HEDGEHOPE RAILWAY.

Mataura Ensign, 22 July 1914, Page 4

HEDGEHOPE RAILWAY.

REQUEST FOR AUTHORISATION

AN AMENDING UAILWAV HILL

11V TC.LKUUAI'II. fUOM OUlt SI'IX'IAI. COKUESCoNDKNT

wi:llin<;ton, juiv *ji. -Messrs 1.1 L I'oppehvoil, 'i'. t.tceli, U. Nylier and J. .Mackintosh, introduced by Mr [i. ,) . Anderson (M.P. lor .Ualanra) waited on the l'nme Minister (Kt. nun. \\. I'. .Miirsey) and the Miu:ster t..r Public Work- (Hon. \V. .{•rase:-) to-day to asl> unit the (jortrlcdgeuope tiailway be authorised.

Air Anderson said the railway wais \ beit.ic uio itouse ia.sl year hy a petition loi' survey. I In, year the League asked for its aiithoi ivatioii.

.Mr i'oppohu-:l said a petition was presented 10 t.'le House id years ago when .settlement was limited. Now settlement was comparatively close and the railway id. needed to bring coal and timber which ncre abundant m tiio district tapped by the rauway. 'I lio land was go.,a agr.ciillural country (-.inable ol close suDtlivisitui. Tlie League did not iisk for a heavy line but one suitable to the io(|iiircnicnts ol tho country. there was one large estato itilcctcd. 'I he Hallway League did not Wi-.li to make representation:* about thai. It recognised that the puiclumo ol that, estate was a ipicsiion of policy. I lie deput.it-(in asked that the line should be authorised, il not iinniedaieiy then as soon a.s a torward movement in rauway coiii.triieiion mis adopted. Tho •settleis had signed petitions stating Uiat 'hey were prepared to nay rates on their land and to jay any loss up to tlie average percentage earned by tile NewZealand railways. They did not ask for a lavor but were prepared to assist themselves by pledging the right to rate their land. Air (!recti said he had agisted tho firs! petition ior this railway and had -up]■iirled every one during toe past -'.) years. He was .-.atislied mat the jilie would pay from the date of its construction. .Metal or gravel was expensive in the dislricl alfected, the IxHt quality of which had <!>t Mataura ..■..\•. l •W)s~■Wt♦r■ ! is *ffvYyar<l. _ 'I here wero mi engineering diiliculties in the way. M i' W'yber endorsed, the statement * of the uievious speakers. He said he was a farmer in the district ji"d knew the difficulties encountered.

Mr Mackintosh, :>s represent iny llcdgchope, was iil-ii in accord with the i'epnv>eiit»iioiib made.

MIMSTFJiS' RKI'LIFS,

li.Dii. \V. Feasor .said- Ik> recogni.'ied Lll:>L this liiii' was one that should be ems, i ueled lint it would not be good I'd! icy l»i authorise it. while a large estate «•!!•» in private hands. Two Hying had iieen made and one Was now in process of being made. Thoru w;'re at present .'VJ lines anlliorHcd anil lie did nut think that under the circumstances the line coihd he authorised llns si*Mon. He rtut'.d net agree to it while .such a huge (.state Worked the. wiy. The tmrclii'.xe- ol tlii.s must lie with ihe Lands Department. Jin intended In intro lure an Amending Kii.ilv.;>y iiiil providing for the .setting up of railway rating distiirti and board*. He ilial the deputation ■should wait and --co that Hill and it miglii hr wi.M.' to construct the lino under it. Mr Massey said if la- estate >yas for i-ale at a reasonable figure mid hi.s land purchase nliirers advised its yurcliH.so at a price he would lie ready to buy but he would not pay a I'iiiirv price for it. Unl'oriui:alely iund which had already been purchasi d in Southland on the advice of the l.iml Purchase Hoard had not ail been taken mi. His ofhccr.s had advi.sed him that this was on account of the high mice of -sheen and'that tiic hind would all be taken u;> .dim tlv. He thought the dcnulathm suould take Mr I'Va-or's suggestion and wait until (heHallway Hill came down and waspa>ed whe:i its provisions might he found to he suitable to their requirement*. If it win. i'oiind to he r,.>t" aimlirablo to their case then tile .line would have to lake it* place lor considoinlion with otliei>. rile (hiveniiiicnt had ipiitcji number of similar applications for railways. He understood that the Opunako and Xew J'lynr.nilh people intruded to construct their line under the (lovcrninciit's new pioiiosaU". He congratulated the people upon their willingness to submit to rating a.s n that c.i-.> there should lie little difficulty ill oltltlillilig their railway under ihe new Act. If, howrvrr, tlii.s iv;w not ;os.sihle then the line would iie taken into consideration with oilier.-'.