MEETING AT WAIKAIA.

Mataura Ensign, Issue 758, 3 July 1900, Page 2

MEETING AT WAIKAIA.

(By Our Special Roporter.) A largely attended and fully representative meeting was held at Waikaia on Saturday evening with the same object in view. Mr Colin Robertson was elected Chairman, and said although they had been holding meetings for the last twenty years, thoy seemed to have gone back instead of going ahead. Ho was gratified to preside over such a representative gathering ; it showed that the people weje at last determined to look after their own interests. Eeferring to the benefits the district would derive from the railway, the speaker said its non-completion had vastly deteriorated land values. ' When the line was in course of construction, corner sites in the township were worth £100 each, and back sections £20. They all knew that such sections were not worth half that amount to-diiy, and that in spite of the increase of setllomuiit which had occurred. It had been suggested that the County Council should bo petitioned with the object of rating on unimproved values in the district. But where was tho unimproved value ? Twenty years ago land in Wendonside sold for as much as £5 12s Gd an acre in the tussock. To-day the same land would not fetch that amount with all the improvements included. The value of land had gone back because the railway was not pushed on. About twelve or fifteen years ago tho line was in course of construction, and tenders were called for the bridge. After a tender had been accepted, the contractor's deposit was kept, and the railway was not gone on with further. When the present political party got into power, a deputation waited on Mr Seddon, aB Minister for Public Works, at Invercargill. The hardship and injustice to settlers through the construction of the line being suspended were pointed out to Mr Seddon, who said the money for the line was not there, but that he would see justice done to the district in the matter. But (the speaker contended) the money was there, and had been diverted from its proper channel during tho la^t nine years. When Mr Seddon, as Premier, visited Waikaii just before last election, he promised to have an exhaustive inquiry made into the wholematter, and to let the settlers know the result. That was seven months ago, and they had had no reply up to date. Ho (the speaker) certainly thought that when tho Premier made a distinct promise on the hustings, the least he could do was to fulfil that promise. They must keep on agitating for the railway — it meant the life or death of the district. If the Government had the honestly to say straight out whether or not they would give the settlers the railway, they would give up agitating. As things were at present the line was kept dangling before them like a bunch of carrots. The Minister for Public Works in the previous Government (Mr Mitchelson) had said the railway would not pay for axle grease, and Mr Seddon, in a similar capacity, had said the same. He (the speaker) and anyone else who knew the district, contended that it would pay. Probably the line would not yield such handsome profits as some others, but, through the impetus it would give to the industries of the district, it could not help paying. Monoy had been borrowed for the line, but diverted to other railways, and, as a matter of justice, the Riversdale-Swilzers railway should be completed. — (Loud applause.) Mr John Mack moved " That, seeing a new bridge is to be erected across tho Mataura river on the line of route of the BiversdalcSwitzers railway, it be a recommendation to the Government to make a grant sufficient to so construct the bridge that it will be suitable both for railway and traffic purposes." The mover pointed out that if his suggestion were adopted by the Government tho greatest obstaclo (that of bridging the Mataura) would bo removed out of the way of the lino being proceeded with. — Mr J. Davidson, junr., seconded. The Chairman said that before last session, the County Council applied to the Government for £3000 for a bridge to carry both the railway and ordinary traffic. This session application for a grant had to be renewed, and ho (the speaker) had caused an amount to be asked for only sufficient for the traffic bridge. By doing this he hoped to force the hands of the Government to see whether they intended to go on with the railway or not. If they passed the reduced vote now asked for, it would plainly indicate that there was no chance of getting tho line. Mr A. Crawford said he was induced to take up land at Wendonsido on tho specific understanding that the line was going through. The plans showed it, and only for the prospects of the line going through he would not have taken up land. The settlers had been defrauded and shamefully used. He did not blame the Government, but the School Commissioners, and he was willing to make one to put £5 in the hat to try a case in the Supremo Court as to whether they had not been induced to take up land under false pretences. He believed the line would yield good profits, as it would attract settlement and develop the industries of the district. If the line did not pay, all he could say was that it would certainly be a breach of promise.—(Laughter and applause). , In reply to Mr Christie, the Chairman said the difference in cost between a traffic bridge pure and simple and one suitable for both railway and traffic would be about £IGOO. Mr Howorth (the County Engineer) had looked into the detailed surveys already prepared and estimated that the railway could be completed from the bridge to Waikaia for £30,000. Mr Mack's motion was then put and carried unanimously. Mr J Maher said he was one of those who were induced to take up land on the distinct promise that the railway would be completed. He purchased his land on tho unimproved value, and to-day, with all the improvements on it, it was no more valuable than when'he first took it up. Mr Maher detailed the circumstances of the rails and sleepers on the completed portion of tho line being lifted in February last, and said that he telegraphed to the Minister for Railways stating thai, the people of Wendonside strongly protested against the proceeding. He reoeived a reply which stated that the rails were being lifted because they were not fit for traffic, and, in any case, new rails iweuld be needed. What was being done must not be taken as deterring the completion of the line when it was decided upon. The line was decided upon 15 years ago, and he considered it a very retrograde step for the Governmant to allow the rails to be lifted. After harvest he had telegraphed to the Hon. Mr Ward asking him if he could appoint a date on which to receive a deputation. The reply stated that it was impossible for Mr Ward to name a date, but in a fortnight later he would be coming South and would then fix a date. It was the speaker's intention to have meetings held at Waikaia, Wendonside, and Biversdale to appoint a deputation and bring such pressure to bear upon Mr Ward that he would have beon unable to have resisted the claims of the district any longer. But ho (the speaker) got no further reply from Mr Ward. He had been South, but had not appointed a date for the deputation to meet him as promised. He thought (to do the Minister justice) He must have forgotten his promise owing to the increase of his duties by reason of being appointed Acting-Premier. It had been decided to make another effort; hence the meeting that night. The Government said the Biversdals-Switzers line would not pay. That was nonsense; no one could say it woald not pay. The line had been started 14 years ago, and yat only the other day the Government had commenced the Waiau railway, which would not pay the proverbial axle grease. It was a rank injustice that the settlers in the Waikaia district should be deprived of their line and the Waiau district jet one. Be was told that the very rails lifted from the Riversdale-Switzers line had been laid on the Orepuki- Waiau railway. Another hindrance to the completion of the line was the fact that the cost to finish it was invariably stated as £60,000 on the Estimates. An amount of £44,000 was the original estimate, and materials were very much cheaper now. He thought £25,000

: ■ 4 would be ample to complete the line from the : river to Waikaia.— (Tho Chairman: ".Mr • Howorth would be very glad to undertake the job for £30,000.") From time to time the different governments in power had sent up experts to examine into the prospects of the line paying. These experts got out at Eiversdale—(The Chairman :" " They ' get at ' them there," and laughter.)— and the people they went to for information were " dead nuts " on the l'ne. On the way up in the coach these exports were always told that the land would not feed a goat, and during the whole of their inspection they did not meet one person who was interested in the railway. And then they wont back to .Wellington and reported that the line would not pay axle grease. When the Premier wns at Waikaia, he (the speaker) asked him if there was any immediate chance of. their getting the line finished. Mr'Seddon replied that he could not say yes or no, but he promised that inquiries would bo made, the result of which would be conveyed to them. Inquiries might have been made, but they had heard nothing since. Deferring to the new bridge over the Mataura, he (the speaker) protested against one solely for traffic being put up, necessitating the erection of another for the railway within two chains, as a waste of money. He proposed that an organisation be formed to bo known as the Waikaia- Bailway League, and that an energetic executive bo appointed to keep the matter before the Government. A railway loan was "on the street," and if they kept at the Government no doubt something would be done. Their member was powerless to do anything in the matter, so they must work. — Mr A. Davidson seconded the motion, which was carried. Mr T. Taylor believed they bad one of the finest districts in the colony— one of the finest in tho world, even. — (Applause). They had a valley capable of producing first-class sheep and oats, and they bad minerals in unlimited quantity. There were millions of tons of yellow ochre and vegetable paints only awaiting development by a railway. He (the speaker) had gone to considerable exponse in experimenting with the vegetable paints to bo found in the district. He had procured machinery and set up a small factory. Unfortunately, the man who was in tho scheme with him, after producing some "very beautiful paints, went oil his head, and there the matter stopped. — (Laughter). Tho Government did not realise the vast extent of the resources of the valley, or else they would have made the railway long ago. He would bo very much disappointed if they had not kerosene oil in the district. At all events ihy had a deposit which, if a match were applied to it, would burn and stink like fury. —(Laughter). That was the beauty of it.— (Laughter). Thero was room for 10,000 laborers in the valley, and they would be there yet. — (Applause). Mr P. Maher reported what had been done at Wendonside at the meeting on Wednesday evening. Referring to the- necessity for united action, he said the Chairman was the best authority for had taken place in the past in that direction, ho being a member of the Land and Progress Committee 25 years ago. To their credit was duo the fact that the runs in the district had been cut up and settled. The Waikaka Progress Committee had been largely instrumental in getting the Waikaka and Waikaia streams proclaimed sludge channels, and he was not ■iware that Waikaia had helped in that important matter. Inferring to the difficulties experienced by settlers on School Commissioners' land, Mr Maher said they had an annual coal famine. There were pits all round them which they were not allowed to use. The people of the whole district were suffering under injustices, but they had thomselves to blame for not keeping the progress of the district in the forelront. When the Commissioners' land was sold it was almost guaranteed that the first season's' crop would be carried by the railway. Tho Commissioners would no doubt be only too pleased to see the lino completed, as it would increase the value of their endowments. It devolved upon all of them, therefore, to put their shoulders to the wheel and to agitato for their just and lawful rights— the Riversdale-Switzers railway. — (Applause). The Chairman quoted figures showing the extent of country the railway would directly benefit. This included some 100,000 acres of agricultural land, 00,000 of which was firstclass, and its unimproved value would be set Jown at £1 an acre, and 40,000 acres secondclass at 10s per acre. There were also 100,000 •icres of very good pastoral land, and, besides, 10,500 acres in the Waikaia bush. Certainly this bush was not very valuable now, but in time to come it would be of great importance. The County Engineer-said some of the timber in it would make as good piles as Australian timber. There were some 3000 acres of mining reserve all round the township, and the terraces between Edinburgh Castle and Welshman's Gully would yield the best gold in the district if water were available. It was ultimately agreed that the membership subscription of the League should bo Is, and 44 names were secured in the room. The following executive was appointed : — • Messrs Colin Kobertson and Pinckney (representing Waikaia district), Taylor (representing Waikaia township), and J. Maher and Crawford (representing Wendonside). The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks to the chairman. At a subsequent meeting of the executivo Me Colin Kobertson was appointed chairman, Mr J. Maher secretary, and Mr T. Taylor treasurer. The secretary was instructed to write to the momber for the district enlisting his cooperation ; to the Premier intimating that a League had been formed, reminding him of his promise to have inquiries into the railway made, and pointing out the amount of land and extent of industries to be benefited ; to the Minister for Railways, and to the three Southland members (Messrs McNab, Gilfedder, and Hanan) asking their support to the efforts of the League and Mr Eraser in the direction of getting the line completed. Copies of the resolutions passed at both meetings were ordered to bo sent to the Premier and Mr Ward, and the Executivo resolved to meet on alternate Saturdays at 3