WELL-REASONED SPEECH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16120, 8 July 1914, Page 8

WELL-REASONED SPEECH

MEMBER FOR OTAGO CENTRAL.

GOVERNMENT AND THE DISTRICT.

(Fkom Our Own Cobkespondbnt.)

WELLINGTON, July 7.

Mr Scott made a very, sensible and wellreasoned speech in the House on the. noconfidence motion to<lay. He niado a strong plea for tho further immigration of farm labourers and domestic servants. He congratulated tho Government upon its decision to do away with the political grants and votes to local bodies that had been so much in evidence for many years, a system that had been most unsatisfactory. Mr Scott aleo referred to the necessity for finishing tho Lawrence-Beaumont railway. It had been commenced in 1906, and to-day was not completed to tho Beaumont—a distance of 11 miles. The people, further up had been looking for that railway ever since the first sod had been turned; yet last season they were no nearer the market than they were six years ago. He hoped the Government would exercise tho utmost despatch in putting the line- through to a payable point: In 1906, when Mr Soddon, turned the first sod, he tokt the people to go home and plant their gardens, becaueo they could look upon that railway as an established fact. It was now to be finished next season. There "wa"s, however, a gap between Roxburgh and Beaumont, and he would like an assurance that another section -would be pushed on. A large extent of country was going under fruit—thousands of acres,—and tho apple export would soon be a bier thing. There was also a large area ot agricultural country that could be opened up. He also strongly •urged upon the attention of the Government tho afforestation of the poorer lands in Central Otasro. He had suggested to the Prime Minister that a reserve of 1000 acres should be made, and fencing and planting commenced. At the Molyneux River, near Alexandra, very fine timber could be grown in tho gullies. The Government, ho said, deserved credit for not closing the nursery at Ranfurly, because it was found that the trees grew best if they were reared in the district.