CATLINS-TAHAKOPA RAIL- WAV LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15273, 13 October 1911, Page 7

CATLINS-TAHAKOPA RAILWAV LEAGUE.

Tho regular mooting of Ihc t'xooulivc n[ thn C'Mlii;s-Tal;.il;.opa Baibvay t.wigue was held yesterday afternoon in tin* office of Messrs I'■ M. I'V.i awl Co., and was attended by Messrs H. ChMiolm (chairman). W. ]•'. Kdmund, L. U. Wilson, W. Taylor, 0. Brown, VV. li. M. L'ea, 1). it. Kfa, Ci. Kenwiek. and .1. 1?. 'Waters (secretary). The t'hainiian said lu* had had an intcrview with several Ministers ami others a? to an iintliwUtiuii hill for tho further prosecution of the lino. Hp lm<l wn tin* I lons. T. Mackenzie ami Bilihin. and Mr .Maliffllw, who had said that there Was no prospect whatever of any authorisation hi]! lieing pushed this S".-<i<:m. the session Icing so brief. lint thai there was not t.hc slightest t'u\!> tin* vol; Would he rojio on with .is expeditiously as possible, just the same as if an aiuhori.xiiion bill hail born jias?od. It was lU't » t|iie.st.ioii af airy difficulty arisinjr, or any c.xmiMon being taken, lv.it- that the session lying fo brief nothing of the sort umiM 1>" introduced. The three gentlemen mentioned Irad assurui hint tli.it the_ work would co on just as if an authorisation bill had Ixvn jii.it t-l.iro.ricrh this vcar. The point to which it was proivsod that :he linn should lit* conducted at present hn<l not been definitely lixod. 'llie point Mr Malcolm had boon advocntinc was near Punlop's. Sortie thought that Was too f.v and that- it was not. the likm suitable place for a tonnii/.us in the meantime. Iltrwover, the work would bo pro-tented with ns much vigour as if ail authorisation had boon n.tadf, and ho had boon informed that ho might i givo tho league an assurance tn_ flint effect. Mr Ftirke'rl. of the Public Works Department. scorned to bo anxious to prosecute tli* work with t'no men he Ikkl, in it way tint would ho in tlic best interests of tho lint*'.

Mr II M. Kea roninrked t.lmt there were quite a nutnlior of persons looking out fot s.nvmillini: aro;is and they would like 1o ktiow what prospect thero was of getting the liiie pushed on. The Chairman said Mr Furkert bad fln|od_ sonii-o(l'tcially that they might ox|)ect tho lino to lie. finished to Sioddart's in about two voars. The only thine they might urgfl was that if thero was any materia) to bo <mt for tho bridge acro-s the Jptjcnnan River it might bo put; in hand without delay.

Mr Waters stated llrr.t Mr Kurkort laid paid the bridge would bo onnstrmtrd of wood. A eentl'eman from llio district Itai! informed liim tlmf. tho rails were practically laid into tho I'uketiro station yard.

It was resolved that the ehainnan and secretary Wait, upon Mr Furkert en l*ehalf of the league with u view of obtaining information as to (he prosocution of tho lino

The lion. T. Mackenzie wrote ferrettiiig that lie could not accept, tlio position of vioe of the league, inasmuch as it was contrary to the eiistom of member* of tho Cabinet to accept such positions.— Received.

Mr Peter Barr. wcretarv to the Dnnedin C,"handier of ('onurierce, forwarded a copv of ji letter recoivwl from tho Hon. .T. A Miilar. as to railway rates on tiriJhor, wl.iioh road as follows:--

With reference to your letter of 14th July in eupittrl oi the request made by tho CatlinvTahnkopri Railway Leacue for a readjustment of tho rates on timber from Cntiln's River to stations in Otapo awl Canterbury. t have tho honour ta inform you that after civinp tho representations "full ooittirirtation I regret ,tl>nt I cannot seo tny way to aereilo to t.ho request which in elTbct. is that tho rates front Catlin'River should be fi.wl on a pro rata basts acoordinp to tho distant® as com party! mth the rates and distances from sawmills in the .Southland disf.rio.t. The department is unable to ignore the water competition in the Southland district, or to lxifo tl.x> rates elsewhere upon the rates chargeable in that district as the result of such coni)>otition. f would point out flint timber from Catlin's River to Caversham, I'eliehet. Bay, and intermediate stations is already conveyed at rates considerably lower than the ordinary classifier! rates. In theso circumstances and' in view of the reduction recently made in tho timber rntjr>® for all distances over 15.5 miles, I cannot as previously stated) 6eo my way to anthorisc any further concessions—Received.