OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2675, 21 June 1905, Page 17

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

ANNUAL MEETING. i The thirteenth annual meeting of the Otago Central Railway League was held in the Town Hall Buildings on Thursday, when his the Mayor (Mr J. Braithwaite) presided. Amongst others present were Messrs W. Burnett (chairman of the Executive Committee), R. Gilkison, H. F. Nees, J. Jolly, jun., G. Fenwick, H. D. Bedford, M.H.R., T. K. Sidey, M.H.R., A. Ginsberg, R. M. Clark. G. Howden, A. C. Ivcrsen (Alexandra), 'R. Cotton (Waipori), W. I Barron, A. Bathgate, J. A. Millar, M.H.R., W. Earnshaw, J. F. Arnold, M.H.R., and C. R. Chapman. Apologies for absence • were received from Messrs T. Brown, T. W. Kempthorne, and E. Roberts. The Mayor said that at the invitation of Cr Burnett he was very pleased to take j the chair that evening at the meeting of so worthy a league, that up to the present, he understood, had dome very excellent work. He took it that one of the main points to be considered -would be the I position of the league in relation to the Otago League. His own opinion was that ■Else Railway League should .still retain its identity — it should not disband, — but should continue the work it had so well begun as a sort of special committee of the Otago League, ,in the same way as the La\KrenceHoxburgh Committee did in regard to the Otago_ "League. He thought the work of the Railway League would be more effective if aided by the influence of the Otago League. The annual report •(which has already ( tva&n published) was taken as readMi' W. Burnett, in moving the adoption of the report, said that as this was the first time a Mayor of Greater Dunedin had presided over the league, and as this was pi-obably the last occasion on which the league would most as an independent body, he would say a few words about the origin of the league and its work. The speaker gave a brief history of the slow progress of the line, leading up to the time when a league was formed to urge its progress. Since the formation of the league the Government had allocated larger sums to the line -than formerly, and, partly to that j fact and to the fact that the line had been going through easier country, good progress had been made. As the league was now about to merge into the larger body | he might say for the league that it had brought before the people of Dunedin tli9 capabilities of Central Otago and the necessity for pushing the line into Central Otago. He desired to say that the league had received great assistance from the press, especially the Otago Daily Times, which had been most patriotic, staunch, and consistent in its support of the railway. — (Applause.) Lately, he understood, the Railway League had been accused of being a party body. He emphatically denied that assertion. The league was open to members of every shade of opinion. All that was asked was that members would advance the interests of the league as far aa lay in their power, and no more. Objection had no doubt been taken to j money being diverted from the line for other purposes, but surely members had a i right to object to any procedure of the kind : and for himself, as a citizen, he would at all times oppose anything of the sort being done. — (Applause.) Mr M'K«rrow had srated that Otago Central was the most valuable area of Crown lands in New Zealand. The Railway League had attempted to keep that view before the public of Dunedin, aitd had ateo tried its beet to make Dunedin the outlet for the products of that vast area. — (Applause.) He hoped the exertions of the league would meet « ith even greater success in the future than in the past. — (Applause.) Mr R. Gilkison seconded the motion, which was carried unanimously without discussion. The Mayor said it was now for the league to decide what its future course of action should be. For himself, he repeated hia opinion that it would be a pity to disband the league. Mr Gilkison said he fully agreed with the remarks made as to the^ future of the league; but at the present time the Otago League had not approached the Otago Central Railway League in any official way, and he thought the meeting should, as usual, appoint the new office-bearers. It would be for them to make arrangements, if necessary ; but the meeting might make recommendations to them. Negotiations must be carried out with the Otago Loague before a decision was arrived at. The Railway League had now in hand the sum of j £41 8s 3d. That sum had been specially subscribed for the benefit of the Otago Central railway, and it would have to be seen that that money was devoted for the purpose for which it was subscribed. He was sure amalgamation could be carried out j if it was thought desirable to merge. I Another question was, Would the Otago League be prepared to accept the members of the Central Railway League Executive as the special committee? Another point was the position of a secretary. The Central Railway League had always had the benefit of a secretary, and the point "■»& yfoiud the Otaao Leacrne five, the

Csntral Committee a. special secretary? If thf Otago League secretary was going to act as secretai-y for all the different branches, that secretary would have every night of the week taken up. ELECTION OF EXECUTIVE. The meeting then procseded to the election of the Executive Committee. Mr W. Barron was first proposed. Mr Barren said it was not necessary for him to say that he was heart and soul in the projects of the Otago Central Railway League ; but a newspaper in Dunedin accused the league and him of political bias, and the result was that they felt considerable discomfort rrr~ discharging their duties. He had unbounded confidence in. the press of Dunedin.. and. seeing that it was absolutely necessary that the press should support the league, he retired. A certain section of the press seemed to think that the league should be subservient to the Ministry, and he could be nothing of the kind. He could not b& «. member o£ the executive. He felt that it v/ould nofe be a right thing for him to do, as he :mi?ht bo compromising the league and possibly himself .—(Voices : "Not at all.") Mr W. "Earnshaw said Mr Barron had given the very reason why he should ba elected.— (Applause.) Mr Barron should regard the opposition of the section of the press referred to as merely an incentive, and should' be oprepared to continue an aggressive policy. It was essential to the success of the league that it should' have an aggressive executive. Personally, he did not think it - was -half aggressive, enough. Mr Barron had occupied a position on, that executive "with'- most --signaL success. '", "Mr* Barron intimated that \ye> could not s&e his way to accept nomination. Mr Bathgate was next nominated. . Mr Bathgate said he had to decline nomiiiatioD. He ha<3 retired^ from. tK* executive because be was of opinion that the want of interest shown by the xniblic was so disheartening that he could no hmgei* continue a member of the executive. '" Had! this meeting been well attended by the public he might have consented to -aecepu nomination ; but when he looked round ths room and saw that there wera present tho members of the old executive, members of Parliament, and only one or two others, ho thought there was such a lack of interest) on the part of the general public that li« declined nomination. He would have thought a matter of importance such as this would have drawn crowds. Where, he asked, were the shopkeepers, the merchants, the workers? They were not there, and he must decline to work for such masters. — (Applause.) Mr Gilkison said it had been suggested' that the merchants were not in accord with the work of the league, but it was a fact that there was not the slightest difficulty in raising funds from the merchants of Dunedin.' 1 The league had only to ask to get money for its work. That was very good proof that the merchants really had sympathy with the movement. The Mayor said he thought it was in this as in other things : that it was left to a few enthusiast? to carry on the thing. He did not think it could be taken, from "tiie meeting, that there was apathy on the part of the merchants. The following gentlemen were then elected an Executive Committee: — Messrs W. Burnett, T. Brown. C. W. Rattray, W. Ginsberg, T. Steel. T. W. Kempthorne. R. Gilkison, W. Tonkin, G. Howden. R. Chisholm. G. Fenwick. E. Pobcits, E. D'Estcrre, H. F. Noes, J. Jolly, jun., and W. Earnshaw. WEST COAST RAILWAYS. ; The following letter from Mr E. Roberts was laid on the table: — The Chairman of the Otago Central League. Dear Sir, — Please apologise for my non-atten-dance of the league to be held to-morrow evening, having just returned from the "West Coast, and business in Christchurch to-morrow preventing n>y return by first express A few facts I have acquired during this trip to the Coast may be of interest to the meeting, and ■will contrast the expenditure, especially ou bridges on the West Coast railway, as compared with our modest and much neglected requirements on the Otago Central. During the last two or thiee years three largp bridges i have been built on the Keefton-Westpoit ex1 tension — one between Blackball and Ngalic-a across the Grey River, one at Hokitika, and a contract for another let iheie on the Hokitika- ' Eoss railway. In all these cases the formation works "are following the bridges slowly. ' Last Monday week tenders were lodged for. the Eolleston Elver and Goat Creek bridge?,

pn the Midland railway. This morning at ihe Bealey the hotel proprietor showed a conJractor and myself a telegram received from { the Premier's private secretary stating that j the contract for these bridges had been let to Mr Maurice O'Connor. Needless to say, these bridges are also on the West Coast, and will complete the 1 'ges required right up to the mouth of the five mile and a-half tunnel soon to-be started under Arthur's Pass. The distance between the Otira Railway Station and the tunnel is nearly about two miles, so that .these bridges will ,be of little use till the tunnel is finished. When I remember the way the league was treated in connection with ihe Manulierilua bridge, tenders for wMch have only lately been called for, and, further, bearing in mind that there is still a pile bridge across the Manorbtirn which has apparently not even been planned vet,- I wonder what jsorfc of stuff we southern people are ma-dc of stand by quietly -and find the money to keep West Coast , contractors in work, on unproductive bridges, while a good paying line like the, Otagol Central is kept back „so persistently.^ T^ bridges I have enumerated on the West Coast" will run into nearly six figures. .'Another fact .that struck.^me as singular -was the rapidity with: which "the tenders' for the Goat Creek and Bolleston. bridges were'got in - and the tender accepted, and how obliging to j ■fiend a wire to the "proprietor, of -the Otira 8 Hotel, immediately in. the vicinity of the proposed works, before even the newspapers of the colony were informed. I know one contractor who wrote to the superintending engineer of v public works early last month for information -as to • the site of these bridges, . and has never received a reply; but he was not a West Coaster. PROPOSED AMAIGAMATION. ' On the motion of Mr Gilkison it was resolved — "That it be a recommendation to the Executive Committee to consider the project of merging with the Otago League, and, if it considers it will be to the advantage of this league to merge, the executiveto have power to act." A ( vote of thanks to the Mayor for presiding was carried by acclamation.