THE SOUTHLAND RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2661, 15 March 1905, Page 14

THE SOUTHLAND RAILWAY LEAGUE.

DEPUTATION TO SIR J. G. WARD. (From Our Own Correspondent.) | INVERCARGILL, March 9. j Sir J. G. Ward, who arrived here yesterday to formal^- open the new railway worki shops, was to-day waited upon by a | numerous and influential deputation of town and country business men and others regarding the route to be taken by the railway lo Roxburgh. Mr Scandrett (the Mayor) requested Sir Joseph to represent to the Minister of Public Works that the feeling of the people of Southland as expressed by a meeting held a few days ago was strongly in favour of the Heriot route. That route would De more advantageous to the Roxburgh people themselves than a line from Lawrence, as they would ha\e quick access to the Southland as well as to the Otago market. Mr Stirling urged that the natural seaport outlet for the Teviot district was undoubtedly the Bluff. Mr Edie said that there was an understanding when the distract was settled that, when railway communication was opened to the coast, it would be by the route now urged, and quite two-thirds of the people supported it, as against th© suggested line to Lawrence, which would cost much more. Mr Horace Bastings was satisfied from a close pevsonal knowledge of the district that the Heriot route was much to be preferred to the other. Sir Joseph Ward promised to place the claims of the deputation before the Minister of Public Works, and was satisfied that the Government would favour the route that offered the least difficulties and the greatest advantage to the country generally. The Southland Railway League was a live body, doing its best to promote railway extension in Southland, but he thought, with all respect to it, that it was trying for too many lines at once, and would be more likely to succeed if it devoted the who'e of its attention to securing one or two which, it might be generally agreed, were the most important. The Government could not possibly undertake all these, but only one at a time should be undertaken, and the Seaward Bush and Orepuki lines were mostly of first consideration, and should be pushed on with all reasonable speed. On a policy of moderate borrowing the Government could not do all that was wished in the way of railway extension, but Southland's interests would not be neglected. The Minister of Public Works had been over the routes, and no doubt had formed his own opinion, and he would doubtless communicate it to the Cabinet, which would come to an impartial judgment on the question of the routes. The deputation thanked Sir Joseph for his promise and the hearing he had given it, and then withdrew. No district in the colony is so well opened up by railways as Southland, and if the Invereargill people succeed in capturing the trade of the Molyneux Valley the Bluff would undoubtedly become one of the most important ports in the South Island. At the public meeting on Tuesday evening at whicfi the deputation was appointed the following motion was carried: — "That the extension of settlement in the Southland' district warrants every effort being made by the Government of the colony towards giving facilities for the carriage of produce to the natural port of shipment. That the extension of the Heriot-Roxburgh railway from Edievale to Roxburgh, 17 miles by Moa Flat, or 23 miles by Rae's Junction, would afford facilities to those settlers in the vicinity of the route, and enable the Teviot fruit-growers to find a ready market for their productions, whilst a profitable carrying and passenger traffic would be assured to the Railway Department. This meeting therefore respectfully urges upon the Hon. the Minister of Public Works the desirableness of extending the Heriot-Roxbursrh railway from Edievale towards Roxburgh with all the despatch possible. It need scarcely be pointed out to the Hon. the Minister that this line can be constructed at a less cost and in a much quicker time than the railway from Lawrence, because the engineering difficulties are much lighter and the distance much shorter. In addition, constructing the railway from Edievale onwards will afford producers the option of two ports, whilst byLawrence practically only one port would be available."

Speaking at the opening of the new railway workshops at Invereargill. Sir J. G. Ward said : The erection of the workshops at Invereargill had not been undertaken for the personal gratification of Invereargill people, or for his own gratification ; it had been done because it was absolutely necessary. Invereargill had impinging on it nine branches of railway, therefore it occupied a very important position. The growth of traffic in Southland during the past 10 years had been considerable, as might be judged from thefollowing figures: — Passengers carried: 1894 —217,627; 1904 — 431,379. Passenger revenue: 1895— £39,208 ; 1904— £58,700. Parcels : 1895—47,023 : 1904—82,874 ; revenue : 1895— £3762; 1904 — £7006. Live stock — 1895—190.432; 1904—346.326. Total tonnage- 1895—237.117; 1904—354,287. Goods revenue : 1895— £101,661 ; 1904— £153.360. It had to be borne in mind that reductions i amounting to £630,000, in both goods and .passenger rates, had been made during the period under review. i ~~ ~~"