BLENHEIM SEDDON RAILWAY.

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXVI, Issue 237, 11 October 1902, Page 1

BLENHEIM SEDDON RAILWAY.

OPENING OF THE LINE.

A SUCCESSFUL FUNCTION.

Perfect weather—sunny and delight fully temperate — prevailed for the ceremony wish which the BlenheimSeddon railway was opened yesterday; to public traffic, and the event was of an entirely successful nature. A. public holiday was observed in Blenheim, and the three trains to Seddon wore crowded with p.'is.-cnsjers, about 1500 people travelling along the line. The detailed plan and the working of the railway arrangements reflect the greatest credit on Mr Edwards, the local manager.

The Ministerial party consisted of Sir J. G. Ward, Acting-Premier; Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister for Lands; the Hon. C. H. Mills and Mrs, Mills, and Miss Mills (2). The Hon. W. Hall-Jones was unable to be present, being detained in Wellington by urgent business. Among the visitors were Mr J. Ronayne, General Manager for Railways ; Mr J. Coom, Chief Engineer of Railways ; Mr W. H. Gow, Chief Traffic Superintendent; Mr W. H. Hales, Chief Engineer of Public Works Department; Mr W. A. Kennedy, Wellington Manager "of the Union S.S. Co.; Mr Jno. Duthie, Weliiugton; Mr H. Baigent, Mayor ot Nelson; Mr J. Tinline, Nelson; Mr Samuel Johnson, Waipawa; Mr G. Renner, Chairman of the Kaikoura Couaty Council; representative men of all the local bodies;. and a big contingent of old settlers and identities.

VIEWING THE COUNTRY.

The Ministerial party, with His Worship the Major and Borough Councillors, chairmen and members of local bodies, and the majority of the visitors, left town for Seddon by the 8 o'clock train. On arrival there, after about an hour's run, the party were welcomed by a number of Seddon settlers and residents.

Shortly afterwards Sir J. G. Ward, Hons Duncan and Mills, accompanied 4jy.Mr J. ft. Redwood, Miss Crow and Press representatives, were taken for a drive by Mes<SfS^J3l2iS^ ind Lissiman, to obtain a view oftl^6B^^J that they might observe for themserviSsJ*3 adaptability for close settlement, and*

the immense area which is available to be acquired and thrown open for settlement.

The route taken was from the township to the old road, and thence along that to the top of the Lion's Back, where a splendid view of the Starborough and Blind River valleys was pb tamed. The position of tihe various estates was pointed out to the party by Mr Redwood. A return was then made along the old road to. the main road again, and the party were driven along it over the Marathon portion .of the Starborough estate as far as the boundary of the Richmond Brook sections thrown open to settle* ment. ■

The party then returned tp Seddon in time for the railway opening oeremony at noon.

The Acting-Premier and Minister for Lands were much pleased with the drive, and evidently muefi impressed with the suitability of the country for the purposes of clpser settlement. and the large area of it requiring to be brought under the provisions of the Lands for Settlement Act, and the necessity of doing so in order that settlement may be properly pushed ahead to support and increase the railway traffic.

The country was looking well, despite the want of warm spring showers. It was noticeable that large portions of each holding had been broken up. and were under crop, which was of good growth and color. Portions that had been re gras-ed were also in good trim, and on the way the party were shown the fifty-acre paddock sown down this, autumn by" Messrs Schwass Bros, in grass, the growth of which has been remarkable. On all sides the prosperity of the settlers was evidenced by the good appearance of their holdings and the substantial residences they had built or that were seen in course of erection.

_.. OPENING CEREMONY. The official c'SFcSiony of opening the line took place in the 'Sefitfon station

yard shortly after noon. The yard and entrances thereto we're gay with festoons of flags and bunting, and the buildings had been prettily decorated with greenery and native foliage for so-auspicious an-occasion.

His Worship the Mayor said they had met there for the purpose of having the line formally declared open by the Acting-Premier and Minister for Railways; Sir J. G. Ward, and on behalf of the people of the district he extended a hearty welcome to him and the Ministerial party. The function was a very important one, and marked a forward movement in local history, as the line to Seddon was a second instalment of the South Island Main Trunk Line, and another link in the railway connection of Auckland to the Bluff, which they all hoped would be an accomplished fact before many years had passed. He also extended a hearty welcome to the visitors who favored them by being present. He had received apologies for absence from Messrs G. Scott (of Scott Bros, Christchurch), T. L. Buick (Palmers- : ton North), John Hutcheson, M.H.R. (Wellington), Major Steward, M.H.R., the Mayor of Christchurch, Mr A. B. G. Rhodes (ex-Mayor of Christchurch), the Mayor of Wellington, Lieut.-Col. Pitt, M.L.C., Captain Baillie, M.L.C., Mr O. Y. Fell (Nelson), Mr Buddo, M.H.R., and many others. The Hon. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works, had wired expressing his regret at being unable to be present at the opening ceremony owing to pressing business to which it was necessary he should attend, but offered his felicitations on the opening of the line. On behalf of the Awatere Road Board, Blenheim Borough Council, and other local bodies throughout the district, he would call on Sir J. G. Ward to perform the opening ceremony.

SIB J. WABD'S SPEECH.

Having thanked the Mayor for his introduction. Sir J. Ward said they were that day celebrating a .great event, important not only, to this part of the colony, but to the whole of the country. It was an important event^ because it represented the work, bei^g carried oa in all parts of the colony,; which was bringing the people ifito closer contact with the outside s&rldi and helping them to get tb^r products to the seaboard at .arlninimum cost. He offered Ms eofcgjfititfitiions to the Marl borough Landasfd Railway League on this celebiTj^toß, lander such favorable cirdwifistatioeß, of. the achievement oE an object which ft had so con-* sistently advocated. Another name that they All knew w'^s'deservedly conneotedvv?si4(li> :th© advance beinp ; cota* memprated-^as that of their popular representative, the Hon. C. H. Mills. (Applause), FJe knew of his own personal knowledge of the value of Mr Mills to his district a»aof tiheatrength

o his desire to see the country south of Seddon opened tip and the railway carried through to Christchurch. Trideed, in this respect Mr Mills had ' almost been what was known as a "political nuisance" (laughter); the line would have been much further ahead if the efforts put forth by the member for the district! had been followed out in their entirety. Sir J. Ward went on.to'say that the Government's work of railway construction ■ had to be governed by financial con- : sideration, and for complete, success it must go hand in hand with land settlement. Dwelling on the necea' i sity of extending the railways through ' the country aa an incentive to settlement, he referred to the wonderful enterprise shown in the United States and Canada, where they did not wait for settlement, but pushed on fchei? lines even across deserts to provide means of communication for the people. The result was an enormous increase of population, and a wonderful industrial, record. Settlers were attracted fromall parts of the world ; and .some >: I people, he was sorry to Si y,: went there even from New Zealand. If the policy iof establishing Hues of communication was attended with such success in America, it was reasonable to suppose that it would contribute tip the development of New Zealand with its uniformly fertile country. The Acting- r I Premier then proceeded to review the history of the Picton-Seddon railway, giving out a quantity of interesting official information. ■ ■■■''•■ The construction of the first portion of this railway between Blenheim and Pic ton, about 20 miles, was authorised . by "The Railways Act, 1871." This was one of six railway lines , contracted for by Messrs Brqgden and Sons in December 1871, and was completed and opened to traffic to the Opawa River in 1875. A farther portion to Blenheim was opened in May, 1880, though the station buildings at Blenheim were not finished till November. Another portion of the line to the Awatere was authorised by the " Public Works Act, 1879," and a still farther length beyond Awatere to Lake Grassmere by the "Railways Authorisation Act, 1899-" This section had not yet been commenced.; The construction of the line to the south of Blenheim was begun by" the" unemployed" in 1879, and the formation' completed for a distance of four and a half miles by, contract in 1882. The formation of a further length, 3J miles, known as Dasbwood section, was aaishedjnlßßß, aitd in additional 2}; > miles in lSaS^fflftfc&e'WH? miles in all.The 2f miles seutTTJlU*gfinfleim to, Riverlands was completed anS*4&anded over to the Railway. Commissioned 'or public traffic on 18th April, 18fflk;/$fcgi5 construction of the remainder of thep^ line to Seddon was commenced in Sep- ' tember, 1898, and the line between Blenheim and Dumgree practically completed in 1900, since when settlers' goods and produce have been conveyed over the portion of the line not handed., over to the Railway Department, by : means of the ballast train. . The contract for the Awatere Bridge was let to Messrs Scott Bros., of Christchurob, in April, 1899, and completed early, this year. The bridge is 1065 feet in length, the superstructure being of steel supported on oast iron cylinders and concrete piers, and abutments. It - , is a combined road and railway bridge, and it is the only one in the colony where the railway and road are carried at different levels. Representationshaving been made as. to the necessity for some protection to trains crossing, the bridge from the strong winds that blow occasionally, a suitable wind-screen has been erected. The only further work requiring tp be done. | to make the line complete is a siding at the summit, and some of the buildings! at Seddon, The total"length of the line from Blenheim to Seddon Is abont Isf miles, and from Picton to Seddon 33f miles. The expenditure on Picton to Seddon section to 31st March, 1902, was £322,231, and from April Ist to September 30th, 1902, £2,481, a total of £324,712; and on the WaiparaCheviot £61,664 and £7,942 for similac • periods, making a total of £69,606. The cost of the section from Blenheim to Seddon to September 30 is £135,000.' The expenditure year by year for the ten years ending March 31st, 1902, has been — .-. • , tJ © • S3 .sS &| 1 JtJ ill J£ ' 1 •*&93 £4,666 £2,527 £7,193 1894 -.1,224 — 1,224 1895 ' v 756 — 756 1896 — —^.— — / 1897 276 276 1898 74 — %*^-"7*-~ 1899 4,742 115 4^857----1900 15,350 9,047 >. . 24,397 > 1901 19,562 4,288 r 23,850 1902 16,475 2,616 lp0i( Total,., ... ... £81,718 "This is where Mr Mills comes in" (applause), said Sir J. Ward, quoting the 1900 expenditure; and, referring to the 1901 figures, "This is where the Land and Railway League c6m^s4a'*^" (applause). For the current year £60,000 had been voted for the Blen-heim-Waipara railway—-£7OOO for the northern end and £53,000 for the southern end. The bridge over the Awatere cost £23,400, made up by payment to contractors £22,216, and the wind-screen £1184. A word in reference to the revenue of the railways. A most satisfactory fact was that notwithstanding the enormous reductions in rates and the concessions the revenue had greatly expanded. The record made, by the local line was a splendid one for suoh a section of railways. During the year ended March 31st, 1891, the earnings of the Picton section amounted to £7174, and to March 31st, 1895, £6628, a decrease of £516 or 7^ per cent.; but the revenue for the year ended March. 31,1902, was £10,977, an inoreaae oW 1895 of £4349 or 65 per cent., and m$R.-~----1891 of £3803 or 53 p©> cen> ', whole colony's revenue returns ia 1902 were £1,874,586, an increase over 1896 of £723,735 or 6> per cent., and c^yef 1891 of £752,8£5 or 67 per cent. Th> number of Passengers carried, on the Picton section for the period of March 'c Ist, 1891, was 36,086, and x 1895* 33,47§, a decrease of 2610; but for the period ended March 31st, 1902, the nujbdber was 72,084, an increase of. ,sg,6o£qver, 1895 and 35,998 ove* 1891. , The revenue for the six months ended 13tih September on: the Picton section ; wafr £s^Bl, as compared wM £4445 for: the same period last; year, an increase of £736 or? 16|pe* cenfc> (Applause). This result was a proof? Of the development of the district., ' Although the district had vmade wonderful progress in; the way of,product tion the population had not inpreasedt :■ to any great extent. In J 891 it wasi: 12,767, and in 190113,326, an increase^ of only 559. But the capital value of ? lands and jmprovemenfes in the province had increased during the decade by £33 ,237, from £2,826,386 in 1891 v to £3,158,623 in 1901. The;n»mtter: ol: oocupied holdings had; inoreased: $${4 580 from 852 in 189L;t0t1438

The land in crop showed an increase of 5890 acres, from 22,803 acres to 28,693 ; in grass by 181,160 acres, from 171,919 acres to 356,079 acres; and the number of sheep by 32,594, from 789,218 in 1891 to 821,812 in 1901. In giving the information as to the time that it had taken to bring the line from Blenheim to Seddon, Sir J. Ward said that he trusted the next section would be pushed on more quickly than the one which they were opening that day. (Applause.) In the making of the line south of Blenheim the " unemployed " had been used to a large extent. But in th's country there were to-day no unemployed, at least if there were any it was because they would not go to the work which was plentiful in different pa^ts of the colony, but waited for it to come to their doors. Remarking on the' district's progress as indicated by the figures he had quoted, he sad that it was necessary for the Government to euage in this manner what advancement was being made by a district in order that they might judge as to the proper policy to pursue—in acquiring new lands for instance. Although the population of this district had not increased very much, the settlers became more wealthy, as was shown by the increase in the capital value. For its sizo, the district was one of the mo-t productive in the Colony ; w« had almost every industry—gold mining, flaxmilling, flour-milling, etc. There had been no less than 32 sawmills in operation here. He alluded to these facts in order to put it on record that the district had been developing. He believed that with the cutting up of large estates and the opening up of tbe railway, the population would largely increase, and the output of products would expand in a material degree. The Mayor had referred to the time that had been occupied in getting the railway to its present point. The total distance from Christchurch to Picton is 214 miles, and from Christchurch to Blenheim is 196 milss. The railway is now constructed from Picton to Seddon, and nearly finished from Ghristchurch as far north as Skargill. The distance from Seddon to Skar gill is 125 miles, and it is estimated the line will cost £1,110, 000 to construct. The line is in hand between Skargill and Hurunui, though not very much has yet been done; and a contract has recently been let fos- the ironworks for the bridge over the Hurunui River and the concrete piers and abutments are about to be constructed by the Public Works Department. The distance from Seddon to Hurunui is 117 miles, and the cost is estimated to be £1,042,000. The progress of the line depended to a large extent do the question of the Government being able to acquire some of the larger estates through which it would pass. Their endeavors to acquire Flaxbourne had extended over some time. There was a differ- : ence as to the price. He did not take exception to the desire of the owners to obtain the fall value of the property, but on the other hand it wasj the bounden duty of the Government to make every effort consistent witbr justice and reason to acquire land re-; quired lor the prosecution of those1 works necessary to the interests of the country. It was their duty to secure to the people the material increase ih value that would be given to land as the result of their own expenditure on public works carried out in the development of the country, and for which increase, if not secured, the people would have to pay. They had to safeguard posterity. Nothing in the shape of sentiment should stand in the way. The owners of Flaxbourne had not accepted the offer made on the recommendation of the Land Purchase Commissioners. The Government were continuing negotiations, and were prepared to go to all reasonable lengths from the view point of the interests and security of the country ; and if an agreement was not arrived at the Government were prepared to put into operation the compulsory clauses of the Act. The Government did not like exercising the compulsory provisions, but it was necessary that land settlement should go' ahead, and that the progress of the railway should not be too long deferred. (Applause). He had had the pleasure that day of a bird's eye view of the country beyond Seddon, and his impression was that the land was very suitable for subdivision into smaller areas, and that close settlement there would be successful and would contribute materially to the revenue of the railway. The Government was taking the whole matter into consideration ; and while they recognised the rights of the owners to get the full value of the property and had the desire to proceed without creating the shadow of an in justice, they desjred to see the maximum amount of good brought about in the general interests—to see settlera established in the interior of tb* country, the merchants prosper, and mechanics and artisans benefited in the greatest possible degree. He ex pressed regret; that the Premier was not present at that day's function. It would have afforded him the greatest pleasure to have opened the line to the only station in the colony named after himself. Sir J. Ward took the opportunity of pointing out in connection with the coming elections that members of the Cabinet had responsibilities apart from their duties as representatives of their district. They bad to attend to the duties of the Administration of which they formed part (©tberwise the Government of the country could not be carried on); and he would ask them to bear this in miud in connection with fcbe appearance of the Hon. C. H. Mills ia his electorate during the forthcom ing contest, Having congratulated one and all on the successful character of the function, of th^t day, Sir J. Ward expressed the hope thafc the business of the! railway would justify its early extension, and that at no distant date the tijunk railway to Christchurch would be jjjompleted. He looked forward to the f time when Auckland would be connected with the Bluff by rail, and a ferry seryipg) would be run ning across Cookf Straits by means of Government steamers, on which the people would be |ble to travel over the Straits at the rate of l-|d first class and Id second clae^ and which would carry goods at \ rates uniform with those of the railway service. (Applause). The scheme was bound to come ; nothing could stop it. He did not think the time was far distant; and he hoped that he would be alive and well to see ity^Dwelling on the subject of railway extension, he said it was ridiculous to talk in alarming accents about the 19 millions expended on the railways. The money was re productive, and the steady prosecution of the work of completing the railway system was absolutely necessary to the development of the country. In Canada one private company had spent more on one line than was represented by the whole of New Zealand's national debt. The trunk lines must bo completed, and branch lines constructed to act as feeders. In conclusion Sir J. Ward said he had now to perform the new and pleasing duty of driving the en , gine into the station and breaking a ribbon held across the line by Mrs Mowat and Mr John Tinline.

The Acting-Premier then mounted the footplate of the engine, of which Messrs Sergeant and Ypung were the driver and fireman respectively, and held the regulator, driving the engine with the attached carriages and waggons slowly forward, and, amid the acclamations of those present and the strains of " Mcc the Conquering Hero" by the Hibernian Band, breaking I&»|ap.e of many-colored ribbons held

across the line from the platform to the eroods-shed by Mrs Mowat, of Altimarloeh, and Mr John Tinline. Nelson, two of the early settlers of the Awatere.

OTHER, MINISTERS.

At the invitation of the Mayor, the Hon. T. Y. Duncan, Minister of Lands, addressed the gathering. He said it gave him great pleasure to attend this important function. The district traversed by the railway was a magnificent one, and later on the line would pass through country equally as good. There was no reason why the railway should not in future years serve a large population, indeed he hoped that Seddon would grow into the proportions of a city. We had fertility of soil, there was land here equal to anything, and all that was wanted was the continued work of the right class of settlers. He was told some time ago that Blind River, further on, would be a white elephant; those who uttered that prediction had made a mistake. Referring to the question of acquiring other estates along the railway route, tho Minister said that the Flaxbourne difficulty was hard to overcome, but he hoped that it would be disposed of be fore long. It behoved the Government to be very careful in dealing for the purchase of the estate, and not to make a bargain which would mean the placing of an excessively high value on the land and the high renting of future tenants. He hoped, however, that an arrangement would be arrived at by which the estate would be acquired within a few months. The transaction would make the way clear for the railway ; and he believed that the closer settlement of the country ahead of Seddon would be most successful.

The Hon. C. H. Mills, who was called on by the Mayor, was the next speaker. He said it was hardly neces sary for him to say how delighted be was to attend a ceremony which meant so much to the district. It was with hearty feeling that he accepted the invitation to join in with Sir J. Ward and the Hon. Mr Duncan and offer his felicitations; and he also had to thank the Ministers for participating in the proceedings, especially as it was with great difficulty that they got away feo attend the function. Mr Mills went on to say that he had always had at heart the object of completing the main trunk lines, and settling the fine tract of country between Blenheim and Christchurch — a stretch of country which both the Premier and the Minister for Public Works had recognised after travelling over it as splondidly suitable for close settlement. These objects were of more than provincial significance; they were of national import. With the trunk railways com pleted and a ferry service across the Straits, he ventured to say, thousands of people would travel north and south who, under present conditions, never leave their homes. (Applause). It was a proud day for him to stand there with the line to Seddon opened and with the knowledge that the difficulties in the way of the construction of of the trunk line were being grappled with. • With regard to Sir J. Ward's explanation as to the presence of a Cabinet Minister in his own district during election time, he hoped that if he found he would not be able to go to smaller places in his electorate, due allowance would be made.

Mr Mills thanked Sir J. Ward and the Minister for Lands for attending the ceremony ; and at his instance three hearty cheers were accorded to the Ministerial visitors.

The Mayor announced that a public luncheon would follow. In doing so he said that the action of the Committee with respect tj the issuing of invitations had attracted some criticism. Their idea was to invite a representative of every family whose settlement here dated back to the fifties, and if any omission had beea made they would be only too ready to rectify it. As ib was, the accommodation of tho luncheon room (the railway goods' shed) was already overtaxed, and he hoped that the assurance that no omission was intended would be accepted.