BULLER RAILWAY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 28, 1 August 1907, Page 3

BULLER RAILWAY.

DEPUTATION'S VIEWS. ) In a sub-leader on Tuesday the Evening Post opposed the proposal of a West Coast deputation that the Government should construct a railway through twenty mile 3of the'Buller Gorge from a point near Westport to Inangahua. Two members of th& deputation, patting their side of Jhe case to a Post roporier. contended that the expenditure is justified, and that the line will pay. Ihis raiiway, according to one of the deputationiste. will tap possibly the largest coalfield in yew Zealand." and, interpsr on ils cost of construction would bo. paid by the haulage rato on the product (ISO.SQO tons per year) of only one mint tb\t it would open up, even if the rate was fixed at Is per ton. an amount sixpence less than that levied on the West-port-Mokihinui line, which is the bestpaying line in Xew Zealand, its yield showing 10 per cent, piofit to the State. The Bailer line, it is asserted, would cost only £250,000 to construct, and the yearly output from one mine would suffice to meet interest charge on that amount at 5 per cent. Jf three or four mines were started, as would probably ba the casp. the gain to the colony would be*enormous. As to the unsuitability of the land for agriculture, the deputatioiiists say, that . 2000 acres of conl land will find occupation and sustenance for a thousand people, and they are extremely anxious to hear of an equal quantity' of agricultural land -that can support even a ttyhe of that population. As a further argument for construction of the line, they cay that the Westport-Mokihinui railway is already taxed to its utmost hsulnge capacity, and that* to carry the 200,000 tons increased output assured for next year, it will be necessary to duplicate the line, at heavy cost, unless' tho new line asked for by the deputation be constructed. The Westport people are co firmly convinced of the profitable prospect of the Bailer line that they .are prepared, to back their convictions with money X the Government will j-£t up a railway board on lines similar to those adopted when the Westport Harbour was, constructed with moneys derived from the Btiller coalfield reserve on its seaward side.

[T,o make out a prima facio cane ioi the railway, it would be necessary for the deputation to give the locality oi the coalmine and some tangible evidence of its marketable ontput. It would bo interesting to know what development work has been done, or, failing that, what capital is actually lor the working. If the Westport people are prepared to find the money for the railway 'it is' to be presumed that the Government will not. object. Tho deputation's estimate of the cost of tho lire is very little less than our own, and the colony should require something very tangible beforo dipping into the Public Works Fund to the extent of £250,000 to £300,000.]