THE BACKBLOCKS RAILWAY

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 59, 6 September 1913, Page 15

THE BACKBLOCKS RAILWAY

5 TO THt tDITOB. Sir,'~tt is commonly claimed that the "backbone" of New Zealand X •the man upon the land, and every effort shoWd be tub forth to multiply him— especially in"* the backblocks. It is, therefore, not only the people to be served, but the people generally as well, whorshonld feel grateful to Messrs. O» E. Daniell, Coleman Phillipd, attd others' who have been keeping before the eyes of Ministers, members, and the public, the urgency of building a rail* way now to give comfort and eneouragemeftt besides prosperity along the line of the proposed loop railway. So far the general public views the project as likely to materialise in the course of a score years or more, whilst those who have thought most about the matter have had it forced in upon them that even a year's delay is an almost criminal neglect of our duty; yet no practical scheme is agreed upon for attaining the end in view. You, Mr. Editor* ap^ pear to think the selection of the route the' main difficulty, but, so far as I have felt those mainly interested, this is quite a second, though doubtless important, consideration. Tho question Wore most of the backbone id* "How can bo substantial a venture be financed without the danger of creating a vested interest opposed to the State?" Mr. Phillips suggests a joint 'sto<jk company, to hnanoe, construct, and work the line; while the trend of public thought w directly opposed to stteh enterprises being in hands other than the people. Mr. Daniell gives a general indication of, route, but leaves it to the Minister to provide the finance, forgetting that he has a thousand and one other works to finance, .which are of great importance to him. It is well to look the matter squarely in the face. No Government will ccc its way to earmark half a million a year for five or six years in succession, in this line, while so many demands remain unsatisfied for important works in other parts of the Dominion. JBven if Cabinet were willing it WOllld be unwise to propose it,* as it would probably Btir -ftp opposition' to the work itself that might be perpetuated -when some other scheme later on required Parliamentary sanction. To construct the line by annual doles "of £50,000 to £100,000 would take eO long that but few of your adult readers oi to-day would live to see the completion. To an alternative let me clear the way' by pointing out (1) that the deviation of the Rimutaka must be weighed in conjunction with the proposed loop ; fp) that though the loop must connect with Masterton it must also serve the South Wairarapa and Featherston Counties ; (3) that from a public standpoint the line must be laid to serve such localities as are least accessible irom present services, even though somewhat more costly over some sections. Then the Stata should (1) itself correct its Rimutaka blunder, (2) survey the line, prepare preliminary estimates, and delimit tho area to Vhich the loop will furnish a betterment ; (3) connect Wairpngomai with Pigeon Bush if the tunnel route is to be adopted, or with Woodside and Martinborough — according to the deviation decided upon-— to facilitate the new work; (4) relieve all material or inachihery required from Customs levies; (5) carry all material free s6 far as the State line enables ; (6) place this loop on the same footing as the State line as regards taxation. [As the Wai* rongomai deviation, though somewhat more costly, and a trifle longer than that via Tauherinikau, would bo practically level, it would be much cheaper tp Work, and has a high claim for adoption. It would also serve the loop line Better.] Having a betterment area once delimited the several counties into which it reaches, acting in concert, should take a vote of the landowners within such area for a loan covering the estimated cost of the line and equipment. The debentures to be divided into, say, half a million 5 per. cents., collectible over five years, and to be wholly subscribed in the interested area. For the cities of "Wellington and Napier and the wealth along the route to raise this sum, so spread, will no.t require ap^ superhuman

effort. The balance of the loan to be issued in the world's markets on best possible terms. A condition of the debentures to be that interest be paid out of loan during construction, and that at the end of ten years a sinking fund is to be grafted on of one-eighth per cent., increasing each third year Dy onesixteenth per cent , till the loan is extiguished. The many points by which the proposed line can be reached by road from the present line, and also here and there by sea, will enable the whole length, Wairongomai to Waipukurau, to be put in hand simultaneously, and the whole line can be open for traffic in six years. The short and inexpensive section from Pigeon Bush to Wairongomai could be laid in a few months. I suggest that as the tunnel route is the more expensive to face, the loop should contribute, say, £100,000 towards the cost, and with this help a Parliamentary vote ,of £75,000 per annum would in a few years connect Pp*on» and Wairongomai. The line would be built and run to pay. It might either be run under county supervision or arrangements might be made to secure the management of the State's General Manager of Railways. The State to have the righl to take over the lino at any time 7 and in that event to reimburse the then owners of the land for such levies as may have been made, with simple interest added '.M> Ihe cost rate of the imported money. I am, through you, makicr suggestions to the people, and I will welcome any suggestions that anyone wi'l make to me as to improving the' scheme out-lined.~-I am, etc., GEO. A. FAIRBROTHEB. Carterton, Ist September, 1913.