PUBLIC MEETING AT GERALDINE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2929, 15 August 1882, Page 2

PUBLIC MEETING AT GERALDINE.

A public meeting, convened by the acting Chairman of the Geraldine Road Board, was held in the Oddfellows Hall, Geraldine, on Saturday evening last. There was a large attendance and Mr W. Coltmao was voted to the chair.

The Chairman said the principle business which the meeting would have to consider was the construction of the Oxford-Temuka railway. This lino was not mentioned in the schedule to the Loan Bill, and he considered the people in districts interested should request Government to sanction the construction o£ at least a portion of the TemukaOxford line. The member for the district (Mr Postleth waite) had done his best to get a sum put on the schedule for the construction of the line as far as Hilton, but he was informed by the Government thac no lines except those which had been partly opened up, and required extra length to make them ,payable, would be constructed. Mr 0. G. Tripp said the railway under notice had been talked about as far back as 1878. A line from Temuka to Waihi Bush, via Hilton, had beep surveyed, and a sum of money had been set aside by Mr Macandrew with which the bridge over the Temuka river had been constructed. The bridge was now useless, and it was a pity that so much money should lie waste. The Albury line was a good paying one, and he was certain that a line to Waihi Bush vid Kakahu would be an equally paying one, as it would ■ develop an industry in minerals as jvell as taking away the produce of a large agricultural and pastoral country. Captain Sutter, the member for Gladstone, had got £35,000 placed on the schedule for the extension of the Albury lino, and Mr WrightJJhad got £15,000 put down on the schedule for the extension of the Mount Somers line. It would thus bo seen that on both sides of the Geraldine district money had been obtained for railway construction, but the Geraldine district been left out in the cold. Mr Postletbwaite was not to blame for this because be had done his beat to get justice donefor the district. The inhabitants of the district should strengthen the hands of their member by sending a monster petition to Government asking for the allocation of a sum of £60,000 for the construction of a railway from Temuka to Peel Forest via Kakahu and Woodbury. He then moved the following resolution which was seconded by Mr Dunlop and carried—“ That a petition he circulated in the district urging the Government to set apart a sum of money to extend the line from Temuka to Peel Forest, via Kakatiu and Woodbury, and that it be forwarded after signature to our member, Mr Postlathwaito for presentation.” It was then resolved on the motion of Mr Tripp, seconded by Mr Heney—“That all petitions he forwarded to Mr Coltman by Saturday next, August 19.’’

A discussion then arose, on the desirabilty of adopting the “Local Elections Act" in the district and a petition was signed to the Chairman of the Bead Board asking him to convene a meeting for Saturday next to consider the question. Mr Dunlop pointed out that there were certain Government sections situated behind the Domain which ought to be sold. There were only a few corner sections for sale at present.

It was decided to write to Mr Marshman asking him to have the survey of the Geraldine township completed. Tbo meeting then adjourned.