works, the Geieral Manager of the New Zealand Railways, and other commissioners to be selected—ono by each of the Chambers of Commerce in New Zealand, but, in districts where there are agricultural or ps*toral associations, one of these to be joined with the Chambers ef Commerce la the. selection of the commissioner for that district. An executive committee was then appointed, consisting of Messrs. Graham, Edgecumbe, Russoll, Smith, Seddon, Barton, and Captain Steele, four to form a quorum. A subscription list was opened, and £15 4s 6d subscribed in the room. At the conclusion of the above meeting a meeting of the executive was held, when Mr. W. A. Graham was elected chairman.