CATLINS RIVER RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 12873, 24 July 1906, Page 6

CATLINS RIVER RAILWAY.

ENTITLED TO A LARGER GRANT. Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., introduced a deputation to the Premier this morning., coming' from the Catlins River Railway League, to impress on him the necessity for pushing on the Catlins Railway to the Tahakopa Valley. The members of the League present were.Messrs R. Chisholm (chairman), G. Fenwick, L. Wilson, H. Moss, D. Fea, Brown, Taylor, C. W. Rattray, M. Cohen, and the Mayor (Mr G. Lawrence). Mr MackenaeSbriefly reviewed the position /as follows :—The whole of that country is suitable for settlement, and cannot be settled upon until the timber is removed. The timber is needed all over Otago. For every pound expended on this line there is a greater prospect of immediate return in the way of interest .and settlement than there would be in any other part of the - colony. The vote should be. devoted to push on the line from this end. There is no necessity to bring the two points (north and south) together for many years. If the Government tap the best country on the north and on the south they will have done what is required at their hands. Mr R. Chisholm enlarged on Mr Mackenzie's remarks. It was in the best interests of the district as well as to the advantage of Dunedin that the line should be pushed on with despatch. Notliing tended more to the prosperity of a country than the timber industry. The strides made in towns and cities necessitated the use of a large and increasing quantity of timber, and they were now dependent for its. supply upon a place beyond Invercargill and upon the West Coast. It seemed such an anomaly, while lying at their doors was a valuable supply of timber. It was the League's object to impress on the Government the necessity for pushing on the line at a greater speed than in the past. They felt that a larger sum should be placed on the Estimates in order to carry the line in the next year or two as far as Table HilL Until then the line could not serve the purpose it was designed for—the tapping of a country densely covered with bush. And that object would hoc be fully attained until the line was carried to Tahakopa Valley. The Ijeague had passed a resolution urging the Government to place on the Estimates a sum of £75,000 for this purpose.. He emphasised the point that their efforts were in the direction of poshing on the line from this end. Mr H. F. Moss referred to the sawmilling industry. At the present the sawmilrrng areas in the Catlins district were being rapidly cut out. If the line were through now to a position where sawmills could be erected there would be a dozen mills working in the bush, with a capacity of from 4,000 ft to 10,000 ft a day. As things were now Catlins might as well be at the end of the eaith, for the roads were so bad that the valuable timber could not be brought to a market. Mr G. Fenwick pointed out that when the area was tapped a big industry would develop, and there would be an immediate return for the money spent by the Government He had been at various parts of the forest district, and he did not think that many knew the extent and quality of the timber waiting the milling industry. It would eventually supply Dunedin and surrounding places, and also the districts in the centre of Otago. The best argument the League had was that there was a great industry waiting to be developed, an industry which would be immediately payable The Premier, in reply, said that as he had told a previous deputation, the Catins Railway project was entitled to a little more consideration. He thought that, it would be wise for the Government to endeavor to get to the Tahakopa Valley as soon as possible. He was not one of those who thought that all the money should be concentrated on one or two lines. The Catlins line was one that would be for the welfare of the settlers, and the fact that there were large timber areas near to the markets entitled them to a little larger vote for the Catlins line, for at any rate this end of the line. He said that without any feeling about Invercargill. There was heavy work to be done this end, and it had t6 be grappled with. What he wished to impress was that they (the country) must go cautiously, because they must not go in for heavy borrowmg" , ,'? °™ wish was th at the Main Trunk Iroe m the North Island should bo completed by the end of 1908, and the completion of this work would enable many other works to be proceeded with more vigorously. A grant of ±;75,000 was out of the question altogether. The League would not get anything like it. They would get, something that would help them to work towards the end they desired. He asked them to leave it in his hands, and he would do what he could. Mr Mackenzie thanked the Premier and asked him to consider the question of laying hght tram-rails fn the district for the heavy traffic. These would save the roads, could be put down easily, and be contributed towards by all the people" who used them.