OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2323, 8 September 1898, Page 15

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

A meeting of the executive of the Otago Central Railway League was held in the Cham- | ber of Commerce on Monday evening, and ati tended by Messrs A. Bathgate (chairman), J. Carroll, A. C. Stronach, J. Jolly, J. Moloney, W. Barron, and G. Howden. Apologies for the unavoidable absence of Messrs B. Halj lenstein, T. W. Kempthorne, G. L. Dennis1 ton, C. S. Reeves, and T. K. Harty were re- ' ceived. I The Chairman stated that the first business Mas to elect a chairman for the ensuing year. As he had remarked before the meeting commenced, he thought it was desirable there should be a change in the office of chairman. He had held the post for a couple of years, and he did not think it right to always) have ! one member occupying the prominent posi- ! tion as chairman of the league. He thought that Mr G. L. Dennislon would be a suitable gentleman to fill the position. He had not spoken to Mr Denniston on the matter, as he thought lie would have been able to be present, but he had no doubt lie would be willing to sland. Mr Carroll said he did not wish to disagree with Mr Bathsato when he said that Mr Denniston would, mako n good chairman, but he thought if the meeting could prevail upon Mr ( Bathgate to accept another year of office it i should do .so. The business of the league had ■ gono on so satisfactorily during Mr Bathgate's i occupancy of the chair, and he had discharged i his duties with such f'U't and discretion and j zeal, that it would be in the interests of the ! league to secure ills services for another year. I He quite agreed with Mr Bathgate that one ! member should not monopolise the chair en- ' tirely, but the office should be a rolling one j in order that the Government and the public I might see that the league belonged to no I party, but was of a representative character. I Still, as he had iust remarked, Mr Bathgate I had wrought such good work that he hoped he would reconsider his decision and aeeopt I the position for another term. He moved that ,' Mr Bath gate bo re-elected chairman for anoI ther 12 months. j Mr Barron said he felt very much as Mr Carroll did, and again he sympathised with Mr Bathgate in the position he took up. Mr Eathgate's term of office, however, had been a most satisfactory one. He was a moderate man in his views of public quesI tions, and he thought the meeting could do ' no better than re-elect him to the position. It was to bo regretted that any movement in which public men figured was looked upon as a party movement. Jt had been one of the charges against this league that it was an organisation set up to oppose the Government. IE there wore anytHng about it calculated to create such an impression in the public mind the fact of the chair being filled 1 by such a gentleman as Mr Bathgate would be likely to remove such an idea. Mr Bathgate said ho fait vary much in-

debted to Mr Carroll and Mr Barron for the complimentary remarks they had made conI corning him, but still he felt that it would be I in the interests of the league^ if a change were made. However, if the thought j otherwise he would consent to act for another ; year, on the understanding that it would only j be for another year. — (Applause.)' The Chairman said, that some YiWq time ago S in the Auckland letter which appeared in the ; Otago Daily .Times there was an account of a meeting which was held in Auckland regarding the Auckland Tiunk railway. Mr M'Millan made some strong remarks regarding the Otago Central railway, and it was though L desirable not to allow them to pass unchallenged. Mr Tewsley had proposed that the Auckland people should join with the Otago people in urging the Government to get the Auckland Trunk and the Otago Central constructed. Mr M'Millan, however, stated that no matter how much he would like to see the Auckland Trunk completed he would rather do nothing to have it done than do anything to further the Otago Central, and he added that a commission had reported that it was the grossest job ever perpetrated in the colony. Under these circumstances he (the j chairman) wrote a letter to the Auckland j Herald, and pointed out that Mr M'Millan i was mistaken in the attitude he assumed. I He also wrote a separate letter to Mr M'Mil- j lan, and sent him the pamphlet the league ' had published containing Signor Bragato's report, Mr Blackmore's report, and other reports. Mr M'Millan had replied thanking him for the information he had forwarded, and added that from his (Mr Bathgate's) point of view he thought his letter to the Herald was a very fair one. They in Auckland had no feeling of antagonism towards Otago, and they might possibly be able 10 help one another. He quite agreed with him (Mr Bathgate) that all such questions should be looked at from a colonial point of view, and ought not to be made the subject of party politics or provincial jealousy. They in Auckland felt they had been unjustly treated, and that they should no longer be isolated from the larger centres, and, therefore, as a matter of right and justice, they should be connected by rail with Wellington. The rea- \ son why he p y oke so strongly against the j Otago Central was that his brother-in-law (the late Mr J. M. Clark) was one of the commissioners appointed by the Government to report upon the line. He was quite sure that Mr Clark was not prejudiced, and looked at the whole question from a colonial point of view ; and yet he denounced the Otago Central as one of the grossest jobs ever attempted to be perpetrated. Even if it were proved to him that the Otago Central railway was a proper line to construct, he thought the i Auckland and Wellington line should first be finished. Unfortunately, Auckland and Wellington were antagonistic. Wellington urged the construction of what was known as the central route, while Auckland advocated the Stratford or Taranaki route. He repeated that they had no feelings of jealousy against railways in Otago, but they had a solid grievance, as the moneys voted and ear-marked for the Auckland- Wellington railway had been spent elsewhere. Mr Bathgate continued to say that since he had heard from Mr M'Millan he had forwarded him. a copy of the report of the Counties uommis-sion, and pointed out that the report of Mr Bragato must certainly be taken as coming from an unprejudiced quarter. He also explained that the probable reason why the commission Mr M'Millan referred to had reported adversely was because they had performed their duties in a hurried and perfunctory manner. They hurried through the country, and it was quite possible they had come into contact with persons opposed to the railway, rather than those who could give them more reliable information. The County Commissioners, on the other hand, traversed the country thoroughly, and visited all the different localities, seeing everything for themselves. j The Chairman said he had also received a letter from Mr Robert Logan, of Maritanga, Kokonga, who stated that now the railway works were some distance from him, he would, not be able to supply the executive with information, and on that account he tendered his resignation as a member of the executive. He suggested that Mr Alexander M'Lennan, of Wedderburn, should be appointed to the vacancy. Mr Logan added: "With regard to ! the line, I understand that work is progressing towards Wedderburn. Ballasting is now beyond Waipiata, and will, I suppose, reach Eweburn in course of time, but when it is hard to say, as there is only a small gang of men in the ballast pit (seven, I think). It seems to me that -the proportion of supervision expenses to actual labour expenditure must be very largo indeed." It was agreed, on the motion of Mr Barron, seconded by Mr Carroll, to accept Mr Logan's resignation, and to place on record an appreciation of his services to the league in the past. It was also decided to ask him to furnish any information concerning the line which might come under his notice from time to time. On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Mr Stronach,. Mr M'Lennan was appointed to the executive in place of Mr Logan. It was decided to refer that portion of Mr Logan's letter regarding the amount of super- , vision fco the number employed on the rail- J way to the city, suburban, and country mem- j bers interested, with the request that they j should approach the Government with a view | to getting more men pvit on the works. j Messrs Stronaeh, Barron, and the chairman ] were appointed a committee to select a secre- j tary in the place of Mr S. C. Leary, resigned. The Chairman pointed out that the league's funds were now at low ebb, am? suggested that aii effort should be made to canvoss for subscriptions. The public had not been appealed to by the league for a couple of years. The suggestion of the chairman was agreed to, and Mr Moloney intimated, amidst applause.that he was prepared to donate £3 3s on behalf of his firm.