EAST AND WEST COAST RAIL WAY.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 26 October 1881, Page 2

EAST AND WEST COAST RAIL WAY.

4 i (From Cbnst cburch Press ) Mr John Otfivier was the first speaker, j He congratulated them opob the aspect ; of the hall ihnt night. On the former occasion they had the hall onl twothirds full ; now they had it crowded to of ci flowing. This, it seemed to him, showed that the interest in this project had increased by two to one. First, then, let him say that they owed a deep debt of gratituda to Messrs Thornton and Brown: On the former occasion he had to stand before them to propose a vote of thanks to those gentlemen. But while this was so, some of the outside rublic no doubt thought they were duffers. Fow these gentlemen had proved that they were by no means duffers, but men who knew what they were about. If c said all honor to those gentlemen, Bnd he thought it aff>rded a great amount of stability to the project ihit the engineers appointed by the Government could not shake the . data of these gentlemen. Now, let him say that they knew perfectly well that Dunedin was straining every point to get the line from thence to Greymouth, but he said that it wbs mere fallacy to suppose tbat with the line they could make from here Dunedio had any chance. (Cheers.) The Government bad gi?en them every facility. Here wh9 an opportunity for men to go forth a* pioneers of civilisa tion, as many of the older settlers, such as his friend the chairmnn and himself, had done. Talk about unemployed, cbt-re need be nope wliefl such au oj>ep«

! wig whs < fl'.-re I. Ii « ihrir ». f U'y, wlm ; these gentlemen were fcff'nrding thorn » ! chance to go fopl) to m.iki- a home fix the tlu.iiS'indd »h<» sh.uM come aim | them, If they Hid not hike ad va »!»£<• of tiiis 11 would. he said. Ite. a crying disgrace and a shame 'o them, (Cheer?*.) The y knew what »t was to hare to c.omv over the bills which stood between Lyt teiton and the plains. 11. himself had had to wheel his children <>rer that hiii in h wheelbarrow, arid to build h hnl wi !i his own hands, 'having l»«f tb^ car.L which heaven had given them for ilw floor. If then they 'who had been, the pioneers of Canterbury Iw.djdone this lor tlie men he s**" njw before him, it w«i» equally their duty to go lorth and do the same for theft !iou"»nds who should mm' after them. (Cheers ) They asked iht'tu to co and open up this mngnifi.jent eoun. try, full of minerals and nKtu^al resources. It waited but foremen such a« he saw before him to open it up. mid unless thfy did so thpy'l. ! w^re trnifnrs to themselves, traitors to their country (Cheers.)"' £Tbe*"Governm?nt had done their part, ami it was now for them to ereafe on the phins hpiwron here and • the WesfOoaH4nrp-p7 flmnre^in-w It+elr*contented and thririn^ population ruiuiii dwell. The growth mound the city in i> radius of fifty miles fond been so ereat that it was ouly necessary to push it lor wurd even to the waters of the ocean Bt Holiitika. (Clicera.) JIF they aeeapted the survey of Messrs Thornton and Brown, which was a fact, they must also accept the description of the country, then let them come forward, and by taking up shares set the ihing ncoing aud make it a reality. If they did not do so what would be the result ? Why that the opportunity would pass away. They had bsen told that they were lunatics to contemplate the making of the railway between Christchurch and Lyttelion. But let them just think, supposing this railway were to be put into a joint stock company, bow eagerly the shares would be taken np. They might now be called lunatics for advocating the West Coast Railwoy, but he asserted that in a few years they would say, Why did we not take shares in the West Coast llailway ? He was an old man, and be gave them this advice soberly aud earnea'ly. He woald move — 'That in the opinion of this meeting it is necessary that a railway should at once be constructed from the Hurunui to the West Coast, and that a company be formed to carry out the same.' (Cheers,) Ms Wadey seconded the wotiou,