WAIAU-CULVERDEN RAILWAY.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14993, 13 June 1914, Page 12

WAIAU-CULVERDEN RAILWAY.

FOOLISH OPPOSITION CRITICISM

Probably no one will read the views of the "New Zealand Times" on the Waiau-Culverden railway lino (printed in yesterday's '-"Press") with greater astonishment and disgust than tbo residents of the Waiau district. The statements that are mado aro so wide of the truth that the article would be

laughable were it not for the reflections

that arejeast upon the bona, fides of*?ho real agitators for this line. One would

imagine that the line was first advocated since the Reform Government was in office, whereas ono of its first supporters was the Hon. W. Hall-Jones, when Minister for Public Works in the Stxldon Government. Since his day the Ward Government promised this line, but nover got further than promises. So far as the assertion about the railway line benefiting the large landholders most is concerned', thero are nowonly two estates of any size that will derive any benefit, and these aro Lyndon and Highßeki. In connexion with the former estate, the late Mr D. D. Macfarlane sold the greater part of his front country to tbo SeddoD Government in tw_i blocks, which formed the Lyndon No. 1 and No. 2 settlements. On the former there aro eiirht and on the latter nine settlers. The Sedtion Government also purchased 34,000 acres of tho Hi&hfield estate, and formed the Annan settlement, which now supports 43 settlors. The balance of the Highfield estate was not considered by the Government as fit for closer settlement, and now carries only 13,000 sheep. The greater part of the Lyndon estate, that remains in the Macfarlane family, is high country, and carries a little over 13,000 sheep. The only other large estate that was contiguous to the line was Achrav. and this has all been cut up and sold. The line passes through part of the Culverden estate.--which was purchased by the Ward Government, and settled somo years ago. None of the properties owned by the Rutherford family will be benefited in the slightest degree by this railway, as Messrs W and D. Rutherford's properties are on the Culverden-Hanmer road and Mr A. W. Rutherford's property is on the Main Trunk line. Therefore there are only two property Ta F%? Z ho liave , w ° ol cli P s over 10,000 sheep to be earned over the new line.

On the other hand, according to the last sheep returns, there are seventy settlers owning blocks of from 65 to 6921 sheep, totalling nearly 100,000, and averaging 13/3 per flock, who will not only be benefited through the railage Of their wool, but by the thousands of fat lambs and fat sheep they send to tho saleyards or direct to the freezing works through the greater part of the year.

, Another point that the "New Zealand -Times" attempts to make is thattwo years ago the large station-holders in the upper reaches of the Waiau disftrict went to th© Government and asked for an extension of their leases, fay way of compensation for alleged losses through heavy snowfalls, and were disappointed. The fact is, theso applications did not come from large run-holders in the Waiau district at all, but from holders of the high country between Hanmer and Nelson. The only applications from the Waiau district were from the holders of two small grazing runs who had been badly hit by the snow. "* Apart from the benefit the sheepowners will "derive from the railway, there are.the settlers on _c agricultural lands at Lyndon, Annat, and .are severely handicapped in grain and potato growing through the long cartage to Curverdeh. There is also the large and thriving township of Waian itself to be considered, and when the interests of all these* -people are set against those of the holders of the only two larger properties that will be served by the railway, • the absurdity of the "New Zealand Times' "■ tirade against the railway becomes at once apparent.