THE GREY RIVER ARGUS SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1925. SOUTH WESTLAND RAILWAY.

Grey River Argus, 27 June 1925, Page 4

THE GREY RIVER ARGUS SATURDAY, JUNE 27, 1925. SOUTH WESTLAND RAILWAY.

’ I I At Ross a few days ago the (pics. | 'ion of giving the settlers south of I that township better railway facilities ’was the subject of a conference at j which the Railway Department, Westland County Council ami the farmers -•were represented, the outcome being a suggestion for the extension of the ‘.present privately_owned tramway. The 'Hokitika “Guardian 7 ’ points out that, (in addition to the question of the Government acquiring this line, belonging ' to a milling firm (Stuart and Chap. -• man Ltd.), there are other 'alterna- ’ lives —first, that of acquiring plant . from the Government in the way of I suitable trucks to use on the line; in ~ the second place there is the question of the expediency of spending, say , £7,000, to place the line in order sat. isfactory to the Government for the , ready use of all trucks; and in the third place, there is the question of the extension of the tramway south so that r it mav be used from the. suggested (J terminal at the southern extremity of I..'ike lanthe. While the “Guardian” ; suggests the procuring of rolling stock i from the Government may be the best ■ course, by way of an experiment, its | view is rather discounted by the fact I that it is based on the assumption that I “it is considered very improbable that railway expenditure in South West, land w il| be provided lor.” Why I not, we would like to know? Hie I Government is well aware ot the \ ast I timber and other resources there, not Ito mention the great tourist traffic 'possibilities of the unrivalled alpine scenery, only awaiting the advent of I the railway to render them a large source of revenue and a splendid mi. ' tional endowment. Indeed, our con;ti nrpuraiy itself shows that long ago jtlie State was morally committed to I a line for South Westland by sueees. ' sive Ministries, and the best solution of the question to.day is undoubtedly for the State to establish and con duct South Westland’s railway itse.it. In any event, it will be admitted a I Government, railway is an eventual necessity, and what has to eomo fmalIi ly cannot, come too quick!.'• ie ”>cn. ' Lr it materialises, the better it will be ■ j almost for everybody concerned. - Eve remarked on this matter last yc.u, ' the question is one that cannot but ' crop up periodically so long ns a pi - vately.owned Hue fails <> -a h , settlers in need of railway transpoit. ■ Fven if private enterprise were to ' Xnd a 1 tramway some ance, settlers beyond its reach would U long have to face present ;11 | over again. See U t Eosg \nd .•ent. areas ot timber b tu Okarito, as well as the - “ . fin tourist, traffic and the gre.i B ion of settlement which thc , consequences of a ' thc Govern. Railway Uonartment merit ceiulel rely on 1■ P . iny im . able proposition. ” CI , to ,/’ thp better modi ate accommodation f”’ "g oGUsatiou ox existing a not be rilled out, bu the com. very shurtsighteul polt< notion munity to adopt the 1 bo pos _ that no railway is The sible for another g tQ wor k southern people sh<>ul advocacy o f a right away with /g without de. State line being la “ J t . iO ii would be ];,y, and such an effective bound to grow, a "'. 1W ' b er-lil<e policy long before a Mica" would.