EAST AND WEST.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 18129, 19 July 1924, Page 14

EAST AND WEST.

TO THE XMTOB OT "THB PBBS8." Sir, —Another charming little effort by "Searchlight" merits a small degree of ■ attention, if only for the bigoted and distorted views it contains. "He claims to revel in facts and figures, but he only looks at one side of the ledger. He religiously closes the othei eye. Moreover, "Searchlight" niaj never be afraid that he will be dubbed "Nelsonian": a man must be able to see with both eyes to merit that title. "Searchlight" is still grieving about having to contribute towards the payment of the annual loss on the Nelson railway. He does not realise that way to make this line pay is to link up the gap between Glenhope and Inangahua, thereby providing for a through railway. When did a line running to a dead-end pay? Railway statistics in New Zealand show us that when n line running to a dead end is linked up it almost invariably returns a profit. This has been found to be the case through country much less productive than that between Glenhope and Inangahua.

"Searchlight" further claims that the linking •up of Springfield with Otira was merited by virtue of the fact that there was something worth while at the "West Coast end —coalfields and timber. Exactly! The linking up of the Glcnhopc-Inaugahua line is merited by precisely the same potentialities—mineral fields, timber, and, moreover, large tracts of fertile land eminently suited for dairying or agriculture. "Searchlight" keeps discreetly quiet about the vast mineral resources of this part of the Nelson province. "Searchlight" goes on to give figures about the exports from the Nelson Freezing Works and the Murchf.son Dairy Factory, which while perhaps correct in themslves, prove nothing. He then Btates that the Waikato pumice lands are noted for hop-grow-ing. Well, since he revels in the Year Book, let us quote therefrom for hia benefit* It states that in 1923 there Svere 675 acres of hops grown in New Zealand, 670 acres of which were grown in. the Nelson ..land, district. This leaves five acres for the rest of New Zealand. Where do the Waikato pumice lands come in? "Searchlight" must have seen a hop vine climbing up somebody's verandah post.

We can quite, understand that it was mercy which prompted "Searchlight" to abstain from mentioning the apple industry, which is Nelson's most important. The reason why the Otago fruitgrowers exported 4845 cases of apples'.(the product of a fair-sized Nelson orchard) to England was becaus? they thought the export trade offered greater profits. The fact remains that there are thousands of people in Canterbury and in other parts of the South Island who cannot afford apples because they are too "dear. The fact also remains' that tho very apples which the people should have, and have; at a reasonable price, are annually rotting on the trees in the 10,000 acres of Nelson orchards because there is no adequate means of transport. In spite of "Searchlight's" opinion about the relative costs of rail and water carriage, is it not a fact that by far the' greater part of the produce transported from Christchurch to the southern part of this Island and viceversa goes by rail? Is there any reason to believe that such would not be the case when the Neteon-Ohristchurch line is completed!

Despite "Searchlight's" assertion that the Nelson fruitgrowers try to secure a monopoly of the apple trade, the Nelßon growers are only too, willing to dispose of the fruit at a reasonable price. Nelson produces sufficient apples to supply the whole of New. Zealand if necessary, but the great hurdlo is transport. Moreover, I might add that a great trade could also be done in perishable fruits, which depend for their sale on the speed with which they can be got on to the market. With a through railway the hundreds of cases of tomatoes and tremendous quantities of raspberries* and strawberries which go to waste every year in Nelson could be placed in the hands of the Canterbury people the day after they were gathered. I am no? going to use up further space in criticising "Searchlight's" effort, as it is getting away from the main point at issue. .He heads his letter "East and West," yet hia letters :'contain .no comparison whatever of, the relative values of, the two routes. This* is doubtless good-diplomacy on nis part. His letters are rather scathing indictments of the true resources of the Nelson province by a pen evidently still longing for revenge againjt that "wily Nelson land agent."— Tours, etc., '••■ VERITAS. July 4th.