OTAGO RAILWAYS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14981, 29 April 1909, Page 9

OTAGO RAILWAYS.

THE LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH LINE. PLAIN SPEAKING BY THE PRIME MINISTER'.., [Per Press Association.] . ■ DUNEDIN, April 28. ,?his morning a large deputation, appointed to urge the claims of the Law-rence-Roxburgh Railway, met the Prime Minister at the Grand Hotel. Mr Sidey, in introducing the deputation, retorted to the feeling that existed in consequence of of work on the railway. Feeling existed not only because of promises made to construct the lino but also because of the fact that the trade of the Molyneiix Valley had always come to Dunedin, the port that was jegarded as the natural outlet. To stop the railway would mean diversion j of that trade. Tho deputation repudiated the suggestion that the Government had been influenced by any desire to favour one district at the expense of another, Exception was taken to the application Df what seemed to be a new principle: namely, that before the railway was started it must be shown that it would pay 3 per cent interest. In this case it was possible the capital cost might be lessened by laying down a light line or by utilising water-power now running to waste. It was believed that Ministers had not fully taken into account the capabilities of the district. The impression was strong that the line Would in a few years return a fair g»venue.on the outlay. Mr Sidey went •n to say: "The feeling in the district is such as to render the position of some of your very * loyal 'and enthusiastic supporters difficult. I trust you will reconsider, the position taken The Mayor of Dunedin urged the necessity of the railway, and referred to the promises made "by the Government in the past, on the faith of which orchards had been planted. Mr "Walter- Gow quoted figures as to the estimated revenue, showing a total of £6716 now if the railway were open. It was estimated that the increase of the fruit traffic in three years, owing to extra tree planting, would come to £2383, also that in seven years, with the railway completed, there Would bo a further increase of £2168 calculated, upon trees actually planted, and which would by, then be bearing. In addition the' increase of general traffic consequent upon the opening of the railway in seven years would amount to £5362. Assuming cost of the railway was not excessive, and that £IB,OOO would he required to; pay the cost of working and interest, they had on this showing a total of £16_,579 of revenue. Apart from 751 acres m fruit at Roxburgh, there- were 27,330 acres 'suitable for fruit, of general agricultural land suitable for cropping 29,184 acres, and of pastoral land 303,700 acres.,

Speeches also were delivered by .Mr James Allen, M.P., Mr J. M'Manus (on behalf of working men), Mr Veale (Roxburgh). Mr Bennetts (Teviot). Messrs Pilling and Knight (Lawrence) and Mr Moritzson (Dunedin). . In reply, Sir Joseph Ward 6aid he had not the slightest hesitation in saying that the Government was not going to be tied down by promises made by members of its own or other Ministries to carry out works which would injur© the country. He had. never stated it as a principle that all railways at the outset must pay 3 per cent. In .a young country it was the duty of the Government to help those who were least able to help themselves. In the past he had helped Otago members to promote the Otago' Central Railway. He had ■ helped it right through the piece. The matter of the LawrenceRoxburgh Railway had been brought beforo the Cabinet by the Minister of toiblio Works in a perfectly disinterested manner for. the purpose of discussing it. :.ip, .relation to the position that, had. arisen in connection with the Otago Central Railway. It was the joint difficulty in connection with the two railways which caused tho Cabinet to decide that it was proper and imperative to report to Parliament before going any. further. The revenue from the Otago Central Railway was goingsteadily down, and with £1,280,000 of public money spent on it, it was earning 6s per cent. Inero was nothing comparable to it or approaching it for money spent on bad railways in this country. They had got to this position, that'the railway with its diminishing results was menacing the whole of the railways in New Zealand. Every session for years past a leading member of the Opposition had had put on record the falling-off of revenue on railways in the Middle Island. Every member of the Government _ knew that one factor which was causing this was the falling revenue on the Otago Central line. They were faced with this: That these two railway lines were going to result in a loss of a year. How could they go on professing in one breath that th'ey wanted

to have the railway system paying, and in the next urge that they should continue to construct railways that were going to' burden them with a loss of £50,000 on interest only. It was not bis fault and none of theirs that there was no place in Now Zealand so cursed as the city of Dunedin had been by political promises, made in the past by people for political purposes, and they were suffering for it. The Government was anxious to help Dunedin in every way possible. They would have to face the position in regard to the Otago Central railway in some form or other beforo very long. They could not shut their eyes to the fact that a return of (is per cent was so low that it was a question of whether other railways should be penalised to keep that line up. Let people join together and show that they.were sincere, and pay any deficiency on the rat© of interest. If the people wanted to construct the line themselves the Government would give them every facility. The only way to serve Central Otago was fey a narrow gauge railway. It could not produce results to pay for a 3ft 6in gauge. He undertook to have the arguments fully and impartially examined. He would also undertake to say that tho matter would be reconsidered by the wholo of his colleagues, who would report to Parliament.