INLAND COMMUNICATION LEAGUE.

Colonist, Volume XLIX, Issue 12019, 21 August 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

INLAND COMMUNICATION LEAGUE.

ACTION REGARDING RAILWAY. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. A general meeting of the members of the Inland Communication League was held at the Chamber of Commerce 'Rooms, Dresden Buildings, on July 29th. Mr T. H. Bannehr was voted to the chair in the absence of Mr C. Y. FeH, President, who is in England. The dhairman announced that Mr Langley Bell, Secretary and Treasurer, was unable to be present through indisposition and had forwarded his resignation, v The report of the Committee on the year's working was read by the Chairman. This, inter alia, referred to the good services rendered by the ex-President Mr R. T. Melhuish and the hope was expressed that that gentleman would speedily be restored to good health. Reference was made to the deputations sent to Wellington under the auspices of the League in oonnection with tbe agitation for the authorisation of the link in the railway route between Manu and the Little Hope and speedier construe-

tion of the line. In this connection the patriotism of those who had thus travelled at their own expense, also at inconvenience was cordially recognised, especially thosa who had come from inland. In regard to the recent public meeting it was stated that no actual replies had been received to tbe claims put forward but the Committee looked forward to the Government adhering to tbe pledges of the late Minister for Public Works (tbe Hon. W. Hall Jones) that the work of railway extension would be proceeded with without interruption, at the same time, as no provision had been mado for continuing the line the Committee thought it high time that the people of the district affected should assert themselves and demand their rights. The balance sheet showed £12 in hand with liabilities of less than £2,

Tho Chairman, in moving 'the adoption of the t report and balance sheet, aaid that a great deal of dissatisfaction must be felt with the position ag stated in the report, in the paper of that ovening, of the deputation to the Premier on the subject ,of the Nelson-West Coast railway. The Premier would not give an assurance that authorisation of the "missing link" would be given this year. He regarded that as ominous as the Premier on July 18th, in answer to an Otago deputation regarding the Catlins Railway said that there would be an Authoiisation Bill this year and the further prosecution of the work (Citlios) would be provided in that measure. The Premier went on to say that regarding the allocation of money he could not possibly give a definite statement at so eirly a stage of the session, but if all the Otago members were united as to giving t'lis line the greater share of the vote that would, of course, make n difference, but the .whole matter would have to be considered. Mr liannehr, proceeding, said that if authorisation was to be given to the Uatlins line which was not a trunk line while the Premier declined to give an assurance regarding the 10}.^ miles between Manu and theflupe it struck him that all the pressuio that could be possibly brought to "bear should be exerted to get the authorisation. He again pointed oat tba danger of Nelsou. baing robbed of its trade through delay in getting railway access to the Bullar and said that it seemed to him iniquitous to see trade that rightfully belonged here in danger of being diverted to straugers. The whole people should rise up against it. Mr F. W. Hamilton seconded the adoption of the report and balance shaet, which was carried. The Chairman read the acknowledgmsnfc of Mr Graham, M.H.R., of rec9ipt of resolutions passed at the recant public meeting. • Officers wero then elected as follows:— President: Mr C. Y. Pell (re-elected). Committee: The Mayors of Nelson, Richmond and Motueka, Chairman of the Waimea County Council, President of the A. and P. Association, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Education Board, Messrs Bannehr, 0. Green, J. P. Harris, A. A. Lucas, F. W. Hamilton, H. Duncan, H. Atmore, T. A. Field, E. Grove, L. Kerr. W. Spencer Hampson, P. I. Ledger, E. Webley, H. M. Field, P. liond, W. H. Simpson, H. Baigent, Wm. Lock, J. U. Cock, A. A. Grace, M. Lightband, Rough ton, Lynch, R. McNee, A. Thomson, Downie, G. Macmahon, Phillips, Coleman, and Croucher, with power to- add to their number. At a later stage Mr Harry Atmore was elected Secretary and Treasurer. \ Tho formal business concluded, a dicussion followed as to the best means of carrying en the fight. The Chairman saidi that a sugges-

tion had been made that a statement of Nelson's position and claims should be drawn up and circulated amongst members of Parliament, etc. Another suggestion made was that a strong deputation should go to Wellington. Mr J. P. Harris said that the Inst deptation was a thoroughly representative one, |and he considered that it had done good. It would be remembered that Mr Hall-Jones had then promised that the work should proceed uninterruptedly, and that as soon as the Staircase Gully section was completed mor9 men would be placed on the Tadmor line. He also alluded to the promise of the late Mr Seddon that the authorisation asked for should be included in the next Authorisation Bill " brought down. •The Chairman read from the published report of the deputation referred to by Mr Harris, and said tha if the whole circumstance was put before the Premier he could uot imagine that gentleman would refuse what had been promised and what was just. Mr Hampsnn suggested that circulation of the statement should precede a deputation, and he moved that a Committee be set up to draw up the statement. Mr P. Bond said that it bad been suggested that a lithographed map or maps accompanying the statement would be useful in making the-posi-tion more clear, and Mr F. I. Ledger had promised to help therewith. As the League had but small funds he offered, on behalf of the proprietors of "The Colonist" to furnish the necessary lithographs, and Mr Lucas on behalf cf the "Evening Mail" undertqojjjbtp do the letterpress in conne.o^Ofcjr with the statement. Go the i*.,otion of Mr Hampson, seconded '%■% Mr Weblev, tho followioiHtfere'appointed aCommi ttee to draw up the statement referred to:— Messrs Harris, Greon, Uaigent, A. A. Lucas, Ledger, P. Bond, and the Chairman. A vote of thanks was passed to ;he newspapers and Mr Ledger for the offer made. On the motion of Mr P. Bond, seconded by Mr Atmore, it was resolved that a special meeting of the League be held on Tuesday, 6th August, for the purpose of considering the question 'of sending a deputation to Wellington, and that in the meantime members in the country be communicated with, with the object of securing their co-oper-ation. On the motion of Mr Duncan, seconded by Mr Lucas, it was resolved that a petition re railway extension be prepared for signature by every local body in the district for presentation to the Ministers by the deputation, I

In accepting the position of Secretary, Mr Atmore said that no one should begrudge doing bis little in helping in a matter so important to the district. A vote of thanks to the Chairman concluded the business.