SETTLERS AND RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 12726, 1 December 1904, Page 4

SETTLERS AND RAILWAYS.

At the opening of the Otago Central railway to Onmkau, both Mr. Sedclon and Sir Joseph Ward were in that magnanimous humour invariably inspired iii our rulers by the sight of the benefactions, a humour we never find them in when they visit Auckland. The Premier declaimed in favour of closer settlement for "the large extent of country opened by the line," and looked forward to the time when this would he one of the best paying lines in the colony." Mr. Seddon's prophetic vision toys with the centuries as easily as his policy ignores the present. Closer settlement* is good for the whole colony—even for Central ofcago. But why does the Government take so much trouble with comparatively worthless regions while it leaves untouched the native lands of the North? These native lands are among the best and most fertile in the whole colony. They are practically Crown Lauds, for the Crown pre-empts them against European settlement, and will not,allow the natives to sell them. They will generally carry much closer settlement than any land ever heard of in Central Otago, yet are locked up by i the law, for which Mr. Seddon is rei sponsible. And as for paying lines, j the Helensville Northward and the '\ Gisborne-Botorua, if constructed with (half the energy devoted to the Central Otago, would pay not; in some visionary epoch, but at once. Our Northern settlers are not following the railway, but waiting for it, and may be pardoned if they do not think the present Administration as benevolent as do Central Otago land speculators. Sir- Joseph Ward, equally harmonious with his surroundings, almost wept at the recollection of the unpatriotic spirit which expected "branch lines"— such as , the " Helensville Northward," which is part of the Main Trunk be made concurrently with ."trunk lines"—-such as the Otago Central, which burrows into the desolate hills. Carried away by his emotions he sketched a magnificent dream of borrowing enough " when money was cheaper" for building ; "the Otago Central and the Nor-; thern Trunk within eighteen months and the Midland within two years." j Our insignificant little " branch lines" could be left to build themselves ; at any rate they did not i figure in Sir Joseph's dream. Money has never been cheaper than during the reign of the present Administration, and is not likely to be as cheap again during the coming years. Sir Joseph Ward was only harmonious with his surroundings, Sin saying pleasant things to an appreciative and applauding audience. But it is instructive to observe the sense of perspective of the present Government and the extraordinary importance it; attaches to closer settlement aiad' rapid railway construction in the wastes of Central , Otago, while it completely prevents the settlement of the Native Lands in the North and. almost entirely suspends the construction of lines like the Helensville Northward and the GisborneRotorua. It is probable that no other Government would do as much I for Central Otago, but, on the other hand, no other Government could i possibly do as little for the North | Island*