THE MOLYNEUX VALLEY TRADE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2665, 12 April 1905, Page 29

THE MOLYNEUX VALLEY TRADE.

DUNEDIN DEPUTATION AT

ROXBURGH

A SUCCESSFUL MEETING

(By Our Special Repokteks.) ROXBURGH, April 10

Tho Dunedin deputation commissioned to proceed to Roxburgh to combat the offoit? of the Southland Railway League, which is endeavouring to induce public opinion in the Teviot district to turn in favour of a railway extension from Edievale, on the Waipahi-Hcriot lint-, to Roxburgh, instead of through communication to Dunedin, via .Lawrence, proceeded to Roxburgh to-day, leaving by the south express this morning to connect with the Lawrence train at Milton. Those on board were his Worship the Mayor (Mr T. R. Christie), Messrs H D. Bedford, M.H.R., J. A. Millar, M.H.R., J. Y. Arnold, M.H.R., T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., D. Reid, M.H.R., D. E. Theomin, W. Gow, G. L. Denniston. G. Fenwick, L. Harris, M. Cohen, C. T. Paterson, and L. R. Wilson. At Lawrence the deputation was met by the Mayor (Mr Jeffery) and other representatives of the Borough Council and the Lawrence branch of the Lawrence-Rox-burgh Railway League, and cheers were given as the train drew. up at the station. After lunch in Lawrence a start was made in three vehicles on the long drive to Roxburgh. Though the -weather had been very wet in the morning, it cleared up beautifully by noon, and a warm/ sunny afternoon ensued. The roads, however, were somewhat heavy, and travelling was a little difficult. The deputation was joined at Lawrence by the Mayor (Mr Jeffisry) and Mr R. Cotton (chairman of the Tttapeka County Council), and at Beaumont by Mr W. Woods, and at Rae's Junction by Mr J. Bennet, M.H.R. Roxburgh was reached about 7.15 p.m., and the deputation was met by a gathering of the local people, and welcomed by the Mayor (Mr Kmaston) «mid the chairman of the Roxburgh-Lawrence Railway League (Mr Bennetts). Owing to the late arrival bf the visitors the meeting, which was held 'in the Athenaeum Hall, was not opened until halfpast 8. The chair was taken by Mr R. Kinaston, Mayor of Roxburgh, who was supported on the right by Mr T. R. Christie (Mayor of Dunedin), while seats on the platform were also occupied by the Dunedin delegates and the following local gentlemen : —Messrs R. Cotton (Waipori), G. Jefferv (Lawrence), J. Bennetts (chairman Roxburgh Railway League), E. Hart (repressnting the Roxburgh Borough Council), and W. Jack (secretary Roxburgh Railway League). Apologies for non-attendance were read from Messrs W. F. Edmond, J. Alleu, M.H.R. . J. H. Nimmo, S. Jacobs, W. E Sargood, \J F. Sligo ffor Dunedm Stock Exchange), and A. Moritzson. The meeting, which numbered over 300 persons, including- a number of ladies, was very unanimous and hearty, .and all tho speeches were listened to with close attention.

The Mayor, in opening the proceedings, said the district had been agitating for the last 30 years for railway communication to the district, but owing to the apathy of Dunedin and Invercargill no success had attended their efforts. — (Applause.) However, things had now changed, and he had pleasure that night in introducing the deputation from Dunedin, which would urge that the Lawrence-Beaumont extension should be pushed on, and -Dunedin made the distributing port for the products of the district. — (Applause.) Mr T. R,. Christie, Mayor of Dunedin, who was received with applause, said : MiMayor, I/adies, and Gentlemen, — I make no apology for» being present in Roxburgh tonight. I am here, with others, to represent the City of Dunedin in regard to a question wiiich has lately become very pronounced — namely, the advisability of establishing railway communication with Roxburgh. For myself, I consider that the claims of Dunedin are much stronger than those of any other city or seaport. It is nearer to this district, and ior years — in fact, from its earliest days — it has catered for and cooperated wifti Roxburgh and its neighbourhood. The advisability of extending the line to Roxburgh, thus giving desired facilities to the people of the district, could not but be admitted, and we trust that by a "vigorous policy and strong representations to bring about this long-looked-for result. — (Applause.) I must apologise, however, for the apathy in the past of the Dunedin people with respect to this line, and I trust that it will be entirely removed in the future. — (Applause.) At a recent banquet at Dunedin the Hon. Sir J. G. Ward, Minister of Rail ways, said that the people of Dunedin were slow to awaken, but when they did move it was to some purpose, and they moved with wonderful alacrity. I trust that the Hon. the Minister was right in his conclusion -with respect to the Dunedin citizens, and that they will move, and prove that bis statement was in accordance with facts. — (Applaxisp.) Sir Joseph is not in the habit of making public statements without the book, and I believe that what ha* been characterised as ayiathv hitherto will be changed to alacrity in future. — (Applause.) I have no fear that the proposal which has been agreed upon of constructing- the line to the Beaumont will be revoked by the Government. This 12 "miles brings your district nearer the city, and thei-e are no insuperable difficulties in the wav, from an engineering point of view, in bringing it the balance of the distance to your very doors. — (Applause.) It would be folly for any other course to be pursued, and it surprises me that the representation which has been, and will to-morrow bo, ma do here that creator advantage* will be secured to this district by the construction of the Edievale route should ever ho entertaiiipd. — (Applause.) The fact stands out, and demands your consideration, that the distance lo Dunedin i- le?r- by 54 mili?« than to any other seaboard. This Is incontrovertible, and musL appeal to ovcrv bu.iin^-s man, because the ones! ion of haulaq^ which comes into consideration, is o r tlio most vita! importance to rh" district —(Apn!a"«^ ) "Wli a t" -idoration stands out shtirp nnd cTeiin-od. and must at once anneal tn tho farm or. tl\o fruitgrower, and tho mprrhinr. who wi'J -«co hiclu'y and nrt acwrdin°lv — (Annlars-o ) THE FIR£T ■RfcSOTJ'TTOX. Mr G. L. Denniston. who was greeted with applause, movpd tho first resolution, as follows : — "That the interests of the

people of Dunedin and the Teviot are identical in respect of the growth and distribution of the fru.t products ol Roxburgh." What was the position? he said. This wa.3 a country admirably adapted by natiiKj for t! c growth of all kinds of fruit. — (AppLiiioO.) It was a country that for aIJ. practicable purposes was illimitable in area, and it possessed the soil and the climate ; and the population was awaie of these advan ages, and was anxious to exploit them to the greatest benefit of the district. — (Applause ) While in California a few years ago lie met a gentleman who was making a good living out of only a few acres of land ; and this country, he thought, much resembled California in that respect. — (Applause.) He was speaking lately to Mr Kukpatrick. cf Nei-on, well known in tht> fruit-canning industry, who informed him that in hi- opinion no part of New Zealand was so well adapted for fruit-groving as the Roxburgh district. — (Applause ) And what was there, at the other end' There was the City of Dunetim. with a pjpu'ation of between 50,000 and 60,000. and people who would be only too glad to use the fruit in large quantities daily if it could be obtained and cheap. At present Dunedin'a demands for fruit were supplied largely by importation. In addition to Dunsdin's oopulation, many of the firm- there had branches in the northern town-, and, now that communication had been so greatry accelerated, there was no doubt that if fruit could he obtained from Teviot in a fewhours there would be an ample market for it — at anyrate as far north as Wellington. — (Applause.) It had been a reproach to Dunedin for a long time that the display in its fruir shops was poorer than was to be found in the fruit shops of any other centre, but he trusted that that reproach would soon be removed. — (Applause.) Of course. Invercargill would also be a market for the fruits of the district, and would absorb a certain -oortion of its products; but Dunedin, which was a larger town, would be undoubtedly a much better market. — (Applause.} Dunedin and Roxburgh had been closely associated for 40 years. Dunedin felt thai, it had a vested interest in the Roxburgh district, and the district ought to feel that it had a similar interest in the city. — (Applause.) Roxburgh was a sphere that Dunedin felt belonged to it. and its people could not allow any foreigners to come between it and the Teviot without making a resolute attempt m oppose them. — (Applause.) Mr H. D. Bedford, M.H.R., on coming fo? - ward, was received with cheers. An old classic had said, . " Twice is he armed that hath his quarrel just." Dunedin had its quarrel just. Another classic, commenting on that saying, had added this emendation : " Thrice armed is he who gets his blow in fust." Dunedin had got its blow in " fust '' — much, he believed, to the disgasfc of the gentlemen who were to speak in the town on the following night. — (Applause.) Dunedin was really -magnanimous in coining in first : it gave the Invercargill delegates an opportunity to reply to their arguments. — (Applause.) He thought that in one way their tasifc that night was a work of supererogation. -The Roxburgh people had alreadydecided in favour of the -Lawrence-Roxburgh roufe. They did not require to be convinced that it was desirable to be connected with Dunedin, which was their natural outlet.— (Applause.) The delegates from Dunedin did not presume to teach them anything on the merits of the case : they simply came to fortify the local people in their attitude by assuring them of the sympathy and active support of the people of Dunedin. — (Applause.) They had made a decision on the "merits of the case: the delegates had come to uphold them in it against the machinations of the narrow provincialism of Invercargill. — (Applause.) Dunedin was not easily aroused when its own interests merely were affected. Sometimes the apathy of Dunedin in regard to its material interests reminded one . of the biblical dictum that when a man was smitten on one cheek heshould turn the other cheek to the smiter. . But there was among the people of Dunedin a sense of justice and fairpla,y ; and where they saw an Invercargill delegation having the audacity to come and urge the interests of their province as against the interests of Otago on Roxburgh and on the colony, then the Dunedin blood, sluggish often when only its own interests were concerned, was aroused. — (Applause.) The interests* of Dunedin and the Teviot were identical with respect to the growth and the distribution -_ of fruit, because Dunedin provided the largest market, and the market that was much closer to it than was Invercargill. Dunedin was interested in getting cheap fruit, and, the more immediate and the closer Dunedin's conection with Roxburgh, the better Dunedin would be able to get its fruit. It was in the interests of the Teviot to get the closest connection with a large centre like Dunedin, because the production of fruit would be cheaper in Roxburgh on account of the fact that the various articles required for the fruitgrowing interests, obtained from a centre like Dunedin, would bo brought cheaper than if they had to go by way of a longer route. The fruitgrowers of the Teviofc wanted the most direct communication with their natural outlet and their largest market, and they should ask the supporters of the Edievale extension — namely, the people of Invercargill, — firstly, why they should choose the longer instead of the shorter route; secondly, why they should choose the route that was more difficult and more costly in construction in preference to one that was •easy and less expensive ; thirdly, why a nreferonre should be given to the lesser distributing centre than to one of the largest d stributino centres in New Zealand — namely. Dunedin ; and fourthly, why ther should increase the cost of fruit-growingr and distributing by eroing the most roundabout wav to the market. — (Applause.)

Mr G. Femviek, who was iecei\ed with applause spoke in support of the motion. Ho said the proposition that the resolution put forward was so very ob\ ions that it required no recommendation at all from any member of the deputation. It could not bo (juestioned for a moment that the interests of the district and of Dunedm were identical. — ("Hear, hear.") Those interests had been identical to his personal knowlodge for at least 40 years, and ho kn-ew of no reason why tho c o interests which had been cemented by trade connections for all those years should have been interfered v\ ith b." tlit> ■p'-'-^M^ of th-o Southland dUiviof—(Applause.) It h<_> had to confine himself to that community of interest there would bo very little left to him to say. and, dherging for a moment, he \\ould firsfc refer to the reference made by Mr Bedford, that the deputation's arrival on the scene first was out of magnanimity, in order to give Southland the. last word. As the proposer of the resolution which resulted in

that night being selected, he (Mr Fenwick) "did not think it" was quite out of magnanimity. He felt that the claim Dunedin had to the continued support of the Roxburgh district was a just one, and ( there had been an attempt to " jump " that ; claim ; therefore he did not approach the question in any spirit of magnanimity, nor did he feel in that spirit at the present moment. He felt that Dunedin had an absolutely just claim, and a right claim, to help Roxburgh and the Teviot district generally in the decision it had come -to, that railway communication should be tiirect. and not by way of Gore, or any other southern place. — (Applause.) Then it -t\ as beyond cavil that a railway from Lawrence to Roxburgh would be constructed at an infinitely cheaper cost than either of the routes supported by the Southland people. There could not be any 'question that, as far as the proposed line from Edievale to Roxburgh was concerned, it would be one of the hugest blunders ever perpetrated in this colony. — (" Hear, hear.") The construction of that line would be of enormous difficulty and at an enor-, mous cost, and it would be a most marvellous engineering feat to bring it down that grade, involving such a waste of public money that it was not really to be thought of. The only line to bs thought of in the interest of the colony was by the direct route, through Lawrence. — (Applause.) And if they were true to themselves, and with -the people of Dunedin, Lawrence, and Roxburgh. and intervening districts working ■together, that line would ,be made. It -might take a few years, and all the more " nltv that it should, for the district had been ■crying out for this line ; but if there had been any negligence displayed in the past "fhe people of Roxburgh might be assured ■that it was gone. Dunedin had awakened J,o the necessity for this line, and he trusted that m conjunction with the energy teing displayed in Roxburgh, there would be satisfactory votes accorded by Parliament after Parliament, and in a ' very few years there would be railway communication, and Dunedin would be in the happy position of providing Roxburgh with a very lare-e market for its goods, and Roxburgh and Dunedin would be in speedy communication with each other. — (Applause.) The motion was then carried unanimously, *r>d with loud applause. THE SECOND RESOLUTION. Mr Walter Gow moved the next resolution — namely: '"That the Dunedin district is the largest and "best available local market, and the port of Dunedin the natural outlet for the distribution of the produce from the district^" — (Applause.) Dealing iirst of all with Dunedin's position as a port of shipment, he pointed out the importance of the shorter distance (between Roxburgh and Dunedin as compered with the distance between Roxburgh and a-ny other place. — (Applause.) Apart altogether from the question of shipping produce, there was the question of supplying- vessels, and the larger the port the larger the number of vessels that *ould call -for supplies. They would no doubt be told ;thab Dunedin was an expensive,, port to Ehip at; but however that "had been in the past, it was being mended every day. -There had already Deen a very large decrease in the dues charged for export at rDunedin, and even at the present time the Otago Harbour Board had under consideration a scheme to relieve shipping 1 of a large proportion of the dues it now paid. There could be little doubt that long before the railway was opened to Teviot by one route or another Dunedrn would be practically a tree port as far as exports were concerned. 'After all, fruit was not the only industry of interest to the district. There were many other things to consider. They had the dredging, the general farming, the graziers' interests, and other matters, and the people ought to consider the difference in the cost of getting the products of these other indrstries to market — a difference which (would certainly exist in regard to everything else except fruifc ; and . even as to fruit, there was no certainty that the present arrangement by which fruit was carried ■t a minimum price, regardless of distance, iwmild continue for any time. Further, *here was the consideration that, in the "opening up of their industries, the market in which they had to buy their materials and get their supplies was as" important to them almost as the market in which *hey were going to sell; and there could be no question as to the advantage of 'having short a,nd cheap communication with a city like Dunedin. where supplies could •bs got to much greater advantage than in the smaller towns of the south. The people tmght to look to the future of the MolyJieux Valley in that respect. As to the ,|southland wooing and the expressed desire -Jn that quarter that no conclusion be "home to until its delegates had been heard, Kir Gow said it was a very clever move, •and would no doubt suit its purpose excellently, but it would be fatal to the hopes of the district in the direction of railway, 'communication. A battle of the routes was the one thing that an unwilling Government liked to see, by war of providing an excuse for delay, and if here they set up a battle of the routes they might make up Iheir minds that there would be no railway for a long time to come. — (Applause.) .Unanimity was therefore necessary, and the resolution he had proposed ought to be passed without dissent. There ought to be no uncertain sound, and the district Should stand together in urging the imjnediate beginning of the authorised line via Lawrence.— (Applause.) Dunedin's interests and the interests of the Roxburgh people hung together, and the appearance Df +he deputation that night was evidence pf the fact that Dunedin was at last awakeninw to the necessity of looking after its Interests in the valley of the Molyneux. fie urged the people to agitate, and to keep kt it until success crowned their efforts. — (Applause-) _ , , , Mr T. Mackenzie, M.H.R., who supported Hie motion, said it was supererogation to even point out the self-evident fact, a3 Euclid expressed it, that the Dunedin via Lawrence route was the shortest and best connection, and that the Dunedin district was the largest market and the port of Dunedin undoubtedly the natural outlet for the a43ort of the produce from Teviot. The Speakers were there to calmly and dispassionately state the case for_ the city of Dunedin, to argue logically the Necessity for railway communication, and to urge the adoption. of a policy necessary for the carrying out of a work required in the development of the They were not at this point deal?.ppS£; £>»p o ntval trade m the direc "

' tion of placing railway communication where neither God nor Nature ever intended such connection to be established. That route, however, was settled, and they had to accept the position as it stood to-day. Were , he called upon to express an opinion regard- ! ing the natural connection with the interior of Otago ho would say that the great j natural forces which in a solid form crushed from the mountains the gold that enriched that region, and in a liquid form ground the schist rocks into fertile soil, provided also j an easy and direct highway to the ocean i down which the products of the interior might almost have been conveyed by gravitation, as a railway line could easily have been formed down the banks of the Clutha River, functioning with the Main Trunk line at either Stirling or Balclutha. Such an outlet would not only have provided for all the requirements of -the interior of Otago, but would have sent out laterals to tap. probably Moa Flat on the one hand and Tuapeka on the other, aiid would have provided railway communication with those large, estates which were being acquired by the Government — namely. Greenfield and Clydevale. The position now, however, was that two suitors were tendering for the favour of the people of the Teviot district, Invercargill on the one hand and Dunedin on the other. Southland, with an enterprise which Dunedin might envy, and which years ago Dunedin should have instituted, was endeavouring to push her watershed of commerce and catch more area of trade far beyond her natural boundaries. So progressive had Invercargil been in this matter, not only regarding this, but other railway movements, that it almost carried their feelings with it. But feelings in such a case must be thrust aside, as one's clear duty was so manifest. Probably the best way to de*l with those questions was to ask three questions : — (1) Was this district capable of producing abundantly fruits and cereals of a high class? The answer was undoubtedly "Yes." (2) Did the demand* exist for such *"»* "1° cereals? The reply was "Yes." (3) Did adequate communication exist for the conveyance of those products from the district to' where they were required? The reply , was undoubtedly "No.", Having come 'to | this decision, the way was clear, and in this respect the race, by vigour, not by vaunts, was won. He desired to compare the relative positions of Invercargill and Dunedin regarding the possibilities of trade such as would help on the development of the Teviot district. _, He might say at once that he did not regard the question of distance as by any means the controlling factor in favour of Dunedin, although, as the meeting was aware, the railway from the Bluff to Edievale, which was now constructed, was over 100 miles in length, while the extension to Roxburgh would make a total of 130 miles, as against 98 miles via Lawrence. When they recollected that the engineers reported that it would take as much to construct the railway to Roxburgh from Edievale as it would to construct it from Lawrence to Roxburgh, it must be manifest that the advantage by the Dunedin from the point of distance alone, ! was great. What was the real controlling j factor? He thought the question of popu- | lation. He found that the population of Invercargil] and suburbs, including the Bluff,' was about 13,000. The population of Gore and Matarua amounted to about 3000, making a -total population of about 16,000 to be reached by the soixth line. By the Lawrence route, apart from the population of Dunedin. the number of people reached in boroughs, including Kaitangata and Balclutha, was 9000, and Dunedin had a popu- j lation (including suburbs) of from 55,000 to 60,000, so that hj the shortest distance the population to bo reached was nearly 70,000. as against 20,000 in the south. What had to be considered was the future of this railway if ifc was to be constructed. The people of the Teviol district required a greater trade than that of Dunedin and the intervening places, for the productiveness of the district would be increased by up-to-date modern methods, and it would be turning out great quantities of fruit, so that tho. prices would be within reach of the bulk of the consuming public. The district required markets outside of Dunedin, and with a rapid transit fruit could be taken by rail and steamer right up to Wellington in as short a time as was now occupied in bringing it to Dunedin. What consuming population,, would be tapped in that extended watershed of commerce? In Oamaru, ' Timaru, Ashburton, and towns between Dunedin and Christchurch, there was a total population of 20,000. And then there was Christchurch with a population of 60,000, and Wellington with over 60,000— and Wellington was the great central market for fruit for the fc colony; — and all these people were eagerly looking forward to the time when the delicious fruit from | that district would be available. What p-^rts could be reached from the Bluff? If they went round to the West Coast the population was represented very largely by ! Mr Richard Henry and his kakapos on Resolution Island. The Bluff, however, enjoyed a unique position geographically, | inasmuch as it was the town located nearest j the South Pole, and was the last port of departure for the Antarctic. — (Laughter.) He was prepared to support the construction of works_ suitable to the requirements of that district on sound economic lines. The question of route having practically been determined in favour of Lawrence, the work should be undertaken on such lines as would at once grant the convenience required in the day of the present people. If this was to be done the people must unhesitatingly declare for a narrow gauge system of railway. The success attending this system in India and other countries forced engineers to admit that it was the system most suited to countries that had not enormous quantities of produce passing through. Roughly speaking, the LawrenceRoxburgh railway on the broad gauge ! system would cost £200,000. It was con- ! tended that under ordinary circumstances the narrow gauge line cost but little more than one-third of the broad gauge, or, in their case, £70,000. It was easier to earn I interest on £70,000 than £200,000, and i £70,000 was easier to get for expenditure. By the narrow gauge system 1036 tons could be hauled on a dead level at 15 miles per hour, 291 tons up a grade of a foot in 100 feet; 147 tons up one in 50, and 70 tons up one in 25 at eight miles an hour. The ; Lawrence-Roxburgh route was singularly ! adapted for this class of railway. Referring to destruction of land by dredging, he said with regard to the devastation he had witnessed that day coming through Island Block there were no words in the English language sufficiently strong to express his indignation in that connection. — (Applause.) There were thore on that platform, he believed. wh> were going to set about fcfcromnjT this sort of thing.— (Applause.) If

the Government could purchase land for settlement it could surely step in and sa-ve good agricultural land from destruction by dredging. — ('" Hoar, hear.") Mr Mackenzie, who spoke in a particularly happy strain, and drove his points home with considerable emphasis, was frequently -applauded during the course of his remarks. Mr L. Harris who was received with applause, supported the motion. He mentioned that Dunedin had taken an interest in the fruit-canning industry lately established in this district, but Southland, he understood, had taken no such interest. — (Applause.) Dunedin was also an educational centre, and in that respect could afford advantages that Southland could not. — (Applause.) The motion on being put to the meeting was carried with acclamation. THE THIRD RESOLUTION. Mr J. A. Millar, M.H.R., was met with a volley of applause. He said the resolution he had to propose was one of the utmost importance to the district — in fact, it was more than that, because it affected the colony, for the policy of any Government ought to be to place railways where they would suit the largest number of the community and open up the best country. The resolution he had to move read as follows : " That the shortest and be.st connection with the district ot Dunedin is via Lawrence." — (Applause.) If it were not that after careful consideration he had come to the conclusion that the . Lawrence-Roxburgh route was the shortest and best, he would not be on the platform that night to advocate it. Three routes had been proposed for the line to Roxburgh — namely, (1) A continuation of the Heriot line via Moa Flat ; (2) an extension of the line from Edievale ; and (3) tho Lawrence-Roxburgh line. A comparison of the length and estimated ccst was as follows : _Via Moa Flat, 21& miles, estimated cost £250,000; Edievale to Roxburgh, 22 miles by flying survey, estimated cost £220,000 ; Lawrence to Roxburgh. 38 miles, estimated cost £200,000. The Moa Flat was an almost impossible line, for the reason of its cost, and also that the whole of the Crookston district and half of the Moa Flat would be served by the existing Waipahi-Heriot line. The extension via Edievale included many heavy cuttings and a grade which for all time would mean very heavy working charges, besides heavy cost in maintenance, whilst the Lawrence-Rox-burgh line contained no heavy work, the heaviest bein^ a tunnel 22 chains in length. The question the Roxburgh people had to consider was what it would cost them to get their products into the market, and for the purpose of showing this he had worked out a table of the various distances on the three routes and the railway charges on the mileage of each route. From Roxburgh to Dunedin via Lawrence would bs 98 miles. The charges for goods would run from 48s lOd to 26s 3d per ton on the first four classes, which contained almost everything excepting special articles, such as lime, rabbits, etc. ; whilst grain would be 9s 7d per ton, fruit 14s 3d per ton, wool 5s 7d per bale, and live stock 49s 4d per truck. From Roxbargh to Invercargill the distance would be 104 miles. The charges for goods would run from 50s 4d to 27s per ton on the four classes. Wool would be 5s 8d per bale, sheep 50s per truck, grain 9s lOd per ton, and fruit 14s 9d per ton. This showed a clear advantage on the route via Lawrence. There was also this to consider : If goods were sent to Invercargill for shipment there would be an extra charge of £s 6d per ton for railage from Invercargill to the Bluff, which would not •be necessary in Dunedin, as the bulk of the stuff was now being shipped from Dunedin direct instead of being sent to Port Chalmers. — (Applause.) But the comparison of charges showed a great deal more to the advantage of DunIrdin when one considered the rates from Roxburgh to Dunedin, via Edievale-»-a distance of 132 miles. The charges for goods would run from 57s 4d to 30s 6d on the first four classes. Wool would be 6s 4d per bale ; live stock, 58s 3d per truck ; grain, lls per ton : and fruit, 16s 6d per ton. The Invercargill delegates would no doubt make a great point of their cheap harbour rates, but the fact was that the export charges of the port of Dunedin were lower than those of any other port in New Zealand. — (Applause.) The speaker quoted another of the principal items grown in the district, showing clearly that the export charges in Dunedin were very mucn lower than pilsswhere. For instance, fresh fruit from the Bluff was Is lOd per ton, while from Dunedin it was free ; frozen mutton, lid per ton at the Bluff, 6d at Dunedin ; potatoes, Is lOd at the Bluff, 6d at Dwnedin; preserved meat (including preserved fruits), Is 10d' at the Bluff, free at Dunedin ; flax, Is lUd at the Bluff, Is at Dunedin. The arguments in favour of the Lawrence-Roxburgh line were that, as compared with any other route, it was cheaper in first cost, cheaper in maintenance, cheaper in working expenses, opened up a larger area of land, and served a larger population. — (Applause.) The Crookston district was all well served with the railway at present, whilst the Roxburgh line would bring a very large number of people on the other side of the Molyneux within a five-mile radius of some of the proposed stations. The cost of haulage of goods to and from a market was lower than by any other route, while the large population served in the Dunedin district alone far outweighed any advantage that Invercargill might offer ; in addition to which Dunedin was closer to the northern markets than Invercargill, and less time was occupied in getting there. — (Applause.) Mr Donald Reid, M.H.R., said it gave him pleasure to do something to further this important railway. The facts and figures given by Mr Millar were so convincing that there was no occasion to say much in support of them. The arguments for the Lawrence-Roxburgh line were considered overwhelming. The fact that it gave the largest consuming market for fruit and grain, both wheat and oats, and for wool and sheep, was a consideration that must weigh with the people of the district. — (Applause.) All that was now wanted for the district was a railway to Dunedin. — (Applause.) The people of Roxburgh should ask themselves where they would go if they wanted to get communication with the seaboard? "Would tiiey go to the faraway Bluff? No; because no one would ever dream of going in that direction. They would go to the natural seaboard — the one that was most convenient, and there could be no denying that that was to be found by way of Lawrence. — (Applause.) It was important for the country districts that Dunedin should get the trade to which it was entitled. He considered that all the district within the watershed of the Molyneux belonged to Dunediu^ fidltLJ*. J™& for

the benefit of the country districts that looked to Dunedin for a market that that city should get all the advantages that belonged to it and that were natural to it. The more populous Dunedin was the beiter facilities it would possess for export, and therefore the cheaper would be the export charges of the port. — (Applause.) Mr M. Cohen, who was welcomed with hearty applause, endorsed the view of MiMillar that both the Moa Flat line and tho Edievale extension via Rae's Junction were far too costly for the colony to face, especially as it could not be gainsaid that those routes presented enormous engineering difficulties. Th© Beaumont-Roxburgh line, on the other hand, was comparatively plain sailing after the Big Hill tunnel was negotiated and the Beaumont was reached. There would not have been any serious attempt to reverse the decision of Parliament in favour of the latter route had it not been for a certain transaction in this immediate locality ; but it was time that someone had the courage to say that no syndicate, however powerful, should be able to command the credit of the colony in order to enhance the value of its own property. — (Applause.) The syndicate in question was entitled to take advantage of every legitimate opening for making a profit on its outlay, but must expect no undue treatment by the colony. If the line came via Beaumont, Miller's Flat, and Ettrick, the Moa Flat Estate would be well served, and at the same time between 200,000 and 250,000 acres of really good land, mostly in the hands of the Crown, wou'd be available for closer settlement. — (Applause.) The Southland people were exceedingly anxious to let it be known that they only pleaded for delay till the. merits of the Edievale extension were* impartially considered by responsible Government officials. There was no occasion for an hour's delay, since the Under-secretary for Works had pronounced emphatically in favour of tho LawrenceRoxburgh route, and his view would be supported by the responsible officers of his department. — (Applause.) The earth-hunger was strong upon the people. It woiild best be met by prosecuting a railway that possessed commercial potentialities of considerable magnitude, would open up a large tract of fertile country, and be the means of attracting numbers of our young men to the soil. — (Applause.) Mr C. T. Paterson, who was warmly received, said he had been intimately connected with the" staple industry of the district for many years. The district was np<v more than able to supply Dunedin market an<l in recent years had been exploiting the Christchurch and Wellington markets with some success. Possibly a loss had been made in Wellington, but that was only becinise there was not direct communication. Direct; communication could only be obtained by means of a railway via Lawrence. — (Applause.) He had no doubt that when the railway got through from Lawrence to Roxburgh other industries would start. At present a iam factory coiTd not be started, because there were difficulties in the way, but it afforded another reason why the railway should be pushed on. He asked the meeting to affirm with one voice that this was the railway they wanted, and no other. — (Applause.) The motion was carried with cheers. THE FOURTH RESOLUTION. Mr J. Bennet, M.H.R.. moved— "That this meeting pledges itself to use every endeavour to have the line which has been authorised by Parliament from Lawrence to Beaumont" constructed at as early adate as possible, with a view to having it extended to Roxburgh." He said he had been working for 30 years to get the Law-rence-Roxburgh line. He thought the mind of the district on the question was thoroughly known, and more especially since tho visit of the Minister of Public Works, who, though he did not give a definite promise, gave a partial one, and there were the words of the Premier upon his visit there about 12 months ago. This was the first occasion, that Dunedin. had come forward to support this line, and he was pleased to see the Dunedin representatives there that evening. — (Applause.) Had they waited much longer . the line woxxld have godßttp the Bluff, and then Dunedin would havffound out the position. He would give the correct distances. From Roxburgh to Dunedin, via Edievale, was 140 miles, or 40 miles longer than by the Lawrence route, so that every ton of produce for Dunedin going that way would have to pay extra railage for 40 miles. From the Bluff it was 129 miles "to Roxburgh. He hoped next sessions to get a vote for the line from Lawrence to the Beaumont — (applause), — and when that was started it would encourage the people to go on fruitplanting. No one could really see the great possibilities -of the district in fruit and grain growine. and in its coalfields. — (Applause.) About 200 tons of fruit came forward last year, and one man alone lost 2000 cases of fruit that had been packed owing to want of transport. This was not only a loss to the district, but to the colony as a whole. — (" Hear, hear.") In the coal beds there was admitted to be one of the best coals in the colony. The seam was 100 ft thick, and here were thousands of acres of coal area showing splendid coal. — (" Hear, hear." and applause.) He instanoed one dredge at Horseshoe Bend, which now had to pay £1000 a year for coal, and referred' to the fact that a railway through to Lawrence would supply all Tuapeka with cheap coal. He had seen the finest wheat in the colony produced in the Molyneux Valley, and yet it had to be left in the bags till the rats wasted it all. He urged the people to unite in the direction of agitation for the Lawrence route, and he hoped next session would see a vote for this work. — (Applause.) He knew he had the support of the M.H.R.'s who were present in that matter. He knew that engineers condemned the Moa Flat route from Heriot as almost impracticable ; and by the Edievale to Rae's Junction route there was 500 ft of a fall to be got over, which practically put that route out of the question — (" Hear, hear," and applause.) Mr J. Bennetts supported the motion. He would have liked to pee in tho resolution that not only should the meeting pledge itself to the construction of the LawrenceRoxburgh line, but that as that line was already authorised, the meeting should pledge itself to get a substantial vote put on the Estimates to be spent on tho line next year. — (Applause.) As a " Roxburgh citizen he felt the people had grown weary of waiting. They <lid not want to wait in the hope that the line would be con-struc-tod at som" future time : they wanted to live with the belief that thoir line would be constructed almost immediately. — (Appla.use ) Reference had been made to the fxuit-i£i'Owing incluiixtf ,arul the. rx\z\ deuosits

of the district and it should also be mentioned that the district possessed great capabilities for producing stock. It -was a magnificent district for raising early sheep, but the difficulty in the past had been that there was no possibility of getting them, to market on account of" the roads, the mud: on which was sometimes knee-deep. He hoped that now that Dunedin was properlyawake to a sense of its position the people of the district would make the best possible use of their opportunities. — (Applause.) Mr D. E. Theomin, who was greeted witK applause, also supported the resolution, saying that it was from Dunedin that the early settlers had found their way to Roxburgh, and the two districts had been on the most friendly tsrms ever since. The formation of the railway by way of Lawrence would tend not only to the expansion of trade of both places, but to a. fuller cementing of the bonds of friendship that, already existed between them. He felt it was somewhat unnecessary to bring before the people ot the district the claims of the line via Lawrence, with the advantages of which they were already fully acquainted. ' — (Applause.) The people were quite aware . that that line was "the best to follow, and as they were not blind to their interests he believed they would leave no stone unturned to obtain a fulfilment of their wishes. Mr L. Wilson, who was received with warm applause, also supported the motion.It, appeared to him that the matter was one "that -was in the hands of the Dunedin, Lawrence. and Roxburgh people. — (Applaupe.) A general election was comjng on shortly. Let the cry at that election be '" the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway." — (Applause.) They had heard that night that members of Parliament who had spoken favoured the proposed route, and he thought the audience must have hoard the remarks of those gentlemen with much pleasure. — (Applause.) He would not say anything about the delegation from Southland except this : they had succeeded in waking Dunedin up, and now that Dunedin had been fairly aroused it intended to rsmnin on the alert — (applause) — and to see that the Lawrence-Roxburgh railway wa9 prosecuted. — (Applause.) The motion was unanimously carried with cheers. THANKS. ' Mr J. F. Arnold, M.H.R., said, en behalf ot the deputation, ho had to thank the meeting for its very hearty reception. If the deputation was the long-lost lover come back it had received a splendid welcome. — (Laughter.) He must remind them that tb» Invercargill deputation was coming along 1 next evening, and he must remind them there was a great deal of " bluff " about Invercargill. — (Laughter.) It was a very serious thing indeed when two brothers fell in love with the one girl, for Southland! was a brother. The real rival was the North Island, and the members for Otago should work together to conserve the interests of Otago, and he thought Invercargill and Dunedin should ioin hands to conserve the interests as a whole. He believed they would do so presently. — (Applause.) Dunedin's- younger brother bad conje along 1 to try and take away what belonged to the. elder brother, and it was the duty of the elder* brother to chastise that young brother. — (Laughter.) That done, they would become the best of friends again. He believed that while trunk lines*, were being constructed feeders should be constructed as well. The members who were there that evening were the only ones who assisted the member for the district to get the Lawrence-Beaumont section authorised, and before the little brother down south, could get that revoked he would have to get his big brother out of the way. — (Laughter.) The iron ring Mr Millar had spoken about had now been placed upon Roxburgh's finger, and Dunedin and Roxburgh were now wedded. — (Laughter.) The Southland deputation was now trying to come and part man and wife — Oausrhter and applause), — and the people of Roxburgh knew how to treat that sort of thing.— (Applause.) He moved a hearty vote of thanks to the Mayor ' for presiding over the meeting. — (Applause and cheers.) Mr T. Andrews, speaking from the body of the hall, said that h© had a, motion to • move before the vote of thanks was puc, 1 and that was a motion recording thanks to , the- Dunedin gentlemen who had come fori ward that evening and bad united to assist ! the people of Teviot in this most important ! matter of railway communication. — (Ap- | plause.) He thought that, after the unam- | mous agreement the reople had come_ to ! when the Minister of Public Works visited 1 j the district, it was a piece of do-wmTight i impertinence on the part of Southland to ! come there and try to mislead the people. — (Applause-.) He was afraid the reception ' their southern friends would receive would not be of the same kind that the. Dunedin deputation received. — (Groans.) He movsd a hearty vote of thanks to the gentlemen. composing the deputation. — (Cheers and applause.) Mr D. M'Farlane, of Teviot Station, seconded the motion, which was carried with cheer in st. , The Mayor of Dunedin briefly returned thanks for the motion. Mr G. L. Denniston then seconded Mr Arnold's vote of thanks to the chair, and i this was al=o carried with cheers, i At the call of the Chairman, th*> Tr.f>etin<? i then sang "For they are iolly good fellows in honour of the deputation, and the gathering dispersed. At a meeting of fruiterers, held at Messrs C T Paterson and Co. "s fruit sale on Monday morning, it was mov&a by Mr W. Fleming aeconded by Mr A. £. Brown, and carried unanimously—" That this meeting, believing; that the- Roxburgh to Lawrence line is the best and easiest to make and the shortest route to Dunedin. the largest town in Otago, i strongly obiects to any other rout& being ! taken for the distribution of Teviot's fruit 1 and produce." ♦