EXTENSION OF WAIKATO RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 169, 7 June 1873, Page 2

EXTENSION OF WAIKATO RAIL WAY.

(Condensed fi om the D. S. Cbgss). A public meeting w,->s held on Thursday ni^ht at the Auckland Mechanics' Institute, for the pmposc ol'< considering the advisability of tanm^ steps towr.ids petHiouing the General Assembly for the immediate extension of the Waikato railway. The moeang was very laigely a> tended, aad the following gemleir en occupied the pkt,foim besides the speakers :— T. A I orris, Lsq., Stanuus Joues, Esq , E J Crtighlon, F.Bq., M.H.It.. James Watt, Esrj , and W, J. Hunt, Esq , Mi> 0. Ou tiie moliou of Mr Stannus Jones, his woishtp the Ma\'or took the. chair. He read the advertisement c tiling ti.o meeLing, aud, after asking for an impa tial fceaiing" to be accorded, to the speakers, called upon Captain Daldy, wlio said : Mt Mayor and gentlemen - If lam right, the object of the meeting is of this character : We have found from bitter experience that su^arand flour, the deftnee force, and other panaceas for a 3tate of chionic rebellion in this colony aie only temporary expedients, andi we have mefc to-night for the purpose of giving expression to our opinion to the Uove.iiuieut and Parliament of the country as to what measuies we consider necessary to create a permanent peace in this island, so that the law may have universal force, and our settlers feel themselves in a Btale of security. (Cheeis.) lam glad to si-.y that a question like the piesent contains noting of individuality or locality, but :s a great and broad question, atfecting the interests of the whole of the colony ; and J trust that in de.Oi.ig with it to-night, however foicb'y we may put our views, we bhall do so without lusulfc or offence to otheis. We feel deeply with legard to the treatment we have leceived in this and otiier lespecla, but I trust we shall be able to exp.esaour opinions in a colm and proper manner. You willjperceive when I read the resolution that ii, takes a much wider scope than the advertisement would indicate. It is to the following efleck . — 11 lv the opinion of this meeting it is the impeiauve duty ef the General Government to proceed as rapidly an possible with the constt re, ion of i ail ways into ihecentic of the North Island, to secuie the pe;<ce of the colony and thereby avoid the wasteful expenditure «.f Ine ta\anuii of the colony in war ; that there is no matter of nioie permanent importance to the welfare of the colony." (Cheers. ) What d-> we mean by railways into the heart of the Noiih Island? We mean that we believe that die rapid transit of goods i>nd men would h;vve the eftect ot bringing about a s tale of industry and peace. The question to be consulted to-ni^ht is the eflect of can-vine milways into the centre o: this island. In the first p'hee it would enable us to develop tiie lesomces oi thecomniy. But that is only a secondaiy object at piesent It would locate in the heart of the island a UrgeJpopulation, wh'ch would produce almost all that we m the seaport reouire and would give a feeling 0.~ becunty to the settkis A moral foice would be ob.iunul, which would nistiuctaiid elevate the mind of the m-ave, who wou'd bo able to bring his produce to a mr.iket with a constant demand, and. who would have employment Tor body and nund' If we cannot get iron railroads on ing to "the prin? oi nitttenul, lot us have wooden ones— nnjtuina that \,iH ailou our jiroduj-o to be conveyed to mavl,L and our officers o< justice to be taken lnpidly from one end of the colony to another Let us look at the expi-jidituie at present goi.ig on. Up Imve something that JJiey mil u JSuino OiJiw, involving an unlimited oxju-udituro ot money— joniotlmi« that mc kno« little ahout A soit ot'inj>Ur\ n-bidea nrnongJt us under the name oi " Tlie Native Oilier."* And do we hud that this JS'atnu Oilicc has produced peace or confidence with regard to the native iace. One of, tfie great v\tla is that tl.c nntues ha\e no oonlidiiico in tho U-oveinment ot the country. I any most emphatically tint had on iormtr orcafcionb tlie word of the (Governor been Ins bond we should u it have been in the cnronip stale of lebelhon which liie country now suffers undej (Cheow.) tVlmt is tLc cih-ct of having our t:i\at>on e\]»>iided jn keeping up a dok'iuo fjree ? Ido not su> biu-li a iorce is not ni-ci-ssir,) i but 1 bay we ure boui.d to nibtiuct our legislators what we behove ■will do uwny with iiecrssity tor mjcli un oignnj»aln>n, because it is an evpendilure of tlie Inxatioii oi tlie I people that produces no bun-lit, ai.d, I think, lends to di'moralißo the jiopulation ff . nemllj. And I tiUoLllml u«w nations will be arrived lit tl.ia i veumg which will huyo such an eflect upon the represontaliu'B ot the couutiy

as to cause them to unite heartily and strongly in the ensuing session of Pnrluunent for the purpose of carrj ing on works in the interior of the country. (Cheers) I do not know what a our feelings may be, but when I perceive in the Southern papers that a demonstration was held on the oeca--lon of a railway and of meetings being held to get certain lines of luiluuys opened up, I cannot help feeling that the loans now being raised are not being justly expended. (Chcei s.) I feel no jealousy towards our Southern friends, but, whatever may be their claims for the encouragement of their commerce, they -cannot 'lor a moment be compared to the clonus of this prorince^ toghave peaoe, law, nnd ordci* within its boundaiies. Is it not one. of the most paramount duties ot a country to prcsene peti'O ? And yet we sea that million* nru being expended on public works in the South 1 land, while \ci\ little, is being ept nt in the North I-l.ii'd Wi ougnt not to hate any feeling of antaI towawU mti' Jrcutt hci »« Ira'iuls, because thd< % ! luUaneo is our advance, and «j srd pioud of the I colom's piojic'^s ; bat wheu the_> adfince a' our expense, 1 think it is time we made our vuices heard in the Assembly ol the country, iind I taut t,int, by pcitions and other legitimate niejn.s, we shall force this -tib|t,<_(, lionie wi tho minds of our repiosentative^and tlie leprcsenlatived «»f the w holo colony. Mr A. E. Cor, of Wa>kato, said that the v\ort)ingof tlic resolution was rather, alroii£, but in hia piesent stat** of mind, he did not think it was ho strong, and had' no hesitution in subscribing to its terms. He said there were three good reasons why the people of Auckland should fake a part in the procieding-i then go.ng on. It was most important to the colony tnnt there should bo aiailway up to tho confiscal ion boundary — right into the heart of the Waikato. It wa3 important to the province of Auckland that, if she was to exist on n ri^purtiible footing, she must encourage the openiiig-up of the back country. (Hear, hear.) A sure way to do that was to ask the Government to do what lay m their power to forward the work. It was not only of interest to Auckland, but to the whole colony, that the Waikato settlements should ,e*ist. The railway should be at ODce gone on with, to enable the Waikato to keep pace with other districts, us that place was handicapped with many natural disadvantages. Hue speaker went on to say that the South Islnnd had hitherto been irec from the great troub)o of the Maori difficult}. People had gone there knowing I that they were «afe, but at the present time tliey could not go to WaiLato and thnrk they" were so. He thought that the General Government should do what was asked of them. He was proud to think that the men ol the Waikato, although smarting under a sense of injury, had taken no steps to embairass the Government, but were waiting patiently to see what negotiations could be entered into. It the seltlers were called up to fight) they would be ready to do so at any time. He had the honour of a seat in the Genenl Assembly a few years ago, and the irenibers of that Assembly had said that they looked forward to the time when there would be up North and no South, and when men would cease to speak of the " province " in favour of the "colony." lie him&olf would be verj glad to see this time j come, and hoped the Southern members would take a proper | new of the Kailnay J3ill when brought before the Assumb'y. Mr Gillies, m rising io suppoifc the lesolution, was recehed with cheors. He said: I g'.idly take advantage of the opportunity affoided of not only expressing my entire appioval of this resolution, but of the objects of the meatmg generally, namely, that of pushing forward railways wherever they are needed and can be at all profitably made. The Kaipara- and Waiteroata railway was actually contracted? for prior to the general railway Boheme beinsj adopted by the colony. And with regard to the lailway we are speaking of to-in^ht, I had surveyors upon the line re-surveying it tor a n.irrow-gurge railway; anil I had agcuts out obtaining concessions of land in connection with a company which, 1 believe, would have been formed he r e to carry out th:it very railway. I had obtained concessions tioin the laigest landholders upon the line of railway prior to the Colonial Government having promulgated their large scheme. These are facts, and the very deed which I transfenedto the General Government I believe to be in existence now, handing over ihe land from many of the chuf landholder ou that very line. Under these circumstances I do not think lean fee accused of having changed my views when. I advocate the rapid construction of railways in the interior of the colony, in I fact the making ot railways wherever they can he piotftably woiked, and I believe no railway could be more 1 profitably worked than oue into the heart of the Waikato. (Cheers). There h no doubt that to some extent there might be computation after the line passed Mercer, on account of the nver communication, but a shallow rivor like that never will be able to compete with a railway, and certainty not as legards the peace of the country, as stated m the i evolution undc discussion. However useful the mer may be coiuiug down, it is not so easy going up, whereas a lailwiy cou'd go as fast up as dowu. I thiuk the resolution it wisely worded in many respects It urges upon tho General Government rapidity of constiuction. Ido no!; wish to find fault with the General.Go-> verument in any uspsct. Ac the same time I may be permitted to say I think the- railway might Le more lapidly constructed than it is being. I think that probably the contractor* themselves would say they could finish it a deal .sooner than the General Government wish it to be finished. Ivunluic to think that the mode in which it h»a been crawling along has not been so much owing to the extreme difficulty of the work, nor to nny neglect oiAhc part of the contiMctois, but that m reality there has not been that judgment exercised to provide beforehand what was wanted. In fact it is something like what was ihe case with the Kaipnra and Waitemata line, of which, when it win handed over to the General Government some sixteen or | right t"»n months ago, about two-tbn Is were done; and had the rails been how it would ha\e been running now, instead of the Government bcn<g obliged to subsidise a coach to go a.-ros- from Kiveihead to Heltinsyille. But the rails somehow did not get heiv, although the hue is ready (ov them to be laid, and tho winter u torn nig on. I think it is the duty ot the community to si rengt) en the hands of the representatives in the Assrinbh, ior this is a .subject upon ] which I am sure the representatives of Auckland will be j entirely as one, and I am rejoiced to find so large a meeting as this to strengthen the hands of the representatives in urging upon the General Govern- | ment the necessity of pushing on the railway — not , merely the exiMi/ig ore, winch, if I am correctly informed, will be open sortie time' m the year after next, but winch, if 1 am correctly informed, might be opened early next year if tho Bleam was put on. It is all \cry well for us to see the Waikuto railway done quickly ; but, I think, aa the resolution has been worded, it will go home to the whole colony. Let them spo that it is not as a mere local or provincial matter v.c urge ttiis, but as connected with the welfare of the colony es a whole j for they know well in the South that war means their paying. We know that war means our suffering, and their interests and ours aro alike in that respect. We do not wish war because it mean* rum to our settlers and loss to the province, and tney do not wish war because it means their paying the cost of it. If wo can show them that there is a less costly way of getting over the difficulty than going to war, they will only bo too happy to adopt it. We know that hitherto they haveendorsed that policy of the Native Office w Inch has been suchacurse to this part of the country, but their eyes will be opened by the recent events. They were not opened by Wbiteley'a murder or Todds mui der, but glejt on believing ti-at the pol'cy thau w»3 bemj, adopted would eventuate ji peace, and it is quite, possib'e that if ithad been carried on long enough it might have done ; but fui Jier murders have occurred, and it is quite clear that po'icy will nj longer keep ius credit, and that we must adopt some mode) of conquerng a peace— not necessai ly going to war, but some mode by which war may be rendered impossible. lam almost ashamed to use the word w ar, and J think the lqs.B we do use it the better, for U?8 not and cannot be a war. It may be a little bit of rebellion, with a murder here and there, as there might be in any c^vi'ised country, but it is not war as between the sottleis ot New Zealand and the handful ot natives th"t now exist. I tjnnk we should g-ve up tho term war ent.tely, and look upon it aa caused by a nMiauhug band if outlaws. It does the co'ony haim, and tins island especally, to caU it a war. War is looked up<n m England, where we derive our immigration and loans from, as a very cc/ ions something that des.troj& the value of stocks and aIL hopes of immigration. It is not, a war, but amply a little sciJmraage, which hi the Western Mates of Amorica they would think very little about. I will not detun you any longer, but coudude by e::picbsuig my cordial coucur ence in the lesolution. and byat.su jug you and the pecple of thepiovmeo at.'aige solar as my ctioits Will avail, they will be at the bemte of the piQvmce, in older lo promote the views expressed m the resolution, whether m my position; us Mipeunt undent, or member for City West in the House' of Kepicscntatives. (Cheeis), Mr Unght ca id that during the time that the cxeitemei.t in the Waikuto district had been going on he had had ample opi ortumties of becoming iit-quainted with the fct'lings of the sctllei'b thore, and of knowing their sentiment* throughout. Consequently he attended the meeting as a Waikato bctlU'r. Ik sjiokc of the richness of tho Waikato soil, and predicted a huppj >f(iturc for the place if a railway were at ome made. Jlv *»id ihe Government should cither go in with ii power slroug enough fo ciuih the rebellion, or else take tho civilising power ol a railway right into the confiscated districts, and sa\ , " Whether through Maori or pakeha liiiuis we. intend tojuijuo the one course fiom Auckland to Wellington." (Hear, hear) Nothing less than that would t>ali«fy the setik-rj o!" this island. Under existing circuinfr'aiioeslho settlers b,ud they would get outcf tho country oj aoon .is tluy could These were the seutiments of tho Wtuknto setlleis geiurully. Ihe Chairman then put the resolution to the meeting, and it was carried unanimously. Mr J. S Muofarlunc then men ed the following rcsolunon • "In ihe opinion of this meeting it is the duty of the representatives of this province m particular, and all the members ol the North lolunu, to tut unitedly m urging on the Government audUeucrnl Asti'tubly the necessity Qf making laihu.ys

through the North Island to eamre peace, population) execution of law and justice, and the development of its resources." With regard to the railway, he «nid that he had waited on the Provincial and General Governments on several occasions, that three lines should be pushed on, viz, the Bay of Islands coal line, a line from the Thames to Tararu, and tin* Woikato line ; but nothing had been done, (Uproar.) He hnd carried on the Thnmes and Tararu line at his own expense at a tost of £9,000, and it now paid over 10 per cent-. lie did this to show the Government that lie was not uhaul to begin a railway. Had a rnilwa) boon made to the coal-mines, it would have answered well. He had shown the Government that coal cmld be carried from the Waikato to supply Auckland, Wellington, and Whanganui, and that tliat line would paj n handsome interest. He had urged all # this, and offered to tnke shaies if the Government would form companies, but unfortunately few were willing to join him. He cordially agreed with every word in the present r -ohihon. The (superintendent had referred to the Kaipara Kulwny, and pointed to the fact that the rails were not fortlico'-imjj Jle could tell the reason why. The contractor applied to him to supply ra-ls He agreed to do soatafixed price, anJ sent an order to London for 1,000 tons. A pattern wn? sent totally different from that expected. His agent refused toeT n enfe tl'e order because the pattern of rails sent bt the Government Oivil Engineer would cost just double what he (the speaker) tould have procured them for, and the matter was referred back to the colony. 'liv C (airman put the resolution to the meeting, and it was earned unanimously, Mr H II Lu«k moved the next resolution as follows :—: — " That Messrs D ildy, Lnsk, M iv, Jones, and the Chairman b" requested to prepare a memorial to the General Government embracing th- f >rego,ng resolutions, to be signed by the charm m on buha't of this meeting; also a petition to the Geneiul Government prating they will make the necessary provision to enable the General Government to rapidly extend railways m the North Island." i He said that this was a very unpretentious resolution! but it wa«, perhaps, of as much real importance as any passed during the evening It was the let er which was to move that august body at Wellington, which really would have the say in this matter they were there to deliberate on that night. He presumed there would be no difference of opinion as to the propriety of the steps propo-i d to be taken, and he might very pioperly leave the question to be carried simply on the ground of its common sense t It had been stated that night thnt the Southern people had done very well for themsehe« out of the loan?, nnd thnt they had the lion's share of the expenditure ; that they had got railways where this provineo only had promises At the same time he believed that if they were appealed to on the very some ground that had led them to look after themselves in the past, tiny would see their way to provide for the North in future. There had b*en a discussion as to the use of the word war. It war occurred again there would be bloodshed, destruction, and the result of long years industry swept away ; and what more could war do m any eountrt '•• To all intents and purposes, therefore, to far , as the colon}- w a 1 * concerned, call it hv what name they liked, il would hue all th* m^fortunes < ftb * worst of wan ; and it was in the hope of pi eventing sued u disaster for sometime to come that he urged most stronply the necessity of spending however much inom\y might be required to prevent a war in the Waikato. Let them ask it on the grounds, in the first place, that it may prevent war ; and if war should come, it would make o>ir position stronger, and the means of terminating the war qu-ckly much greater than they had ever been before. Let them ask it on the ground that if we should not have tt.ir the wealth of the province would be enabled better to bear its burdens, which were increasing, and which were even now enormous. Let them ask it on those common sense and simple grounds, and he had no doubt that the Assembly would see its way to grant the request. (Cheers.) Mr I). M. Luckie, in seconding the resolution, said that the relercnce made to Southern members was, in his opinion, somewhat unjust, considering the disposition they had hitherto evinced to act fairly and liberally towards the North in dealing with the native difficulty. At a time when it was necessary for the Government of the day to be supported in toting liberally the moneys of the colony for defending the Auckland and Taranaki settlers, the Southern members generally never for a moment hesitated to vote, fully and fieely, the revenue of tlie whole colony for the purpose of preserving their Northern fellow-colonists from the inroads of the natives, and he did not think they would forget their duty now. (Applause) Some reference has been made of late to an intention to call the Provincial Council of this province together/ (Hear, hear.) He believed such a course would very much strengthen the hands of the Government, and lead to that unanimity which the different speakers had expressed so strong a desire to see exist. (Cheers ) By holding public meetings on the subject, meetings of which this was the first, and of .which scores ought to take place over the province, and by acting as one man, they would find that the members in the General Govornment would bo ready to advocate and support the carrying out of apian which would pacifiacte the whole of the province of Auckland, and render it what it ought to be — oneoftho fairest, most attractive, and most productive provinces in New Zealand. (Cheers.) The resolution was then put and carried, A vote of thanks was then pajbed to the chairman, and the meeting terminated.