HOKITIKA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 3550, 27 August 1879, Page 2

HOKITIKA.

[special.] C August 26. A large and important preliminary meeting was held in the Town Hall to-day, for tho purpose of insisting on the constructionfof the railway between tho East and Wost Coasts. Tho Mayor, Mr M'Lean Watt Jact, was in the chair. The Hon Mr Bonar mad* a Bpsech, pointing out the advantages of tho construction of tho line. A quantity of new and valuable statistical information was placed at the disposal of the meeting by a number of merchants and othors present, showing that this railway would be as payable as any lino in the Colony, while the West Coast possessed | an asset in tho unsold Crown lands, that of [itself would more than pay the cost of < tha railway. It was stated roughly that there were 100,000 acres of land between the Teremakau and Grey rivers alone, which, if th» railway were made, would easily realise from. £4 to £5 per aore, or a sum more than sufficient to defray the whole coßt of the line. Carofully prepared estimates were given showing that traffic, amounting to several thousand pounds per annum, had been altogether omitted or under-estimated in Mr Blair's report. Energetic action to get tho railway made was determined on, and it waa resolved to ask Greymouth, Kumara, Christ* church, and other towns interested, tb-cd-operate earnestly in having the work carried out. 'ZL;