THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY AND MR EARNSHAW.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9715, 18 April 1893, Page 4

THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY AND MR EARNSHAW.

TO THE EBITOIt. Sin, —I have observed in your columns some correspondence between Mr Earnshaw, M.H.R,, and Mr R. H. Leary, secretary of the Otago Central Railway League, and have been endeavouring to understand Mr Earnshaw's views as regards the prosecution cf the railway, but so far without success. The Chamber of Commerce, as well as the working men and other inhabitants of Dunedin, grievously failed in their duty in the past when they allowed the prosecution of this railway to be neglected. But because some of the members of tbo Chamber of Commerce and some of the Dunedin public have now awakened to the importance of the work and have joined its former advocates in forming the league, is that any reason for decrying that body or imputing absurd motives to its members as Mr Earnshaw docs ?

I agree with him in thinking that the influence of the squatters and their agents has been largely instrumental in retarding this important work for years Bub for them, the railway whistlo would now have been heard in the Manuherikia Valley. I would, however, remind Mr Earnshaw that there can ba no esteusive settlement in Central Otago without means of communication, and that the longer the railway is delayed the longer will his "land barons" lord it over the Crown lands of tba interior. If Mr Earnshaw really had the good of his constituents aud big party at heart ho would do all ho could to strengthen the hands of tho league rather than sneer at them or mistrust their effort?.

I noticed that in his recent speech Mr Earnshaw said that for the preseut the railwayshould stop at Ryan's crossing. From this I judge that on his recent trip up the line be must have journeyed with his eyes shut. Probably the Taieri was low when he saw it, but even allowing for this, I am at a loss to understand how ho can advocate the railway stopping abort of tho Maniototo plain on the farther side of the river, where- it must go to be of any real use to the settlers beyond. Mr Earnshaw's utterances on this subject are inconsistent and puzzling in the extreme.—l am, &c, A Former Resident in Centhal Otaoo. Dunediu, April 17.