THE SOUTHLAND DEPUTATION AT ROXBURGH.

Otago Witness, Issue 2666, 19 April 1905, Page 28

THE SOUTHLAND DEPUTATION AT ROXBURGH.

DEPARTURE OF THE DUNEDIN DEPUTATION.

(By Ottk Special Rkpoetees.)

ROXBURGH

April 11.

The members of the Dunedin deputation left Roxburgh this morning by coach for Lawrence, en route for Dunedin, beingcheered in farewell by a gathering of Roxburgh residents. The visit of the deputation has been a most successful one, and the result will most assuredly be a further cementing of the cordial trade relationships which have always existed between Dunedin and Roxburgh. There could be no doubt, after the opinions expressed by numbers of tradespeople in Roxburgh this morning, that the consensus of opinion here is entirely in accord with the views expressed by the Dunedin deputation. The main support received by the Southland deputation would appear to come from a few up the flat. The town had been well plastered with notices by the Southlanders asking the Roxburgh people before giving a decision at the Duneain meeting to hear the other side. Some facetious resident had posted up a public notice to the effect that, in view of the probable clashing of opposing interests, a large and varied assortment of axe and pick: handles, guaranteed of a substantial and cpnclusive character, was on sale, while a medical treatise on wounds and bruises ■would be given away with each pick handle and a free gift of sticking-plaster -with each axe handle ; and it was further notified that guns, rifles, or bowie knives were not to be used in argument. In connection with the idea of forming a branch of the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway Xieague in Dunedin, it may be mentioned that representatives of the local league met the Mayor of Dunedin and several other gentlemen after the meeting last evening. It was urged By the Dunedin representatives that the support of the line from Lawrence to Roxburgh should be made one of the planks of the Otago League, and on that understanding the matter was left in abeyance. ARRIVAL OF THE SOUTHLAND DEPUTATION. Shortly after lunch the Southland deputation put in an appearance, driving into Roxburgh in a drag and several vehicles, the procession being headed by a local piper. There were only about half a dozen people to meet the and the Mayor, probably not being aware of the arrival, was not present. Later on the supporters of the southern deputation turned

upj and a solemn caucus was held in Ormpnd's Hotel. Those forming the deputation were Messrs J. A. Hanan, M.H.R., A. F. Hawke, W. N. Stirling, C. Howells, J. Crosbie Smith, S. M'Donald, R. B. MTEay, C. S. Longuet, and J. NeiJl (all of Invercargill), and Mr T. Green (of Gore), while there were also four southern press representatives with the party. Mr_l. W. Eaymond and Mr W. B. Seandrett had gone found via Lawrence, travelling to Roxburgh by coach. The deputation left Invercargill yesterday morning, and spent last night at Moa Flat Station. THE piIBLIC MEETING.

The public meeting was- held in the Atbenasum Hall at 8 o'clock, when the Mayor of Roxburgh (Mr Kinaston) occupied the chair, and ihere was a very large gathering of local people, many of whom had admittedly come along to see the " fun." A peculiar and apparently reasonless secrecy was observed fry the Southlanders after the \ caucus with rega/d to the motions to- be moved, and as to their allotment to the several speakers and the press representatives, at all events the Dunedin pressmen, were not allowed the opportunity of perusing the order paper. From a conversation with som-3 of the Southland representatives prior to the meeting it was ascertained that there is an idea amongst them that they will at some future time bring forward a project for the private construction of the Edievale-Roxburgh line by Southland. Those

on the platform were the Mayor of Roxburgh (Mr R. T. Kinaston), Messrs W. B.

Seandrett

(Mayor

Invercargill),

A. Hanan, M.H.R., J. Crosby Smith (secretary of the Southland Railway League), Thos. Green (Gore), S. M'Donald, R. B. M'Kay, and W. N. Stirling. Amongst the audience, which numbered over 400, were Mr J. Bennet, M.H.R., Mr Bennetts (chairman of the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway Xeague), and Mr M. Cohen (of Dunedin). The Mayor, in introducing the deputation, -said the gentlemen from Invercargill had journeyed to the district to lay their views before the people regarding railway oomanunication, and he had no doubt they would make it clear, according to their opinion, that the Bluff was the port for Teviot, and. % Znvercargill the markafc for the produce of ' the. district. He then read apologies for )absence. Mr D. Poppelwell-, Mayor of Gore, telegraphed: — "Apologies for my absence to-night. I hope the deputation will be successful. The railway should certainly come by the shortest and easiest route, especially where good country would thus be Jjpened up." Mr William Todd, Invercargill, ■wired: — "Please inform to-night's meeting that most urgent business prevents niy being with you, but I faithfully promise to be- at the turning: of the first sod of the Edievale-Roxburgh railway. Three hearty cheers."

Mr W. B. Seandrett, Mayor of Invercargill,

who was received* with applause, said he might apologise for the excitement which •Irivercargill had caused in this district during the past three or four weeks, in consequence of the desire of the Invercargill people, as they thought, to do the people of Teviot and themselves as well a good turn. — (Applause.) Perhaps an explanation was necessary. Several years ago there .was a Railway Committee at Roxburgh, and

it sent requests to Invercargill asking the

people there to urge the Government to fiupport the extension of the railw ay from Heriot. He explained the appearance o£ the deputation thereby. saying that after .the opening of the Edievale extension Mr Raymond moved at the Bluff Harbour Board in the direction of asking the Mayor cf Invercargill to call a public meeting to urge upon the Government the extension of a railway from Edievale to Roxburgh. The meeting was called, and the resolutions arrived at were presented by a deputation to Sir J. G. Ward. Sir Joseph "Ward stated that the poliov of the Government was not to extensively borrow money, but to borrow just sufficient to uush on tie

main lines — the North Island Main Trunk, Midland line, and Otago Central,— and the money available for other lines would be very small. There was a good deal of truth in this, for while there had been successful years there might be lean years, and the ability of the country to pay must not be squeezed too much. Roxburgh by way of Moa Flat was something like 18 or 19 miles from Edievale. That was not very much, and if the railway was to be made was it not better to endeavour to get the short distance than to ask for a long-distance line when they knew there was not the money available for it? — (Applause.) He knew many of those present were in favour of a railway from Roxburgh to Lawrence. — (Prolonged applause.) Were there no railway from Waipahi to Edievale the people would do right to favour the Lawrence route ; but when there was a railway within a short distance and, if a strong effort were made, they could get a connection with it, then there were very strong reasons to uut before the Government for the construction of that line from Edievale to Roxburgh. So far as the line went to Edievale it was a revenue-producing line, and the people should now ask to have it extended in a direction that would still further produce revenue, and those who passed through Moa Flat, especially on the western end of the estate, knaw there were thousands of acres that would produce the best crops in New Zealand, and fhis was available for settlement. Instead of waiting, as the people must wait, -for many years for a Lawrence-Roxburgh railway they should urge the immediate construction of the Edievale line. He went on to say he had that day passed through from Lawrence to Roxburgh, and he was greatly disappointed with the country from Lawrence to past the Beaumont. It was not possible to expect the Government of the colony to make a railway from Lawrence, where it would have to pass through so much country that would produce no revenue. It was not the kind of country to grow grain. He pointed out that Invercargill recognised the value of the fruit trade, and went on to say that with the line coming up from Edievale there would be less distance every year to send the iruit to a railway. At Waipahi tho fruit could be turned off either way to Dunedin or Invercargill, for, if he read the regulations aright, the extra distance made no difference in the cost of carriage, for tliecharge was per case. At the Bluff there*- was a port which was a credit to the colony — a natural harbour, and with a large- increasing revenue, which revenue was being expended in giving facilities for shipping, and the farmers would get -^d more per bushel for grain sending it through the Bluff. It seemed to him that the clear course for the district to take was to urge the Government to make the Edievale extension to Roxburgh. — (Applaiise.)

Mr J. A. Hanan, M.H.R., who was received with applause, said he was very pleased to have the opportunity of addressing a Roxburgh audience. He would be brief, because, as Josh Billings said, "If a minister cannot strike oil in 20 minutes^ it is evident he has a bad gimlet or is boring in the wrong place." — (LaughteiO If he might be permitted, to say so, the Roxburgh people should consider themselves a very important people — (V Hear, hear") — since citizens of Invercargill and Dunedin had come all the. way to Roxburgh with a_iiew to promoting the interests of the district by way of urging the extension of a line of lailway to it., but with regard to the methods of accomplishing which the representatives of tho two towns unfortunately differed. It seemed, to him that Roxburgh was in the position of a young lady who had two suitors for her hand. At one time she wooed and won. the heart of a southern man, buj; owing to a misunderstanding she was inclined to jilt him in favour of a northerner, who just now was coquetting with her affections. Notwithstanding this, the southerner was determined to \irge his suit, and he (Mr Hanan) thought that when the lady had hoard the southern side of the case she would see that, like Douglas, her lover was stiU " tender and true." and in the end he believed they would make it up and renew the old love.— (Applause.) Dropping frimile, Mr Hanan said he was quite sure the Roxburgh people were quite capable of making up their minds in regard to whatever differences might exist without assistance from outsiders. Nevertheless, as Southlanders and colonists equa'ly interested in railway construction in this part of the colony, it was not out of place to lay their views in this connection before them, for acceptance or rejection as they thought fit. — (Applause.) He was p'eascd to learn that a suggestion made at the meeting the previous evening that the InvercargiU deputation would not get a good- hearing wa« received with disapproval.— (Applause.) He believed the deputation from the south would get «cry Jp"ce at tho hands of the Roxburgh people.— (Applause.) H~ regretted to say that unworthy attempts had been made in some quarters to misrepresent the attitude of the Southland neoplc, who for many years had advocated the Heriot-Roxburgh line. To any impartial man it must be apparent that the wholo tone of the cynical critics was saturatc'l with selfishness and parochialism, which sought the advancement of individual interests rather than tho-e of the colony as a whole. To refuto one fallacious statement ancnt InvercargilPs alleged sudden intere-t in the line, and to prove that the south had always been with Roxburgh in its efforts to secure' railway communication, he might mention that in" 1897. when he was Mayor of Invercargill, ho received a letter from the secretary of the Roxburgh Railway League asking for the support of the Invercargill people for the line via Heriot, which the writer urged was the best route. A mooting was held at Invercargill, and speeches we're made by several citizens in favour of the proposal," and a favourable resolution was passod. copies of which were sent to the Southland members of Parliament, who had always been consistent supporters of thr railway. — (Applause.) This was in marked contrast to the attitude of certain Otago members who, according to the Otago Daily Times' report of April 3, 1903, visited the Roxburgh district to ascertain for themselves the claims of Roxburgh to a railway. Evidently those gentlemen at that timo viewed the claims of the district to railway communication with something akin to doubt, if not with absolute suspicion. — (Applause.) It would be of interest to briefly trace the history of the movement and of some of those who had been connected with it. As showing the feeling of Roxburgh people, as disclosed by one of their representatives, he might call attention to the fact that their late member, the Hon. W. J. M. Larnach as far back as 1897, clearly favoured the Heriot-Roxburgh route as opposed to the Lawrence route, and his remarks in the House, as reported La Han-

sai-d, showed conclusively that at that time he and the people of the district regarded tho Heriot-Roxburgh as the only natural and justifiable route. — (Applause.) The line had now been constructed to Edievale, and that portion of the lino had always been regarded, even by the Roxburgh people, as a section of the line which it was intended ultimately to carry through to Roxburgh. Thore was no disputing that that was the popular view ; Heriot-Roxburgh was first, and Lawrence completely out of the running. — (Applause, and a Voice: "No.") That was the "No"' that was bom of a strong lack of information. By-and-bye a ohange took j>lace, and they found three routes urged— namely : (1) From Hcriot. through the Moa Flat Estate; (2) from Heriot, by way of Rae's Junction and Miller's Flat ; and (3) from Lawrence to Roxburgh. The Heriot-Roxburgh route was given pride of place in a question put in the House by the member for the district (Mr Bonnet) in 1900, so that that hon. gentleman evidently preferred it to any other route. — (A Voice: "No.") The speaker repeated his statement, and the gentleman in the audience again interjected "No." That gentleman, said Mr Eanan, was a perpetual negative, and would make a first-class negative for a photographer's camera. — (Laughter.) Then let the people listen, not to Dunedin or to Invercargill, but to the Government, through the Minister, who surely might be regarded as an impartial and responsible person. Speaking in the House, in reply to a question by Mr Bennet, the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones, Minister of Public Works, said on October 5, 1900: — "A few years ago a careful survey was made of a route from Heriot to Roxburgh, and one from Lawrence to Roxburgh. In view of the configuration of the country and the probable traffic the Heriot loute was considered preferable. The hon. member (Mr Bonnet) would find from the Public Works Statement that it was proposed to put in hand a section of the extension, and it would fit in with either the Moa Flat or Rae's Junction extension, whichever was decide.! upon. It was proposed to put in hand the work as far as Edie's at once." Coining from such a ■source, that should at once settle the vexed question as to the shortest, cheapest, and best route in the interests of the colony. It was a complete and convincing argument. — (Applause.) The Minister further said in his Public Works Statement in 1901 that it would be advisable to adhere to the route as originally surveyed, which he (Mr Hanan) 'took to be the route from Heriot to Roxburgh. It was a striking fact that in all the Public Works Statements no mention was made of the Lawrence route, while the intention to parry the line from Edievale was either expr-essedly or impliedly made apparent. — (Applause.) He had now laid before the meeting a clear view of the opinion held in the past on this matter by the Government, by tho people, and by their representative. If those arguments and views were sound at that time they were sound now. Had the country changed its configuration in geographical features? No man in his sane moments would suggest 'such a thing. If the minds of people in the district had changed, the geographical features of the country had not changed, and tho facts were still the sa io. In the face of this position how could those who now favoured the Lawrence loute line defend their present change of front? Their consistency was not comparable to that of the Irish woman who, when brought before the court for the tenth time, was asked her age, upon which she replied, " Thirty-six, your honor." " But, his honor objected, " you told me that was your age when you fir<t came before me several years ago" "True, your honor," she replied, " but I am not one of those who say one thine to-day and another thing to-morrow." — (Laughter.) Certain people, whom he need not further indicate, seemed not only to make a practice of saying one thing to-day and another thing to-morrow, but he belie\ ed they would say something quite different on the following day. He thought he had proved up to the hilt that the whole weight of public opinion was, up to recently on the side of the HeriotRoxburgb line, and lie was of opinion that the newly-found solicitation of the peoplo for the Lawrence line would defeat itself, and that their vacillation would ultimately load to the total prevention of the construction of either line. — (Applause.) Surely the people would not be so blind to their own interests as to turn their backs on the rout© which, as he had proved, had found so much favour in the eyes of the Government, upon whom the people had to depend for their railway requirements. It was said that because the line had been authorised from Lawrence to Beaumont there was every probability of its construction being proceeded with. But let him say at' once that such a statement was only made with tho idea of throwing dust in the eyes of the people, for there was no certainty that the line would be undertaken, even in the next three or six years. — (Applause.) Authorisation practically meant nothing in the face ot the fact that there were so many longauthorised and desperately-needed railways in various parts of the colony. A number of lines were authorised last session, and there were 16 other lines, representing something like 200 miles, under construction, in which capital to the amount of over one million was sunk, which was returning little or no interest. Did fhey mean to tell him that the people's representatives, especially the North Island members, would agree to the diversion of any more money from long-authorised and urgentlyneeded lines like- the North Island Trunk line and others under construction which many members contended should be first dealt with, in favour of a costly and altogether unwarranted line? Again, with the limited national funds at the disposal of Parliament for railway construction, which, it should be remembered, were not being increased, the work of railway construction was proceeding at a very slow rateljfc The people of the colony would not agree to, nor did he think the Government, would go in for, the heavy borrowing policy which would be necessary if all the authorised lines were to be \ igorously and oxpeditiously ■pushed on to completion. Even if they got the Lawrence-Roxburgh line atithorised, he believed that under present conditions of woiking many of them would be dead before it had been completed; or, to put it in another way, it would be completed only when their children were grown x\p and perhaps verging on old age. — (Applause.) Take, for instance, the North of Auckland line, which, according to some of the Auckland members, was being made at the rate of about one mile per annum. The LawrenceRoxburgh line .was P-ot eren authorised .vet.

and when it was it would occupy, if constructed at the same rate, 33 yeais in completion. In conclus'on, ho appealed to the people to support the route which would adequately serve the interests of the district, and, as right-minded men and v. omen, they should oppose with the whole force of the district the Lawrence extension. \\ hiie he believed in people asking for their rights, he had a just respect for the rights of others, and above all for the interests of the colony, and he had no doubt when the members of the House gave this question of rival routes their dispassionate investigation and exercised their commonsense and patriotic judgment they would rise above the mercenary grasping and sordid comlrereialism which had characterised the attitude of some of those who from meic personal interest were advocating the Lawroi.ee route. — (Applause.) Therefore they cculd depend upon it that ths vexed question would be solved in a spirit of justice, and with a duo rogaid to the welfare, not only of this rapidlj -growing district, but of the colony as a whole. On resuming tho chair Mr Hanan was accorded hearty applause and cheering. _ _ Mr I. W. Raymond said his visit that nio-ht was of a twofold character. Firstly, he" was justified in denouncing any wrong expenditure of money, and to point out here how publio money might be satisfactorily expended; and secondly, he attended the meeting as a member of the Bluff Harbour Board and other public bodies with the object of enlisting a friendly spirit between the two districts so that they might work together for the common weal, that was the extension of a line that would benefit tho Roxburgh district in every shape and form. —(Applause) The Heriot line was a line that did not bind the district body and soul to Dunedin, because at Waipahi they could go either north or south. He believed that in a quarter of a century Invercargill, with the district behind it, would compare very favourably with the population of Dunedin, and when that time came why should Roxburgh not have two markets for its produce?—(Applause.) On the question of routes, the speaker said that some time ago he was informed from in authoritative source that the line from Edievale, via Moa Flat, would cost £100,000.— (A Voice: " Good morning." and laughter.) The line to Lawrence, on tho other hand, would cost £300.000.— (Laughter.) AVhcn the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones was in Otago Central he said he was delighted with the fact that that line was making progress at the rate of six miles per annum. What was likely to be the progress then of the railway from Lawrence to Roxburgh? It could safely be put down at 20 years. On the shorter distance it would take four or five years at the very outside, even with the difficulties that had been pointed out by the Dunedin delegates on Monday night.— (Applause.) If he were a resident of Roxburgh he would work tooth and nail for the- shorter route. Who, ho would nsk, had -brought the Dunedin delegates to Roxburgh'— (A Voice: "We did," and applause.) If tho meeting was fair they would admit that the credit was duo to the Southland agitation.— (Applause and laughter). If it' had not been" for the action taken in Southland, and the friendly eye that Southland had on the trade of Roxburgh, Dunedin would have allowed the district to starve.— (Applause.) Dunedin had two pet railways already — viz., the Otago Central. which was one of tho most dastardly political jobs ever perpetrated in tho country— (applause.)— and the Cathn s River line. If he had been a Dunedin man he would not have come to Roxburgh having before him that terrible example of misdirected effort and ask the people to jude;e him by his actions.— (Applause.) How could Dunedin, with the Otago Central and Catlin's River railways on its hands, work determinedly for Roxburgh? The fact was ihat Roxburgh would have to wait until Dunedin people were satisfied with the progress made on those two lines before they would seriously do anything for Rox-biu-2h He (the speake--) wont on to rcfe'r to Mr Millar's figures respecting the export dues of Dunedin and the Bluff, and quoted the import rates of both -places to show that those of the Bluff were the lower. He believed that in less than five years there would be further reductions made in the Bluff steamer and port charges , because the board could make it a practically free port whenever it liked. — (Applause.) Tho matter of railage from the Bluff to Invercargill was also referred to at tho meeting on Monday night, but the facts were unfairly stated. It was assumed that the grower would book his wool from Roxburgh to Invercargill. and retook it from Invercargill to the Bluff. Why did the Dunedin delegate gull the people in that way? The grower would, of course, book his wool direct to the port of shipment, which would do away with the extra charge. — (Applause.) CONDUCT OF THE MEETING QUESTIO- -D. After Mr Raymond finished speaking. Mr M. Cohen, speaking from the body of the hall, said as a point of order he desired to ask if it was customary in a public meeting to allow several spealcers to address the audience without any motion or proposition being before the meeting. Someone on the platform was heard to remark: "He's from Dunedin." Mr Cohen, perceiving that his words had failed to reach the chairman, desired to ask Mr Kinaston, as chairman of the meeting, if it was within the rules of public debate that three gentlemen should speak without placing a definite motion before the meeting. Had such a thing ever been heard of? — (Prolonged applause.) A voice on the platform was heard saying : "It's Mr Cohen, from Dunedin. He doesn't belong to Roxburgh !" Mr Raymond, coming forward, said: Mr Cohen is a visitor ; but w~e have been dictated to before. Mr Cohen: 1 think I am entitled, as a visitor, to a fair hearing. I have asked a plain question, and require a plain answer. (Loud applause.) Mr Raymond : You will get a plain answer, Mr Cohen. Mr Cohen : I addressed the chairman — not you. sir. A Voice on the stage : "He belongs to Dunedin. What's he got to do with it?" The Chairman: I understand these gentlemen came here to conduct the meeting-, and there is no doubt that after the next speaker or two has spoken a motion will bo moved. — (Applause.) Mr Cohen : And by that time the patience of this audience will be exhausted. — (Cries of "Sit down!") Mr xi.auan. M.H.R. : That maybe a matter for comment ; but we are in the hands of the chairman, and if we are not conducting the meeting in a proper manner he will call us to order. — ( Apr.'ause. ) Mr S. M'Donald was next called upon by the chairman. He said the attitude of Dunedin. was a: verj selfish one indeed, and

I the interest of Dunedin in Roxburgh district wa« of a mo^t selfish character. The Dun-fdin deputation did not represent to the Roxburgh people the great advantages of having a railway that would connect with either tho northern or southern lling.e q . The capacity ot Dunedin for expansion was nob so very great now as it had been in the past, but, on the other hand, Southland had bcon expanding from year to year. He referred to the possibility of a line from. Edievale to Roxbuigh tapping the Southland timber aieas. Ho said Southland offered to the joung people of Central Otago land for settlement, and told them this°was an opportunity they should be glad to accept, and he followed this up by pointing out the great areas tapped by Southland railways as evidence that Invercargill would one day be a great town. Mr Crosbie Smith, secretary to the Southland Railway League, was the next speaker. He reiterated some of the arguments used by other speakers. In the coin-so of hii remarks he said a motion would be proposed: later on. When the people hoard the motion they would see that all the discussion had been leading up to it, and that it could not be well proposed before the deputation had addressed the meeting. He hop^d that Mr Cohen, seeing that the Southland deputation arranged the meetinn- and asked the people to meet it, would allow the deputation to conduct the meeting 1 in its own way. Ho then went on to refer to a cininari-on of distances. Mr R. B. M'Kay also spoke. A MOTION MOVED. Mr A. H. Tamblyn moved—" That ifc would be in the best interests of the people of Roxburgh that they should have the option of two large local markets for their produce, and the option of two large harbours for their import and export trade ; that the only railway line which would bring these and other benefits is the RoxburghEdievale route, which, according to the Minister of Public Works, is of the alternative routes the shortest and cheapest in tho interests of the colony to construct." He hoped the motion would be carried without dissent. Mr E. Orchard seconded the motion. Looking at the matter from a business point of view, no one could get away from the fact that a line via Heriot would be the most advantageous to the district. The Chairman said he would put the motion. Mr M. Cohen asked if it was not customary to give an opportunity to move an. amendment. Some interruption took place at this juncture, and when the chairman rose to put the motion Mr Cohen again protested against such a proceeding. In his experience it was a course that had never been followed at any public meeting in New Zealand. — (Applause.) The Chairman : Mr Cohen, I am in chargß of the meeting. — (Interruptions.) Does any gentleman wish to speak to the motion? Mr John Inglis came forward, and in a brief speech qa\e reasons why the railway should be tak^-n via Heriot. They might get a railway via Heriot in 10 years, but by way of Lawrence it would take 40 years. The Chairman was about to put the motion, when Mr Cohen rose and again protested against the manner in which the meeting was being conducted. He would not, he said, take any notice of the unwise and ungenerous references that had been made that night to Dunedin people. As the proper course had not been followed of inviting an amendment he would have to take the only course open to him of speaking to the motion. A Voice : No amendment was asked for on Monday night. Mr Cohen : That is the fault of your chairman, and not mine. Proceeding, he said he would like to controvert some of the shallow fallacies that had been advanced that night. He had listened with. astonishment to Mr Raymond's remarks about the growing importance of Invercargill and the decadence of Dunedin, and all he desired to say in that connection was that Mr Raymond was the biggest taradiddler he had ever met in the course of his public career in the colony. — (Applause and laughter.) With regard to the route by Moa Flat, which that gentleman, favoured, there were cuttings in it such as were not to be found anywhere else in New Zealand, and yet Mr Raymond said the line could be made by that route for £100,000. It was utter rot. — (Applause.) The cost would be nearer a quarter of a million. — (Applause.) The Edievale extension via Rae's Junction they could not consider for one moment. It would .never be seriously thought of. As to the* LawrenceRoxburgh line, he was willing to admit there was one engineering difficulty — a tunnel 22 chains in length, — but once that point was passed the rest of the route was comparatively easy work. — (Applause ) If the work, excluding the tunnel, had to be done it would not cost more than £5000 per mile, but he was willing to admit that with the tunnel thrown in the aggregate cost might b> £200,000.— (" Hear, hear.") It had to be remembered that the distance by way of Lawrence was 33£ miles shorter than by way of Waipahi to Dunedin, and! that there was much more land available for settlement in the direction of Lawrence than there was in tho opposite direction. He would ask the people. Are you content that your son? should try to get on to land in northern parts of the colony, or do you w ish lands in your own district thrown open for settlement so that your children may remain near to you? If that consideration weighed with them at all they should at once declare for the Lawrence hue. — (Applause.) As for some of Mr Hanan's statements, he could say, without giving away any secret, that -a certain public official in this colony had! seen reason to change his opinion in respect to a certain matter, but, of course, fools never changed their opinions. — (Applause.) He heartily believed that when the proper time came the Hon. Mr Hall-Jones's vote and influence would go for tho LawrenceRoxburgh line — (loud applause), — and that when an opportunity came a vote would! be proposed for the extension of the Roxburgh lino to Beaumont. — (Applause.) Mr Cohen concluded by asking the people to declare with one firm and united voice that the railway from Lawrence to Roxburgh should be built, and resumed his seat amid! nio?t enthusiastic applause and cheers. Mr Raymond said that in the coin-so of his remarks he had not referred to the action of Dunedin in jumping the claim of the Invercargill delegate*. It would have been easy for Invercargill to have had representatives al the meeting on Monday night. Ho did not understand why the Dunedin people did not allow Roxburgh people to settle their own affairs. Dunedin apparentlywanted to bind the district body and s^ial

to a line that would compel it to do its trade with it, and with no other place. However that might be, it seemed to him the real issue before the people of Roxburgh was this: Did they wish to force •water up an inclined plane? If so they should go for the LawTencc-Roxburgh line. But he believed that when the vote- was taken there would be an overwhelming tmajority in favour of the shorter and quicker route. — {Applause and dissent.) Mr Hanan also replied to some of the criticisms directed against the Southland delegates. Mr Bennet, M.H.R., replying to Mr H&nan, said the reference to him (Mr Bennet) was unjust, as he had placed his question on the Order Paper of the House in the sequence sent forward by the people. Thus th© Heriot line came first. He (Mr Bennet) did not need to speak to the people cf that district to prove his sincerity m the matter of the Lawrence-Roxburgh l«ie.— fProlonged applause.) He had asked the Government to take over the Mam road from Lawrence to Roxburgh until such time as the railway was constructed between those two places, and for the five sessions he had been in Parliament it would Be found he had supported the Lawrence-Rox-burgh line. Four years ago in Wellington Mr Blow had. in response to a request while a deputation was in Wellington, turned up the plans, and it was found that Starting from Heriot there was a cutting 45ft to 50ft deep on Moa Flat, and there were three tunnels to get throueh. and the biggest cuttings in the colony. Then down on Moa Flat there would have to be & viaduct costing from £22.000 to £25,000. He went on to woint out the many disadvantages of the Edievale route.

A HOSTILE AMENDMENT. The Chairman then called for any amendment. _ Mr J. Bennetts, chairman of the LawrenceRoxburgh Railway League, rose in the body of the hall, and was received with prolonged cheering-. He moved as an amendment-— "That this meeting reaffirms its previouslydeclared determination to support the Lawrence- extension for these reasons: that it will ensure the cheapest, the shortest, the most desirable, the most .easy means of communication^ with Roxburgh, and that the line is already partly authorised." He referred to the statement made on oath by the chief engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr Blow) that if ever a railway was brought to Roxburgh it should be brought via Lawrence. It had been suggested there was but little land between Roxburgh and Lawrence. He referred to the Beaumont run of 69,000 acres, the Ormaglade Station of 45,000 acres of first-class agricultural land, Teviot Station, with 25.000 acres privately owned and 63,000 acres of leasehold, and to Mount Benger and other stations, and he urged the meeting to support the Lawrence line. Mr T. Andrew seconded the amendment.

On being put, considerably more than half those in the hall voted for the amendment, and only a few -hands were held up against it. The Chairman then put the motion, and five hands were held up to support it, while an overwhelming number voted against it. The amendment was declared to be carried.

Mr A. Wedderspoon moved — "That a hearty vote of thanks be accorded to the Southland deputation for visiting Roxburgh, and for placing its views on the rival railway routes before the people in this district, and thus being the means of giving us two good meetings." Mr M. Cohen seconded the motion, which was carried with acclamation.

Cheers were given for the LawrenceRoxburgh railway, Mr Hanan, and the Mayor, and the meeting terminated a few minutes before 11 o'clock.