THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 12873, 24 July 1906, Page 4

THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

IS CLYDE TO BID THIS TERMINUS? THE GOVERNMENTS INTENTIONS. A deputation from the Ofagb Centra* Railway League interviewed the Premier this morning at the Grand Hotel to seek information as to the intentions of the Government as to tho prosecution or otherwise of the Otago Central Railway past Clyde. Besides about a do»en of so" members of the League, Mr Bolt; M.L.C., and Messrs MillaXj Arnold, Barclay, and Sidey, M.H.R.s, were in attendance. Mr Barclay introduced tho deputation to the Minister. % \ He explained that an uneasy feeling had existed for some little time past—he did not know whether it was well-founded or riot—that it was not the Government's intention to push the railway beyond Clyde, but to make that the permanent stopping-place. He thought himself that this would probably prove to a certain extent to be a misapprehension. Mr W. Burnett, chairman of the League, said that he had received a teleg'rafri from a number of gentlemen in Central Otago who were interested in the line.' They had arranged to bold a largo meeting /md put their case before the Minister on his visit to Clyde, but as Mr Hall-Jones had not sufficient time to visit Clyde they had telegraphed to him (Mr Burnett) askinohim to put their case for them. In 187§ the line had been authorised, and there had been a similar promise to build it in 1884. A number of settlers took up land then on the strength of that promise, and they had struggled ever since. If CTvdc were to be the terminus, the market for the produce of these settlers would be verv materially injured. Clyde and Alexandra Would receivo supplies by rail from down the line instead of absorbing flieir produce. So far as tho question of a return for expenditure on construction was concerned, the League had been met at every step with the statement " Tlie line is not paying." The traffic returns on the part at present opened showed that that was not so. livery section of the lino was now paying. He. contended, moreover, that it was not vital that such a line should pay, any more than it was that a main road should. A certain party of men had offered to build the line from Clyde to Cromwell for £85,000. Tlte Premier: To Government standard?

t Mr Burnett: Yes; and if they laid the lino they are a class of men who would settle alongside it and make good colonists —hard-working country settlers. Mr W. T. Talboys said that tho Hawea farmers were now worse off than previous to the line being constructed to where it now reached. Produce was now being sent up from the Taieri Plains to the Clyde and Alexandra, districts which had previously been supplied from Hawea. Their market was spoilt, and they had suffefed considerable injury. This* would continue tin til the railway got far enough to enable them to compete with Dunedin on those markets. There was not the land around Clyde and Alexandra that there was about" Hawea Flat. There was no wheat grown in Otago that could compare either in (itiantity or quality with that grown at Hawea, Plat, and there was a large quantity of farming land there that would grow this crop. Mr W. Barron said that the claims of other Otago railways were undoubted, and it was the claims* of the Roxburgh and O&tlins lines that had made public men think that the Government would go slow with tho Otago Central and finish those lines. As citizens of Dunedin they acknowledged the of tliese lines, but they submitted that it was not necessary to stop tho Otago Central simply because more progress must be made with the others. There had been votes of £60,000 or £70,000 a year for the Otago Central Railway, and if the Government would only provide £50,000 a year for the construction of the Otago Central, Roxburgh, and Catlins lines (£150,000 in all)—and spend it—the annual vote for Otago railways would probably, bo no greater than it 'had hitherto been, and very material progress could be made on all these lines. He reminded in© Minister that if even a temporary halt only was made in the extension of a* rail way fine it was generally a very difficult matter to get construction taken up again. Mr Jolly said that the opposition to the extension of the Otago Central line beyond Clyde came from a. very small portipn of our community. Ho understood that the people in the district- concerned got up a petition signed by most of the members of Parliament in the district, and they received favorable replies from all but two members—Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., and tho senior member for Dunedin City. It was backed up by the unanimous voice of the people in the district, some of whom had been residents for over forty years. Should not the Government, in drawing up their Estimates, give more consideration to the majority of the representatives and the residents than bo swayed by the arjniments used by the minority opposed to the extension of the line? extension of the line? The late Premier in opening the HoHtika-Ross Railway, had said that what had bean Macandrew's"dream would be Seddon's reality, meaning that the Westland Railway should be continued righl. through to Otago. The result was that tho people of Westland had formed a League—tbe Wesiland-Otago Railway League—and resolutions were passed at Mr SeddonV suggestion to tho effect that the people of Otago should bo asked to assist in the prosecution of this woTk. The ultimate object of the Otago Central line was not and could not be Lake Hawea, but they would be satisfied if for a time Hawea were made the objective. The connection of the East and West Coasts was imquestionably the utlinvrte aim. Then there was another aspect. The most valuable portions of this colony--the chief centres, at. all events—were all" on the east coast. •> In the event of trouble arising in Imperial matters, it was desirable that the coal areas of the west coast should he connected by rail with the east coast, so that million's of tons could be placed in the bunkers of vessels in our chief ports direct from the railway trucks. The Hon. W. Hall-Jones," in reply, said that he was pleased to discuss once more their old friend the Otago Central. . It ha& struck him that things had been goin«' on very well lately. Thev had tho formation as far as Clyde pretty well in hand, and the section to Chatto Creek was practically ready for opening. He admired Mr Jolly s boldness, which made one imagine what.possibilities there were for Dunedin in the future. So far as the Otago Central Railway was concerned, it had always progressed step by step. The Government had never before Lid such ambitious proposals placed before them in connection with the Otago Central. If they took hie advice the Otago League would" not talk about connection with the West Coast, but would go on the same lines as before—-viz-., prosecution of construction step by step. What he had before him as Minister of Public Works was the opening of the line as quickly as possible, to Clyde first and afterwards to Alexandra. He was not going to put in hand any works beyond what was m contemplation until the latter had been completed. Then it would be for the Government to 6ay what they would do beyond that. As to the other Otago lines, it should be remembered' that a lot of money had been spent on the Otago Central. There were hard-working settlers in other districts who had been putting up with a lot of hardships, and who were entitled to .some consideration. Then there was a lot of timber in the Tahakopa Valley that was being destroyed for Want of railway facilities. Tliat part of the Catlin River line had got to be finished. Ho would not be a party—he did not care who might be at the llead of the Government in New Zealand—to tho expenddtare of large sums of borrowed money on works in advance of the needs of the country.—(Hear, hear.) A Memberv The CJa*ims is only a branch line.

The Premier: We have tc consider th« opening' up of the country. The line to Chatto Creek is not opened yet, but it will be carrying traffic, to-day probably. The Premier continued that this meant another section of sixty-eight miles opened on that line, and he had not been shown much appreciation for that. He was going to see that settlers in other parts of-'Otago got a little more consideration than in the past, particularly in the Catlins district, the districts beyond LawTence, and west of the Waiho. It wjs only by spending money to the best advantage that tie railway revemie was to bo kept up. Bss work was kid oat

then to,complete the work on the Otago Central Railway that he had in hand. Then the League could make representations about the adrontages of continuing the line further than Clyde. , He thought the deputation would See the claims of other parts of Otago to more consideration, and that it was the Government's dutv to* spend their funds to the best advantage and for the greatest benefit of the people of the colony They would have to go oil building bridges and making railways for many years; and he wanted the assistance of the people of the colony. The interests of -the Government and Of the people we're the same. Increased production meant increased revenue to the- Government as well. He invited the League's assistance, and would always be glad to hear their repfeseirtations. What tlmy had said fiat motrirng would receive his consideration. Mr Jolly: Is there any likelihood of a vote being placed on the next Estimates for the.extension of the line? TheJPrernier : The. Otago Central means any part of the authorised line. We could stop work where we' are how and start at Lake Hawea, but common sense says: " When you have your works advanced to a' certain extent, get them out of hand arid get your engines running over them." Mr Jolly: The League will be satisfied if a vote: will be placed for the further prosecution of the line. The Premier: I shall have to take a vote to enable me to complete the line to Clyde. You will have' your vote for tie line. "'[Tie sooner the line is opened the better I shall be pleased.

The deputation thanked the Minister, aid expressed themselves as reassured on the point that the Otago Central constructiori was not going fo bo stopped or kept back to next to nothing to allow of the prosecution of other Otago lines. Mr Barclay asked the Minister whether it could not then be taken as definite that it was incorrect to say that the Government had concluded- not fo pursue the line further than Clyde. The Premier replied that he thought that front what he had said the deputation quite understood that the Government were going to complete the line to Clvde,- and that before they got to Clyde there was plenty of time to consider what to do afterwards. Tho (reputation then withdrew.