SANDON.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4146, 4 July 1874, Page 4

SANDON.

(from; our own correspondent.) There was a very full attendance at a public meeting-, held at the School-house, Sandon, on the 29th June, anent the formation of a railway from the junction of the Eoxton tramway to Sandon. Mr. J. A. Bailey was voted to the chair. Mr. J. W. Gower, representing Mr. Larkworthy, said that he considered there should be a better mode of communication with Eoxfcon than there was at present. It had been said the Englishman fights remarkably well on a full stomach ; and the hardworking settler could work better if he were well fed ; but he would like to know how they could afford to pay £6 per ton for supplies from Wellington, or how much _ profit they would get on any produce they might have to sell if they had to pay £5 per ton for carriage. The thing was impossible, and the small farmer would find himself in a not very enviable position if some remedy were not found for this state of things. The road was well adapted for making into a railway, it being almost a dead level. He therefore would move, That in the opinion of this meeting the immediate construction of a railway from the junction of Palmerston line to Sandon is highly necessary, and to be encouraged, and that in order to secure this object a respectful memorial be presented to his Honor the Superintendent asking him to cause this work to bo carried out "with the least possible delay. i

Mr. Sanson seconded the motion. He remarked that a railway would bring the district within a practical distance from a natural port. They were entitled to ask this of the Government, seeing that upwards of .£IOO,OOO of land revenue had accrued from the district, and that about £20,000 would construct the whole line. He was sanguine of success. The motion was carried unanimously. Mr. Tompkins said he felt proud in being a settler in the district, and there was not a better district in the Colony, or a better lot of settlers in it. But they were virtually shut out from a market. A railway would not cost more than the bare metalling of the present road. Ho would propose, That a committee he formed of seven settlers, to correspond with the Provincial and General Governments on the subject, and to further the speedy completion of the road by all moans in their power. Mr. H. Bailey seconded the motion, which was carried.

Mr. C. London proposed, and Mr. Phillips seconded, that a deputation he appointed to go to Foxton, to lay this matter before the inhabitants there and to invite then - co-operation. The motion was carried.

The following gentlemen were then elected by the meeting to form a committee : —Messrs. Gower, G, Farmer, Tompkins, H. Sanson, Williams, H. Bowater, J. A. Bailey.

Mr. Sanson then read a memorial to the meeting, which, upon the motion of Mr. Tompkins, seconded by Mr. H. Bailey, was adopted and signed by the electors present. Mr. Gower moved a vote of thanks to Mr. H. Sanson for the trouble he had taken in the matter, and also a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was seconded by Mr. James Bowater and carried by acclamation. The opinion of the meeting, expx-essed generally, was, that there would be no risk in the owners of property in the district being called upon to contribute any portion of the working expenses, even though they gave a guarantee to that effect, because the proposed line was sure to pay well.