OUR RAILWAYS AND LAND SETTLEMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume XX, Issue 162, 10 July 1889, Page 2

OUR RAILWAYS AND LAND SETTLEMENT.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Your leading article of lasb Tuesday's edition upon the continuation of the trunk railway, is one that should commend itself to all that have this colony's interest at heart; for I cannot help thinking that to the want of proper railway accommodation is to be ascribed the reason of this land, which in all other respects offers almost unequalled attractions to pettlers, remainine;, as regards land settlement, a dead letter. Naturally the first question an intending settler would propound would be: When I have raised my crops, how am I to dispose of them? Experience answers, feed your pigs with the corn and fruib, and burn the straw. Why ? Simply because if you send them any distance by rail, you will in all probability find yourself landed upon the wrong side of the bargain through heavy i freightage charges. The questions that then suggest themselves are, that taking into consideration the presenb financial position of the colony, would it be prudent to continue the construction of a complete system of railways to both islands, or is it better policy to allow the land to remain unproductive and the exodus (which you state to be 10,000 in the last two years) to continue ? In solving these questions, ijhe first point to consider is, what are the effects of railways generally? Here, I maintain, the presenb ineffectual service forms no data to base an estimate of their value to a country ; we must look to other countries where railways are properly constituted and managed. For instance, take the railways of the Old Country; they afford instances of the sound policy of cheap and convenient accommodation. Many may say that English railways form no parallel to ours, as the population of the respective countries is so different; true, bub whab has caused the population of England to increase so won. derfully since the commencement of the railway era. Every important town bhus

linked extended itself in size, commerce, and population as if by magic ; and those lefb out in the cold 3eemed bo remain in statu quo until united by the iron band of communication. English railways, too, were not constructed on the lines of economy, rather the reverse, for the reckless expenditure brought several to the verge of bankruptcy : yeb in face of this, in the space of a few years, these railways not only recouped themselves, but in spite of rivalry wero enabled to expend millions in extensions, ebc, simply because by sbudying the public's requirements they became the public's necessities. Had the rate of travelling remained at the same speed as that attained by Stephenson's " Rocket," and the charges on a scale as remote as is the case here, the march of progress in England would have been ab the slow colonial step, instead of the brisk go-ahead English pace thus fosbered by sensible railway management ; for there nob only by acheapand effective accommodation do they attract the public, but often add local attractions to increase the numbers of their customers ; whilst here by high charges and scant accommodation our system repels those who otherwise would use the railways for their own and the country's benehb, crushes oub bhe farming interests, and causes stagnation in land sebfclemenb.

Permit me to say that I am nob advocating any peb project of railway managemenb; all thab appears bo me bo be necessary is a common sense arrangement of conveying goods ab a rate thab would leave bho"producer a fairprofib, and thereby encourage farming operations. Upon certain days farming produce and those connected with farms should be conveyed at a charge one-third cheaper. These days would thus become tnarkeb days. As our Australian neighbours, in all probability, next season will need to a great extent our produce, a splendid opportunity of trying the system of small profits and quick returns to our railways presents ibself, and as a saving in railway expenditure is credited bhis session in the House, the risk of applying a portion of this for the permanent good of the colony would be a popular measure. Not that I think a loss would eventually result from this, as fast and cheap full trains would pay better than slow, nearly empty ones, and soon produce a balance thab could bo applied to the continuation of the present unconnected lines. In conclusion, I would make free to repeat bhe closing remarks on the Colonial Treasurer's Budget speech in your Saturday's edition. You justly advanced that "Nothing bub bhe occupabion of our land by a large and indusbrious population can really bring permanent prosperity." This, I maintain, can only be realised by bringing the land under the influence_ of railway communication and its beneficial results. England and America are examples of this. England, in spite of land monopolies and other hindrance?, has massed her thousands and ten thousands, and now offers us of her superabundance, if we give them an opportunity of living on and by our laud.—l am, etc., VV. E. Browne.