BALCLUTHA-TUAPEKA MOUTH RAILWAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19249, 13 August 1924, Page 4

BALCLUTHA-TUAPEKA MOUTH RAILWAY.

TO THE EDITOH. g lE; —Will vou allow me to make an appeal to • the citizens of Dunedin generally, and, to , 'he business community especially, irr regard to the Balelutha-Tuapcka Mouth railway?, ... , The line was authorised several years ago, and fho first sod was about to be turned when the Great War broke out. In a spirit ot patriotism the settlers agreed to the postponement of the turning of the first sod, resting assured, on the word of an exCabinet Minister, that no railway in Otago would be commenced prior to it. We all know bow that promise was kept. The next move on the part of the authorities, to ensure delay, was to inspire agitation among the settlers as regards route, Now, Sir, I always understood it was the duty of the officers of the Public Works Department, in conjunction with those ot the Agricultural Department, to decide the route of any railway, choosing, naturally, the route that would be most practicable, and at tlie same time serve the country to the greatest advantage. Early this year, however, word came forth that there was no chance of a railway, as railways were unprofitable propositions. Viewed through railway glasses, as the General Manager of Railways views all questions, that assertion may, or may not, be correct. Is it not reasonable to view the matter from a national standpoint? Allow me to give an illustration. The General Manager of Railways on his last annual tour of inspection asserted that the Tapanui branch line was not paying its way. Would the Government collect the amount of income and land tax it docs from the settlers served by that line if there was no railway? Would aU that fine agricultural district he what it is to-day if there was no railway? A very similar stretch of country lies between Balclutha and Tuapeka West, all ot it needing only lime and manure to make it equal, if not rival, the famous Tapanui, Crookston, and Heriot districts. Is such a block of. country to lie only partially developed any longer? Would any city in New Zeaalnd, except Dunedin, tolerate such a block, only 50 miles away, lying unde-

veloped,’ as undeveloped it must lie without a railway?

To say that motor transport can carry such goods as manure, lime, grain, etc., and leave a profit to tho farmer, not to the motor lorry proprietor, i 3 ft very open question. If oi!—i.e., benzine —is cheaper than eoal, whv do the railway authorities not uee petrol engines, and convert unprofitable branch lines into profitable ones, as other, countries are doing? You will have noticed Sir, from the report of a deputation that waited on Mr Coates a few da.y*s ago, that he does not propose to put on State lorries. No, the rouds are to be built for the benefit of the proprietors of motor lorries. If a motor road is built and not a railway, tho poor unfortunate settlers of this valley must resign themselves to the same state of isolation that has blocked their progrce-3 ever since the Greenfield and ChxlevaJo sttlementa were subdivided. Rather than accept a motor road, or even two motor roads I feel sure it would be wiser for the settlers to wait for a change of administraKow, I feel confident that the business people' of Dunedin, especially the Expansion League, in view of the improved railway returns' and improved financial position generally, could bring sufficient pressure to bear on the Government to ensure that this lailwa" is P ll * under construction as Boon as tho Beaumont-Miller's Flat line is completed.—l am, etc.,