THE RAILWAY TRIP.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11581, 12 May 1903, Page 6

THE RAILWAY TRIP.

INTERESTING CORRESPONDENCE

(SPECIAL TO "THE PKESS.") nUXEDIN, May 11. The Otago Central Railway League has written to Sir Jos. , ]ih Ward that the time allowed for tlie trip through the central distiiut- is wholly iii.sulliiinil. anil points out thut ilu- CiaiUrljliyr mi-mbvis isinnot see the country to bj opened up by tin* railway by rushing through the country from Hav.Va to tin; Id:i Valt.'V in two day*. "Six days we consider, vre required to give an idea of the iv.vourecs of the district," cont'.ink'H the letter.

The- following, reply haw teen sent by Sir J. G. Ward to the Otago Central League, who asked that the time of the trip through Central Otugo cthould be extended:—"l should have thought that instead of criticisiriy tlw intended visit of members it would have been of more prac. tical benefit for your League to have suggested a suitable programme beforehand. and in all probability had your League taken the trouble to have arranged a programme for Mr Fovvkls up-.in his visit to the Otago Central, such suggestion as tint contained in your wire would, in hie <iise, have been unnecessary. Your assumption of arriving at and departing from Wanaka in the dark is one of pure imagination, and shows that a little light to yourself would not have been out of place. As it ia, I am disposed to think that the difficulty of properly emerging from the dark has a more suitable application to yourselves than to the party of members who are visiting the Otago Central. You should at least give us credit for a little common sense. If members decide to visit the head of Lake Wakatipu.it wilt involve starting a day later from Queenstown for the interior, and arriving at Dunedin a day later. However, what •will be done ii this respect cannot be finally settled until I have an opportunity of discussing the matter with the visitors, ■wht/ee convenience must be considered."

Mr McLachlan, member for Ashburton, having been invited along with the Canterbury members to inspect the Otago Central, forwarded this characteristic reply to Sir J. O. Ward:—" Years a,go I ■went beyond the garden wall, oml recently I ■went over the line. I am fully convinced that the whole project ia intensely wicked from beginning to end."

The proposed programme in connection ■with the visit of the Canterbury members of the House to *he Otago Central line, does not meet with the approval of at lea-st one of the party. Mr Tanner expressed considerable surprise to a representative of "The Press" with the programme as published. He understood that tie intention was to examine the line thoroughly, and not to loom all over Central Otago. A visit to the head of Lake Wakatipu at this season of the year did not appeal to him, in addition to which the proposed programme will not give the visitors a chance to experience the heavy grades on the lines, as they arete travel down . instead of both up and down the line. Mr Tanner thought there would be a modification of the programme irhen the party arrived in Dunedin.