OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2604, 10 February 1904, Page 30

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

A DISCUSSION WITH MR FOWLDS, M H.R.

In pursuance of a resolution parsed by the Executive Committc-p- of tho O^ago Central Railway League on Monday o\ emng, Mr W. Burnett (chairman) and Mr R. Gilkison interviewed Mr G Fowlds, M.IT R., on Fiiday morning at Mr T. K. Sidcy, M H.R.V, office, being introduced by Mr Sidey, with rcfe-re-nco to the invitation extended b}" the committee, to Mr Fowld-5 to visit and i-ropjrly inspect Central Otago. It will be re-menibei-ed that about a year ago Mr Fowlds made a rljirg visit through the distnot, with but little opportunity for obicr\ation of the country or perception of its resources ond possibilties, and subsequently made certain statements which could only be ccnstiued into a disparagement of the rai'way and the district generally. The- zii|ust;cj. of the remarks were keenly resented by the league, and the management of this journal took the matter up, and sent a commission of inquiry through from Dunedin to Hawea. end Wanaka. Advantage of Mr Fowlds's visit to Dunedin this w?ek was, therefore, taken by the league to interview him and, iiwtT alia, educate him on the matter m question. Mr Sidey briefly explained the object of tho interview.

Mr Burnett said that he sympathised with the view Mr Fowlds and the other gentle men took of the line from their hurried visit over it last year. He (Mr Burnett) admitted tliat when he first went to the Otago Central he shared those gentlemen's views, and why he would like them to take a longer trip through the country was this : afxer living there for 23 or 24 years, his views had completely altered. He felt certain that eventually the Otago Central would become one of the wealthiest districts in New Zealand.

Mr Gilkison said that he looked up the report of the interview with Mr Fowlds that had been published, and tho main fault he found with it was a sweeping statement to the effect that the persons who were responsible for tho railway going through the gorge ought to be hung. But from what Mr Fowlds had since told him,* he understood that what ho really meant was that the persons who were re«pinsible for selecting the route through the gorge were worthy of condemnation. Of course, that was the route decided upon. There was no doubt that it was a great mistake to take it that way, but that did not affect the district of Central Otago, which had to be opened up by some means. Secondly, Mr Fowlds, in his interview, criticised the farm lands. He would like Mr Fowlds to inspect the farm lands at Hawea at tho present time, and he would see some magnificent crops there. He did not think those lands could be beaten by any other farm land in the country at the present time. Then with regard to the fruit, he (Mr Gilkison) noticed that Mr Fowlds made a statement that "he had heard that Hawea was renowned for fruit-growing, but from what he had seen nothing could be grown on tho place." The Hawea district, he would point out, was 50 miles from the Dunstan and 40 miles from Cromwell. The portions of the Central Otago district which would grow fruit were tho flats near Cromwell, Clyde, and Alexandra, where all kinds of fruit could be grown. He would drawMr Fowlds's attention to the following statement by Mr Palmer, the Government pomologist, which was published in the Otago Daily Times: — '"In Central Otago the trees were looking particularly well. *He advocates continued efforts at improvement, and think!? that one day Central Otago may become a second California in the matter of fruitgrowing." The league noted that Mr Fowlds and others had gono through Central Otago without having an actual knowledge of what districts to inspect or to pay special attention to, and the result was that when they came away again they gave general reviews which were searc-ely fair to the country. He (Mr Fowld-s) had looked in tho Hawea country for the fruit-growing zone, whereas Eawea was eseutially grainproducing country, and the fruit district was from Roxburgh to Luggate. or. rather, at present, from Roxburgh to Cromwell, including the Alexandra, Eamscle-igh Flat, and Ci3 r de districts. He (Mr Gilkison) was sure that if Mi- Fowlds had a little more time to pparo on another visit ho would be impressed the other way, ond he (Mr GilkiF-on) and the lcaugc would very much like to receive notice at any time Mr Fowlds would pay another visit, and he could then be conducted through the country so ?s to see its great resources and vast possib.lities Mr Stronach and himself (tbe sppaker) mud to induce tho Canterbury members to take an extended tour throuah the country, nnd in that collection Sir .10-v^ph Ward taid it was the fault of the league, iba*. Mr Fowlds had not been conducted through the country ; but that was a mistake, a« the k^giie was not aware of Mr Fowlds's intention to \isit Central Otago.

Mr Fowlds said his intention was made known a week before he left Dunpdin. So far as he could remember, a wc-c-k's notice was given. He saw the league's secretary at a picnic before ho left, and tho secretary handed him some literature, leaflets, etc., on the country, but no offer of as.-ist-anee waa made.

Mr Gilkiscn said if Mr Fowlds could come back at any future time the league- would be pleased to show him through the country. I* had branches in the \arieu-, dittucts, and the branches would see that each district was properly shown. The 1- afrue would b& -very happy to st.c all the number* spend a week or ten days in th" eonntry.

Mr Sidc-y: We thought yourself and Oliver members who are touring the colony on the land tenure question would be making a caniais of the entire district.

Mr Fowlds ?aid be was very glad to luwe had this opportunity of mc-jtna icp'vccutatives of the league, but, unfortunately, he oould not spare the tim° to go on :.n eight or ten clays' tour. He would very much like to go at some future time, and he would sugpT'-t that the league should communioato with both Mr Liur-en^on, M.H.R., and Mr T. Taylor. M H.R , who were coming down to Duneclm shortly. In the interview with him which was complained of he mndo tho general statement about the Tai-eri Goige that the rnon who v, ere responsible for taking the line thi-ou^h the Taieri Gorge ought to be hang. He did not think there w:n any d'ffcr-p-noe of opinion on that point. The men who carried that railvay up through tha** gorge ought to be hung. If tho money spent on cairjing tho line through those oorsps hud

L-e-cii spent on a lino from Puhnciv-ton via the &hag YflH-ey the railway might now be away p'sst it=> pic^cnt termwu- He did not think he particulrrly dcpi-eciatcd the pait of the country ho actually saw. but of course he could not pretend io give it an exhaustive cxaminaton. Another th.ng hewould hke to point out wns that ho did not ru-^h into print vith any idea of dimtqmg the interests of the line. Ho was acked, or prco=cd, lip might <=aj-, to give his lmpre- sons of what he had soe-'i, a.cl he did it somevihat reluctantly He did not put his rcmaiki in a form intended to give, offence to anyone, but wr.s emphasising what he considered required emphasising, and he wa-i comparing the district through which the railway ran with miles of country in tha north where a railway was urgently required. He made a statement in th.it interview about the large preponderance. of money spoilt on railways in -I he pou'h as compared with the north, and vVn h-c wont back to Auckland he went T.'.n (be figure*. Then he found that £2 per IV .id of the population had be-e-n spent on i\; 1Tiays in Otago for every pound in the Auckland province. He wao perfectly satisfied that the peoole of Otago and ih" of the colony did not revise tint fact. It wps not Lis intention to cay nnvthing th.it would injure the pro-pects of Ihe line going through Ctntral Otago, but he was rather trying to cmrj'-asise the n-od of opening up some of the land unopened in tli" north. They would also find in the interview that he eaid that while he i\-g rotted and condemned (he expenditure of the moivy on the early portion of th". line ho agreed that it would have to be taken on to Alexandra as speedily as possible. Ho had no intention of injuring tho prospects of the line.

Mr Burnett : There is always so much harping upon poor land and rich land. Do you consider that a settler on poor land should not have ;i railway?

Mr Fowlds said that there were 40.000 people north ri Auckland — some of them had been there 40 and 50 years, — and they had been promised a railway. To-day that railway was ai* far off as evor, and wha.l he tried to emphasise was that if extravagant expenditure took place to put a railway through a country which admittedly required irrigation to make it productive, then those who had land which did not require irrigation should have the same facilities provided.

Mr Burnett remarked that the same unfortunate class of settlers v?re to bo found at Wanaka and Hawea. They had been fighting on for a railway for the last 40 or 50 years.

Mr Fowlds said that taking the province of Otago as a whole it had had a larger share of money expended on railway construction than Auckland.

Mr Gilkison said the railways were oil on the coast; they were paying well, but they did not open up the back countiy.

Mr Burnett remarked that the largcct and most valuable estate of Crown lands in the colony was in Central Otago. Mr Fbwlde said thera were Crown lands in Auckland, tco, but, of course, a large area was native lands. He was very glad to have the opportunity of me-eting the representatives of the leaguo, and he hop.sd the opportunity would com© later to enable him to make another trip through the country. If he oame to Dunedin next summer — and it was very likely he would he would certainly try to spare a few days to see Central Otago.

Mr Burnett, on behalf of the league, thanked Mr Fowlds for the opportunity of going into the question, and a!.«o thanked Mr Sidey for the great interec-t he had taken in the matter and for arranging the interview.