THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

Evening Star, Issue 10851, 8 February 1899, Page 1

THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

The Executive Council of the Otago Central Railway League have very properly decided to interview the Premier, on the occasion of his impending visit to this City, with the purpose of impressing him with the desirability, in the public interests, of pushing forward the construction of the railway towards the terminus authorised by Parliament so many years ago. The right honorable gentleman will, we may hope, be induced to make more liberal provision in the Public Works Estimates for the ensuing financial period than has been the case of lato years, and if ho is really anxious, as he always asserts, for the development of the gold mining industry, he surely must realise how this development is impeded and all operations handicapped by the present difficulties and enormous cost of conveying machinery, timber, and plant to the claims in and about the Clutha and This is just now the most crying necessity ; but we need hardly point out that the prosperity of gold mining is certain to bring about a material increase of population in the upper districts, who, in the natural course of things, will be attracted to permanent settlement if railway communication is established and the markets thus opened to small farm and fruit produce. Is the fatuous policy to be. persisted in of spending hundreds of thousands of pouuds on the empirical schemes devised by Mr John M'Renzie 1 when a tithe of the moDey would com- ! plete the Otago Central line to the Hawea, and with absolute certainty promote settlement of the most advantageous and enduring character? The letter of Mr John M'Kay, of Wedderburn, respecting the progress of the line, which was read at the meeting, was very practical and to the point. From Wedderburn to Idaburn, he stated, was about four miles, and the construction would be heavy work. After passing the Idaburn, however, the formation for about twelve miles would be comparatively easy, and he recommended the League to try and get these four miles of hard formation started as soon as possible. Mr J. A. Millar, who was present, stated that he had received a communication from the Minister of Public Works to the effect that the matter of the Otago Central Railway would be considered immediately the Cabinet assembled in Wellington. What the League, he said, had to contend against was that certain settlers in Central Otago were moving the Government not to proceed with the line beyond a few miles from Wedderburn. "The line to that point " would serve their purpose, and they did "not want it to go further." Indignation was very naturally expressed by the members of the Executive Council at a movement- so transparently selfish, and Mr Millar quite agreed that it was so, and was glad, he said, to be able to assure j the League that the district engineer had , reported against so stupid a proceeding, j The honorable gentleman proceeded to; state that he had again wriut.cn to the Minister suggesting that the next section of seven miles should be put in hand at once, and he expressed the hope that the Cabinet would authorise the work, as they must have at least £20,000 in hand of the money appropriated for the line, to be expended in 1898-99. This is really the crucial point just now : The sum of £40,000 was voted, and of this, including liabilities, not more than half at the very outside has been spent. There is a great deal of work, especially masonry, which should be taken in hand before the winter, and the financial year is drawing to a close. The Premier must be given to understand that Otago is about sick of continuous delays and snaillike progression of this railway, which, originally designed by Mr James MacanDrew, would do so much, if completed, to forward the progress and prosperity of the City and district. We cannot avoid expression of regret that the invitation of the Executive to attend tho meeting at this especially critical time was only responded to by one of the local members of Parliament Mr Millar who is to be commended for the interest he has displayed in the matter in and out of the House, and fully merits the cordial vote of thanks accorded to him by the Executive of the League. An ounce of practice, according to the old proverb, i 3 worth more than a pound of theory, and this is likely to be remembered in December. "