OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10509, 5 November 1895, Page 2

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

The ordinary monthly meeting of the Ofcago Central 'Railway' League wa? held in the Chamber of Commercftlast evening. Mr Barron presided, and there were also, present Messrs A. Burt; A. Sligo, S.N. Brawn, G. L. Denniston, A., Bathgate; J. Jolly jun.,. and John Carroll, y. y The following letter was received from Mr A. St. George Ryder :— •

Bir,—l have the honour to direct your attention tp somo correspondence and a leading article ia the Mount Ida Chronicle of 2Sth September aud" sth October respectively, relative to the Otago Csntral railway. With the view of, bringine the subject under the notice of your committed I am posting you copies of the Chronicle under separate cover.

'In response tothe prayer of soiriß petitioners, of whom I was oue, the department promised " c*reful consideration," which seems merely a jwlit9 way of .shelving! the,matter. AVere the bridges' finished the-section of line in question could.be made fit for traffic iv a comparatively short time; but I understand that somo of the 'bridge work will take nearly 12 months to complete, rtud so far nothing is being done at either Hyde sludge channel or Coal. Creek, although T believe the. engineering difficulties which caused suspension of these works when begun were-settled some time ago, and there is not any other reason apparent why work should not be returned and pushed on at once. If the representative bodies interested take the matter up in concert ahd represent to the Minister the importance'of a vigorous prosecution .of the works referred to I have no doubt it would havo a good effect. _■ : I trust your committee may be able to. do something in the matter. j

The correspondence was relative to the construction of bridges, particularly at Hyde sludge channel, Coal Creek, and Capburn, and tbe Minister's reply to Mr Ryder's letter. It will have been seen from our advertising columns that tend&s are being invited for. the manufacture and delivery of; plates for the Capburn bridge. ' ; It was resolved that a reply be sent to Mt Ryder saying that his letter had been brought under the notice of the Executive' Committee, and that the committee desires again to assure the various local organisations interested in the railway that the league is doing all that lies in its power to hasten on the work, bit that its efforts have been seriously retarded by some recent communications from the district, and notably from the Mayor of Naseby. The committee agniu express, a hope tbat those resident in the locality will do all in their power to asuist tbe league. The CHAinMAN observed that probably the reason wby none of th° parliamentary members j , were . present at the meeting waa because tbey' had received but a ehort notice. In order to secure their attendance, and obtain from them information regarding tbe Otago Central, it was decided to adjourn for a fortnight