HON MR HERRIES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15748, 26 April 1913, Page 10

HON MR HERRIES.

■= "ARRIVAL IN'CENTRAL OTAGO. NUMEROUS DEPUTATIONS. (Fbom Oub Special Reporter.l . ■ CLYDE, April 25. ■'< After inspecting the railway lines of Southland, the Hon. W. H. Herrics and his party of departmental officers arrived at Kingston on Wednesday night Hero ho was Svaited on byia deputation with regard to : tlie rate charged on the conveyance of coal -ito that district. It was pointed out that .ctho cartage of a ton of coal from Night■eaps to Queensiown. cost nearly as muoh as did the coal itself. The Minister, pointed out that the coal was carried at tho lowest ■possible rate, but in view of tho representations of the deputation he would again go into the matter, when the, whole of the .'tariff question camo under review, which it would do in tho coureo of tho next few 'months. ■At Queenstown several deputations waited on Mr Hemes with regard to tho ".rates appertaining to the carriage of cargo ■ on the lake steamer, and the Minister promised to look into tho matter. • At' Glenorchy deputations waited on Mr '.Herrics urging that, if possible, the arrival steamers at Glenorchy bo expediied or, 1 in alternative, that their departure be de- ■ :layed. As matters stood, the steamer de- ■ parted so soon after its arrival that it did not give tho settlers of the district sufficient timo to get their goods shipped. It 1 was pointed out , that tho business ■ Of Glenorchy had increased, largely in 'Value and the steamer's Vtav at this port : was not long enough to transact- the duties :.of discharging and embarking. Tho - Mm...ister promised to discuss the matter with tho railway traffic officials with a view to seeing what- arrangements could bo made to mes the wishes of tho deputation. A ■'i-equest was preferred by Mr-. Weir and others that arrangements might bo made ~ for tho steamer to arrive three'times-, a . .week instead of on Tuesdavs and l'ridays. Tho Minister promised, to review the whole ; matter, and sfcited that if ho found it pos- • sib'.c lie would havo groat- pleasure in giv-' njnjf them increased facilities. A further ; request-was preferred at Glenorchy to. life effect that the hospital at Trankton be con.aeoted with telephone. The reason oesigncd Was that- it. .was invaluable for the back- ' block settlers to bo in close connection with the hospital authorities. .Mr Herrics promised to place the representations nf t.h" deputation before tho Minister of Public 'Health, " : Tlie party left Queenstown at 7 a.m. for Itilyde. At Cromwell the Mayor formally welcomed Mr .Herrics, and expressed a . hopo that they would soon see l'.im in the tVOtago Central* district again. Mr Herrics 1 replied that he intended, if possible, to inspect all the lines of the dominion at least ' once.a year, and he hoped to again include ' Cromwell in his itinerary. . '' ARRIVAL AT CLYDE. Tho party left. Cromwell at 3.30 p.m., and •'arrived at Clyde at. 5.20. Here they were met by Mr R. Scott, M.P.., who introduced ■ n number of deputations. FRUIT-GROWING INDUSTRY. :• Mr A. Davidson acted as spokesman for a -.-largo deputation from the Otago Central I'ruitgrowers' Association. He stated that • lie had' been asked to bring under tlh-e notice of the Minister what they considered iVas'a grave injustice to the fruitgrowers of "Otago Central. The matter had been intro.(luoed to the notice of the Hon. W. Eraser, but the reply received was unfortunately not ' satisfactory from their point of view. They •jdesirod' to know why the fruitgrower who : was within a radius of 100 miles from a r;slwmill should get his timber for cases and "returned empties earned free, and one who "was '.outside that distance have to pay. 'Agricultural lime was also carried free within the 100 miles' limit. They considered the principle was radically- wrong. As things were at present the growers near ~tiio market had all tho advantage, while '-the back-blocks' settlers were placed at a ■ disadvantage. It would- be far more equit■able if railage were charged on the carriage of timber up to, say, ICO miles, and ■ freo over that distance. The Cen-''h-al Otago district was, as he had no doubt .seen, absolutely treeless. were no timber mills within 100 rinilos of Clydo' and Alexandra. .What they •asked for was a better chance of competition with those more favourably situated. ' .Mr Herries, in reply, stated that in tho "past tho Railway Department had been victimised by North Island growers, and .that was why the 100 miles limit had been -put on. What they wore asking for .was a preferential rate for Otago, because timber mills were not close at hand. He was not prepared to do anything at. present, ■ but as soon as the new manager of railWays took up his duties tho wliolo matter of tariff'would be gone into. He hoped by next.year to reorganiso tho tariff; but fiiis question would havo to wait till then. It would not bo fair ,to exempt one portion of the dominion at the expense of tho rest. 'Mr Weaver: A preferential tariff for Otago Central would not be an injustice to anybody in the North Island. Mr .Herries: It would not bo an injustice; it would.be a lever, and I do not want t-heso ; levers. There must be one thing for the whole dominion. Mr Stevens voiced the opinion of the Fruitgrowers' Association in regard to improved facilities for loading fruit at tho Clyde Station, and the Minister promised to inspect tho station on tho following day. TELEPHONE COMMUNICATION AND WARDEN'S COURT.

Mr Weaver (chairman of the Vincent County Council) broached- the subject of telephone communications. He stated that the question of a main trunk telephone had been before the council for some years past, and ho understood it would cost £4000 to bring -the lino on from its present terminus at Middlemarch. Mr Herries stated that this was a question for ■ tho Postmaster-general, but ho would further ' any. reasonable request they jnight make. / .Mr W. R. MUean voiced a grievance »>n respect to the removaJ of the Warden's -Court Office from Clyde to' Cromwell. Clyde had been for many years the centre of a large mining district. In the Warden's office titles wero lodged representing hundreds of thousands of pounds. Cromwell was at the extreme end of. the districe, and settlers would be caused a great deal of inconvenience if there were no Warden's Court in Clyde. The sum involved in salaries was a paltry one,. and he would ask Mr Herries to place the matter befonv tho department concerned. Mr Ilerries stated that he would place the matter before the Hon. Mr Fraser and tho Hon, Mr Herdma-n. These gentlemen would do justice to tho requirements of the district. ..--CENTRAL RAILWAY SERVICE.

- At 8.30 p.m. Mr Herries proceeded to -'Alexandra, where he received some further deputations. , . ''• The Mayor (Mr A. E. Marslin) stated 'that he desired to bring under the notice pf the . Minister some matters in .connection with the Otago Central train. The residents of Alexandra considered that one 'Siom- should be taken off tho. journey between Dunedin and Clyde. The length of jircsent stoppages could be 'shortened, and '.the goods train could take all the necessary goods, while the_ passenger train could be cbnfined to mails and passongers. At Christmas or Easter time there might be a -fcpecial rush on the railway, but at any ■other period of'the year the train should lie considerably expedited. It would also ,bo a great advantage if the passenger train could bo made to connect with the second south express • Mr Richards also spoke in support of tho "request, pointing out, that 3 hours and .25' minutes were occupied in stoppages between Dunedin and Clyde. Mr Herries: How would you like to have 'fpme of tho sk>ppages left out. Mr Richards: That is a-matter for youreolf to decide. All wc desire is a faster serTice.

r :--In reply, the Minister stated that he had not.had many complaints brought under his notice in Otago and Southland except ih regard to increased accommodation, and this the department was always very pleased to give.—(Applause.) He was pleased to note that the last speaker had given him a free.hand in respect to leaving out some r of ■ the stoppages—(laughter).—and he assured tliem that if a, reasonable profjosition were made tho Govornment was always ready to meet them. Tho question of speeding up the train was a difficult one to deal with, but ho would endeavour to have some of the stoppages shortened. If tho train could be mado to connect with th eexprcss at Wingatui it would be done— (applause),—but he was not sure it could be done. Mr Cf. Rivers asked if the Minister could .see his way to provide a through goods train to Clyde. At preeont this train ran only 'o Omakau, and goods had to ho brought on to Alexandra and Clyde by the passenger train next day, Great inconvonienco was caused by this method, and three days were often occupied in transporting goods from Dunedin to Alexandra. A-passenger car could also bo attached, to ■ the trail., and would bo much appreciated. Hie Minister, in rei.ly, _ stated that they appeared to desiro two train 6 a day, and he niiist say ; the traffic did not jvanant it,

With regard to a through goods train, ho assured them that if it was required a special through goods train would be run. Mr Bringans, on behalf of the Alexandra soction of the Otago Central Fruitgrowers' Association, also introduced the matter of charges in respect. to timber for crises, 'and. received a reply in similar terms to that addressed to the people of. Clyde.

QUESTION OF IRRIGATION. Tho last deputation ot the day. liad reference to. the question of irrigation.

Mr J. Murphy, who acted as spokesman, stated that the Alanuherikia irrigation scheme had been brougu up 18 ago when the Government had surveyed a rae-3 from Oha.t'to Creek along 7000 aercs ol land. After tho survey was completed, tho Ciovornment applied for 40 heads ot water on the Spmigvuie side of the river, and also for the rights to the raee. Both these applications Jiad been granted, but several ■months had passed and nothing had been done in the matter of constructing the race. Oaice thei-o had been 40 dredges in that, district, but now there were only about a dozen, and ho wished to mow what was going to keep the population of 772 peoplo going. It was a -vital mutter to that district. that a race .should be constructed t-s speedily as poss,ble. Tho winter season was naw approaching, aad as mtui were available for the work he considered it-shouid be gone on with at once.

Mr Herrics stated that the irrigation qaostion was not in his departmoret, but as long as Mr Frasc-r and Mr Scott represented Otago Central this matter would not be neglected. Tho party .returned -, to Clyde for the night. Mr Herries will leave Clyde by special tra.ii. 25-to-morrow morning, and after continuing his inspection of the 'mcs, will reach .Dunklin at 3.25 p.m. On Monday he will rcceive deputations from the Dunedin Expansion League, the LawroncaRoxburgh Railway League, and the Ot-a;;o Central Railway League.