THE CATLIN RIVER RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 11675, 6 February 1902, Page 4

THE CATLIN RIVER RAILWAY.

The following correspondence between the Minister of Works and the Secretary of :he Catlin Railway League explains itself:—

Wellington, 4th February, 1902. Dear sir,—l have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your telegram of 31st uU with reference to" the Catlm-Seaward Bush Railway. In reply I have to inform you that the vote taken last session was fir work from Waimahaka end, as well as from Owaka. I hope in the near future to increase the number of men employed ut Owaka.—Yours sincerely, Wm. Hai.li Jokks.

Dunedin, February 6, 1902, Dear sir.—l am in receipt of yours of 4rh instant, and would respectfully point cut that you have altogether avoided the question at issue. When our chairman (Mr R. Chisholm) waited upon you in Wellington you promised that prompt steps would be taken to complete the railway to Ratanui, and that the line would be pushed on to the bridge. We were led to believe that this would be done in 1901,' and that you intended spending the whole of the vote granted last session in that direction. Now we find that vote not nearly exhausted, the work hung up, married men with homes in the district discharged and out of work, and your reply to our wire is that part of the money was voted for the Waimahaka '•■■' of the railway. This, to say the least 'l it. ?'•■■; very unsatisfactory, and will tend veiy much to dishearten the bush pioneers who have been relying on your promise to see this work pushed ahead. For my own part, I cannot help thinking that you have no idea whatever of the immense value of the timber in the Catlins forests, or of the shameful waste going on down there. I enclose a clipping from the? Evening Star,' and ask your careful consideration of the matter, for' the people of the South aie determined to endeavor to prevent the wholesale destruction of our magnificent Catlin Bush. About eighteen miles of railway would rap the centre of this immense forest, while every mile of that railway would open up bush of the finest quality. We hope, therefore, to have an early assurance that the whole of the money voted will be expended. The sum is small enough in all conscience, and the least that can be done, in justice to the settlers who have been placed there, is to see that die meagre sum allocated for this important work is expended in full.—J. J. Ramsay.