SOUTHLAND RAILWAYS.

A deputation from the Southland Railway League and Gore branch of the Gore-Kelso RaUway League, including also members ol the Bluff Harbour Board, InveroargiU Borough Council, and Gore Borough Council, waited upon the Minister at Edievale to urge the claims of the Gore-Waikaka-Kel&o railway. Messrs Poppelwell (Gore), Bain (Bun Harbour Board), Raymond and Crosby Smith (Sbuthland Railway League) brought under tho Minister's notice the fact that th© line from Gore to Waikaka had been authorised last session, and asked that at least a flying survey should be made. Ito was msnticr.«d that part of the object of the league's pressing on the Government the necessity for making the line from Gore to Kelso, and ■eventually to Roxburgh, was to sesure the trade that properly belonged to Southland, but a large portion of which was already going to Otago. The Minister said it was no portion of his -policy to give advantage to one town or district over another, but to see that as far as possible- seillrrs were given facilities fcr yetting- their produce to market as expoditiouslv and cheaply as possible. He recognised the claims of the deputation, and said that he had received an offer which he intended to place before lr.s colleagues as early as possib'e, ar.d if his hopes _in that connection came to fruition, something more than either a flying or trial survey would be carried out, and it was quite possible that before very long some tangible work on the route between Gore and Waikaka would bo commenced.