THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12849, 6 July 1907, Page 10

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

SIR JOSEPH WARD INTERVIEWED. THE COLONY COMMITTED TO THE WORK. (special to "thk fbess.") WELLINGTON, July 5. The deputation of Canterbury, Wertland and Nelson members that waited on tho Acting-Minister for Public Works yesterday, regarding the speedy construction of the Midland Railway, were, not altogether satisfied with the result of their mission, so this evening they waited on the Premier.. The deputation, which was headed by the Hon. the Speaker, consisted of some, twenty-eight members. Mr Guinness put the c«ise before Sir Joseph Ward ifi pretty in nth the same way as he had placed it before the Acting-Minister for Public Works, laying stress upon the importance of the acceptance, of a tender for the construction of the Arthur's Pass tunnel. He also emphasised the fact that about a million of money spent in connection with the lino was now lying almost, unreprodiictive. It would, he said, be. preferable to accept a tender for the work thmi to do it on the cooperative prMiciple. Sir William Steward referred to the loss the colony would sustain if it hod to buy an expensive plant for the work in Uio event of tho Government deciding to do it. The Hon. C. C. Bowen (an accession to the ranlcs of tho deputation) said it had been found in every country in the world that a railway across c country from sea to sea had always paid as against n railway that ran along a coast lino and had to compete against steamers. He had heard peopio sey that this line would not pay, but such people had left out of tho computation tho question of coal carriage There seemed to be an idea that coal could not bear the charges of land carriage, but he hod an example to the contrary brought under hi.s notice in Germany, where a common poor brown coal was railed over the Hart Mountains (since the Simplon Tunnel was constructed) down as far as Genoa. The trains coaled up nt the pit's mouth, which prevented expense. and it was found that the coal could be carried at small cost, because the trains conveying it ran at night, when there was little other trallic on the lines. In our case coal could bo carried to coal ships in Lyttelton Harbour, and to feed the whole, of the Canterbury Plains, where one day there would be a very large consumption. Hβ had not the loast doubt that the coal carriage would go a great way towards making the line pay. The.sea carriage of coal, with tho bar-harbours of the West Coast and the small ships, would not prevent carriage of coal by rail. He did not want to go into llio general question of connecting the East and West Coast by rail., but now that they had got comparatively near that point, it would be a pity to delay tho completion of the work. Mr R. MoKenzie epoko on. tho cub ject in the same strain as that in which he bad previously spoken. Of 244 miles of the original contract 160 were completed' or under construction, so that there were practically only 80 miles to bo completed. There could bo no doubt as to tho profitable nature of the traffic. He quoted the evidence of the late Mr E. G. Wright, of Aehburton, a practical man, in proof of this. Hβ had stated that in five or six years from 1901 there would be about 25.000,000 feet of timber per annum required in Canterbury. Mr McKenzie. also pointed out that coal sent round by eea wae greatly damaged by the frequent handlings it received. This would to a great extent bo done away with if tho coal came by rail. At present they -were using Oregon pino in Canterbury for building, and ho noticed they wero also ueing it in eon'noction with the additions to the Parliamontary Buildings. Ho pointed out that the colony wae prosperous, and there was no reason why, Lf money was required to push on this important work, it should not be obtained by borrowing. The recent stoppage of thn ■works was the cause of a number of men going to work in the North Island, and that Island was being depopulated at the expense of the South, which wae not fair. "Mr Gray thought the unsatisfactory result of three tewlerings for the tunnel proved that the Government engineer's estimate erred on the side aP safety. Moreover, they must for the speculative element that was proeent in connection with such a large, ■work. Mr Louisson, referring to the financial aspect of the work, sa.id that thouch it was supposed to cost £000.000 or £700.000, all that money would not be required nt once. The work woiiH take a considerable time to complete. If spread over a few years, they would not require more than £100,000 per annum. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, said ho was very glad to hear wnat the deputation had to say on this matter. It was not unfamiliar to any of them, but he recognised the earnestness that actuated tho various speakers in putting forwnrd their arguments. It was certainly true that the colony was committed to this line connecting the Ea=t Coast with the West, and it must bo built—that was undeniable. The only at issue was what was the beet way to proceed. If the Government wae confident that their engineer's estimate was correct, they would not be doing rietfit in letting a contract at £fio.ooo of £70.000 above the estimated cost of the tunnel. They had an <\stimato from a reliable officer, and unless they adhered to the principle of being jjuideil by his n-'----vice in matters of this kind." it wonH soon be found that the cost of such works would Aeeod what the country wished to pay. Whether tho Government would be justified in accepting a tender for the Arthur's Pass tunnel he •was not in a position to tell them definitely that evening. Hitherto t?e tenders considered hnd been too hicfi. Ho was not prepared to sny how many tenders had been received on the Inst occasion, but ho could say that at least one had lx»?n received rrom Kiwi and. They had not yet considered the prospects contained in that tender, which came through tho High Commi-sioncr. so that ho could not say whether it complied with the conditions required. There was some doubt about it, biit it was tho bc«t tender received s.-> far. Unless an important pirt of tho conditions required in tenders for an enormous work of this kind were complied with, the Government would him* to bo careful about embarking on a work that might result in trouble t>efore tho contractors had procrWei very far. He was enquiries from tho High Com miss ion or on the point, and till cabinet had further considered the matter, he would not cay more about it. Whether the nne would pay for iteelf or not did not nttd con»ideration now, because the country irn committed to ij. (Hear, hear.) Hie tfxLstetioe of enormous areas of timber and coal in the c-.untrv aff«oted was recognised, aud inucli of the traffic would undoubtedly go by rail on terms that would allow of profitable competition with sea carriage. He also agreed that lc.« through interest on tlio money spent on tho tini.shtd portions should be. stopped as soon as possible, but the Government was faced with this position—that it had iv baud the North

Island Main Trunk Railway, the Midhind Railway, the Otago Central Railway, the Roxburgh Railway, tho C'atlins Railway, md others, some seven or eight lines iv all, still unfinished, and although it was easy to say the country should borrow largely and complete them all expeditiousiy, yet they had to be careful cibout the amount they borrowed in any one year. The amount that it was safe to borrow was United. Cabinet had not yet decided how much should be appropriated for railways, end he could #)t give a pledge. If, however, they were satistied that the English tender r.nd its conditions for the Midland tunnel were satisfactory, the Government would be prepared tt> accept it. (Applause;. They were anxious to have the lino completed and the huge amount of products of that territory brought into its reach. In regard to the use of Oiegon pine in the new Parliamentary Buiklings, he felt sure it would only be used because they could not get the other, or that it was being used for a particular purp.se. lio was sorry that question had been introduced* in this matter, because lfe was entirely at one with those wiio thought we should u.se our own timber wherever possible. In conclusion, he «iid that in a few days they would hnve the financial proposals of the Cover n moat before thenu and he asMirod them it was Ins dt-siit- to do the best lu> could in -In , mutter.

Mr (iuitiiK-<s having thanked tho Premier, tho deputation withdrew.