A LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14145, 21 August 1909, Page 8

A LEGITIMATE GRIEVANCE.

AUCKLAND'S RAILWAY NEEDS

A PREMATURE OTAGO LINE.

[BY TELEGRAPH. PRESS ASSOCIATION".]

DuNEDix, Friday. Tire Hon. R. McKcnzie met a deputation of Dunedin residents this morning in connection with the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway. The deputation pressed the Minister for a definite statement as to the route to be followed, and urged the claims of the railway.

The Minister, in reply, said the speakers for the deputation seemed to imagine that it was the duty of the Government to construct railways if they had been authorised, no matter what the result would cost the taxpayers. They might have had Governments like that, but they would find it diffiuclt to persuade this Government to act in such a way. The deputation wondered how the Lawrence-Rox-burgh work -had been reduced. The speaker had been chiefly responsible for the 'rate of expenditure, and the railway had not yet been stopped. There were still 50 men on the works. Personally he thought it was premature to make any railway at• all. As for Otago railways generally, there were three sections just at finishing point, and another that would be finished in 12 months. The trouble was they had been making railways ahead of public requirements, or at least extending them ahead of those requirements. He had no hesitation in saying that when the railway was made the Lawrence-Beaumont-Roxburgh route was the best, and within the next few years it should be pushed on to Beaumont. He was not responsible for the position, but he should have said that the route up the Chit ha Valley would have been the natural way of opening up that part. It was too late, however, to think over these matters now. He had no doubt the line would be continued, but whether it would be continued this year or next he was not in a position to say. The reason it was stopped was because they had too many lines in hand, and there was no urgency in this case. Take the Auckland province and compare it with Otago and Canterbury, and they would find that there was a great deal in the grievances of the Auckland press, the representatives of the people, and the people themselves. He recognised, after travelling all over New Zealand in connection with railway construction, that they had certainly a legitimate grievance in Auckland. They had country that would support a railway in many directions, and it would take some years before they could get railways there.