PUBLIC MEETING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1008, 12 July 1879, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING.

A public meetng was held at the Volunteer Hall last evening, c< to consider the conduct of the Government in regard to Public Works in this district, especially the non-erection of the Railway Station and Courthouse." Although the weather was uninviting, there was a very good attendance, about 200 persons being present. The meeting had been called for half-past seven o'clock, but it was nearly eight o'clock before the proceedings were commenced. The meeting throughout was very orderly, nnd the several speakers were listened to very attentively. Mr. Hardy said that it was to be regretted that the Mayor had not considered it consistent with the dignity of his office to preside at the meeting. He would therefore, in the absence of the Mayor, propose that Mr. John Falconer take the chair.

The motion having been seconded, and carried by acclamation, Mr. Falconer took the chair, and said he had been taken by surprise, but he would endeavor to do his best to fill the honorable position. It was a great pity that the Mayor had not seen it fit to take the chair at a meeting called on behalf of the ratepayers. He thought so important a meeting should certainly have been presided over by the chief magistrate of the town. The meeting had been called to consider the conduct of the Government in delaying the erection of buildings long promised, and for which money had been passed by Parliament. It was not his place as chairman to make a speech

I upon the subject, and he would only express a hope that every speaker would receive a patient and impartial hearing. He then called upon Mr. Gibbs to move the first resolution. Mr. Gibbs said that fie had that afternoon had a resolution placed in his hands with a request that he would propose it at the meeting. This he had readily consented to do, but he had not until then known that he was to move the first resolution. Having read the resolution, lie said he need scarcely say that he cordially agreed with its contents. With reference to the railway station site, the delays that had taken place, and the nonfulfilment of the promises made by the Government, he had been placed in possession of a good deal of information, which he would retail for their benefit. Previous to the last session of the General Assembly, and, in fact, for some two or. three years, it was felt that the present railway station site was unsuited to the traffic, and the building itself a disgrace to the town and those who persisted in keeping it there. The question of the most suitable site had been referred by the Government to the Commissioner of Railways, who, after careful consideration, had determined that the site north of the gasworks, between Ribble and Coquetstreets, was the best, and had recommended it as being the most central and most economical. Several other sites had been proposed, amongst them being that space called the "White Elephant," situate below Itchen-street. Against this the Engineers had reported strongly, as it was at the foot of fi steep incline, which rendered it out of the question, and it was condemned. The next site suggested was that at the Lagoon. He could not say who had originated the idea of having the passenger station on the Lagoon ; but it was altogether unsuitable, and could not by any means bo rendered a good position. The suggestion of the Cricket Ground as a site followed. This he believed was proposed by the Hon. Mathew Holmes. Had there been no engineering difficulties in the way, this site would no doubt have been fixed upon. But the Engineers had reported that it was unsuitable and impracticable, as it was situated at the foot of two heavy grades. It would have been positively dangerous to have placed the station there. In order to secure a level run in, the ground would have to be raised twelve feet, and the lines would

have crossed three streets at an acute angle, giving the town an unsightly appearance. When he heard this site suggested he felt satisfied that it would not be chosen, They had been informed on several occasions that plans were being prepared for the erection of the station either on the Esplanade or on the Cricket Ground, and that directly they had been completed tenders would' be called for the work. These oft-repeated promises had not been fulfilled. He had had no idea that any hitch had occurred to prevent the station being erected on the Humber-street site, until he had a short time since met Mr. Macandrew at the railway station. Mr. Macandrew had then asked him what he thought of putting a tunnel through the line, and placing the station at the foot of it. He had then told the Minister for Public

Works that the plan could not be adopted, and that the town would not stand it. Mr. Sumpter, who had been standing near, had also said that if this were proposed to be done it would make a noise in the town. He (Mr. Gibbs) had simply looked upon the proposition as a mere " put off," engineers having reported that the cost of boring through the hill precluded the possibility of it being done for many years to come. They all knew that Mr. Macandrew was an adept at putting off. He had borne that character for many years. Some little time since he had learned through the papers that another hitch had occurred in the carrying out of the work cn the Humber-street site. It had at first been proposed to purchase ten sections, and the plan showed that five sections were to be taken in block VI., and five in block VII., for the station and its approaches, keeping the present straight line. He had since learned that the proposal had been reconsidered, and no sections were to be purchased. The station was to be placed on the present line, and the line carried in the form of a crescent on to the Esplanade. So far as the general public were concerned, it did not matter much which plan was adopted, though it would have been much more desirable to have placed the station on the sections proposed to be taken and maintained the straight line. It would have formed a better station, and have given the town a much better appearance. He knew that many persons whose business premises were about the Harbor Board block and in Tyne-street thought it a great shame to remove the station at all from its present position. Even supposing a tunnel was made through the hill, it would be a very ill-advised thing to have the station at its mouth. The town was not going to stand still. If their extensive and costly harbor works were of any good, a large extension of commerce would take place, and the town was bound to increase in size and importance. Should the station be kept in its present position, he had no hesitation in saving that in three years' time the station would d. s cramped and crowded as it was at present, * n d the business of the town and port would to greatly impeded. The Engineers and those connected with the working of the railways had stated that the whole of the space would be required for the goods traffic. He had no personal interest in the matter, but, looking at the question in the light of public convenience, no unprejudiced person could deny that the Humber-street site was the proper one for the passenger station. They should take care that they were not baulked in their efforts to have the station placed there. He hoped that if in future it Was necessary to hold a public meeting to give an expression of opinion upon the matter those present would not only attend themselves, but would bring their friends ; and that they would declare that they would have the station on the Humber-street site or nowhere else. He had much pleesure in [ moving the following resolution : That the General Assembly, having at its last session voted a sum for the erection of a railway station in Oamaru in a more central and less dangerous position than the one existing, this meeting earnestly expresses its opinion that the Government, in failing to carry out the wishes of the Assembly and having delayed the work for which the vote was taken, have injuriously affected the interests of the town of Oamaru,

The motion was seconded by Mr. W. Maitland. Mr. Gibbs said that with the Chairman's permission he would like to add a few words to what he had already said. The Government, in preparing their estimates last session, had requested Mr. Conyers to send in a statement of what he would require for his department. Mr. Conyers, amongst other sums, had put down LIB,OOO for a station at Gamaru. The Government had expressed astonishment at the largeness of the amount, but Mr. Conyers had replied that he could not do with less. He felt the necessity for having the station erected at once, as they were getting into a state of confusion, and the liability to accidents was largely on the increase. The motion was then put, and carried unanimously. Mr. Hardy, in moving the next resolution, said that he had hoped to take a silent part in the meeting. He had not, during the many years he had been in Oamaru, taken a prominent part in public meetings, and he had hoped to have followed that course during that meeting ; but, as the gentleman who was to have proposed the next resolution was not present, he would undertake the duty.

The authorities had decided that it was necessary to remove the station. At present trains from north and south were entering and departing from the station only one way, and he had been told that the traffic manager was growing grey from anxiety, for he went down to the station every day apprehensive that an accident would happen before night. Last session Parliament had voted LIS,OOO for the erection of a station, and they should use every effort to prevent that vote lapsing. If they could stick their spurs into the Government, and stir them up to do anything in the matter of pushing on public works, they would be doing good to the town. They. would remember that some seven or eight months ago the Mayor had called a meeting to give an expression of opinion that might guide the Government as to when the station should be erected. That meeting had decided in favor of the Humber-street site, the site chosen by the railway Engineers. He thought that, after the strong expression of opinion then given by the ratepayers, no difficulty or opposition would have been raised to prevent the work being gone on with. They knew, however, that there was a little animal called a mole that worked underground. Well, the mole had evidently been at work with reference to the station site, and had prevented the work being carried out. He concluded by moving the following resolution : That, in the opinion of this meeting, the site in Humber-street, selected by the Government for the railway passenger station, is the best obtainable, and that no deviation of the line could justify the retention of the passenger station in its present inconvenient position. Mr. John Thompson, in seconding the motion, said he did not think much need be said on the question. The previous meeting had stated very decidedly where the station should be erected. Mr. Macandrew had tried on a sort of move, as it might be. He had told them that the station was only to be a temporary one, and that they must wait for a permanent station until the tunnel was carried through the hill. This work was not likely to be carried out for some time. It was one that would have to be carried out eventually, for as the town increased in size the. danger of the crossing in Thames-street would become still more apparent. The reason Mr. Macandrew had allowed the vote to lapse was owing to some (A voice : Wire pullers). No, he would not say wire pullers. The members of the Harbor Board had played into Mr. Macandresv's hands by asking a large amount of compensation for the line crossing the lagoon. This, he thought, they might well have foregone. He did not know whether they were actuated by a desire to baulk the wishes cf the public. No one could deny that the present station was alike inconvenient and dangerous. Trains had almost actually to cross one another, and there was the liability of trains running into one another. At Humber-street there would be three streets leading to the station, and this alone would prove a very decided advantage. Before sitting down he would like to refer to a matter in connection with the Livingstone railway. The masonry work was let to a Dunedin man without giving local masons a chance, and without calling for tenders. There were masons in Oamaru quite as capable of carrying out the work, and he hoped that before letting any more work the Government would see that Oamaru men got a chance. He only wished to see fair play. The motion was then carried unanimously. * Mr. Wansbrough, in rising to propose the next resolution, referred to the want of decent public buildings. The Post Office and Courthouse were a disgrace to the town. The Post Office might do for Kakanui Mouth, Maheno, or Ofcepopo, but it was altogether unsuited to Oamaru, the second town in Otago. The original building had been added to slice by slice until its little architectural beauty had been destroyed. Now that they had such talented architects, such good masons, and excellent building stone, they should have a building suited to the requirements of the town and possessed of some architectural characteristics. The Telegraph Office attached to the Post Office was not suited to the requirements of the town. The Courthouse was dark, small, and inconvenient, and a disgrace to the town. There were no conveniences of any kind, and juries and witnesses were crowded into small damp rooms, or forced to stand outside in wet weather, to the detriment of their health. There was plenty of room for the erection of a large building, and they should insist upon having a proper courthouse, a building that would be a credit to the town. He then proceeded to speak of the necessity for a town hall, but the chairman reminded him that this was a matter for the Municipal Council. He then concluded by moving— That, in the opinion of this meeting, the Post Office and the Courthouse arc unworthy of the town, inadequate to the requirements, and disgraceful to the Government, and that it regrets that the vote towards the erection of a new Courthouse has been allowed to lapse.

The Chairman, in calling for a seconder, compared Invercargill with Oamaru in the matter of public buildings, and said that Oamaru had been systematically passed over. Mr. Hardy mentioned that although a sum of money had been placed on the Estimates for the erection of a Courthouse, the vote had been allowed to lapse, while the Government had accepted a tender of L 3600 for the erection of s Courthouse at Waimate. Mr. J. Reid seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously. Mr. F. Robertson then Me% proposed the following resolution : That the memW for the district be requested to « r g e the Government to lose no tim» in commencing the works so long ago decided upon, [and, in the interests of the town and travelling public, so desirable to be done. This was seconded by Mr. W. J. Smith and carried. The Chairman then said that the members for the district had been invited to attend, and as they were present the meeting would be glad to listen to them if they wished to speak. Mr. Shrimski, on coming forward, said ! they would all agree that his colleague and himself had striven hard to have the works for which votes had been passed on the Estimates carried. If those works had not been carried out, it was owing to no fault of his colleague or himself. The Government were no doubt anxious to expend the money voted, but some difficulties had been raised by some electors, not many of whom were in the room. These difficulties had been raised by selfconstituted deputations, without any power or authority from any public body. These were the men who had intercepted the carrying out of the works. Such conduct as this betrayed a want of confidence in the members, and he would tell then} . distinctly that if he had lost "their con r ' fidence, lie would at once resign. It wag very disco'uraging to the members; after I having obtained the voting of money for i works in the town—a very difficult thing to achieve—to have their efforts baulked - by persons acting from selfish motives. The members must have the entire confidence of the electors, and when they were working hard to promote the welfare s of the town and district, it was unfair and ( discouraging to them to have difficulties s thrown in their way by individuals not s possessing any authority from the public. It was calculated to undermine the confidence of the electors in their members, I and any person attempting to undermine that confidence should be held up to public scorn. He might say that his colleague and himself would continue to do their best for the district. J

| The Chairman said he felt sure their members had not lost the confidence of the electors. They could not forget tho manner in which they had been received only lately. It should have convinced their members that they were in tho full possession of the confidence of tho electors. The motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr. Kite proposed that copies of the resolutions should be forwarded to the Government, and to the members for the district. This having been carried, and a vote of thanks passed to the chairman, tho meeting terminated.

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