OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2812, 5 February 1908, Page 11

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

The regular meeting of the Otago Central Railway League Executive was held on the 30th ult., at the office of Mr H. C. Campbell, there being present— Mr W. Burnett (in the chair), Messrs G. Fenwick, J. Jolly, and W. Gow. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs T. K. Sidey, M.P., W. F. Edmond, R, Chisholm, and H. F. Nees.

Mr S. A. Stevens wrote, under date 24th inst., that there was nothing of consequence to report, but he believed the matter of the continuation of the line would not be lost sight of when the Prime Minister visited the district next month. The railway buildings at Clyde were at present being furnished with a water service from tits, town mains. The want of this had caused much discomfort to the officials during the past 12 months, and when finished would doubtless be much appreciated by them.— Received. The following letter, dated January 13, was received from Mr James Horn, of Bannockburn :—"I: — "I ha\e delayed making a .report on the progress made in connection with the Otago Central railway beyond Clyde till after the holidays. Beyond a sectional survey being completed on the north (or east) bank of the river, and pegs showing where bridges would occur if crossing to the south bank, no work of any kind has been undertaken. I have carefully gone over the survey pegs, and am of opinion that the cost of the line from Clyde to Cromwell will be very much less than £100,000, ite quoted by the Hon. W. HallJones at Clyde. Over half the line, say seven or eight miles, only requires formation (no cuttings), three miles and a-half are easy sideling cuttings, and not over three miles and a-half are rock cutting, and there is no doubt, but that the easiVst, and cheapest route from Clyde to Cromwell has been selected. Those who are acquainted with this sort of work consider that £100.000 will be ample to construct the line to Cromwell. It is generally understood that the Hon. the Prime Minister, along with the Minister of Lands, is to visit the district early in the year, and steps are being taken for large deputations to meet them at Cromwell and Hawea or Pembroke, when every means will be adopted to show them " the injustice there is being done to the Upper Clutha Valley and to Otago and the colony, or, rather, the Dominion, by the non-construction of the line. And the settlers here are grateful to your league for its continued efforts in this necessary work."

Mr Jolly said ho had been to see the Cromwell Gorge, iand he thought the statement made by Mr Horn was the correct one. There was absolutely no difficulty at all beyond the Halfway House — that was half the distance. The only bit of difficult country was between Clyde and the so-called Halfway Hovee — about seven or eight miles. The other portion of the road simply wanted scrapinpr with a pick. It was absolutely level. There were no engineering difficulties so far as he could see except in a small rocky portion. Mr Jolly went on toi comment on the apathy of Ministers and membeis of Parliament, and said they never attended the league's meetings now. Hie^did not know why. He supposed they could do nothing further than wait.

The Chairman said something might come of the Prime Minister's visit to Otago. Mr Fenwick said he thought that had been delayed.

Mr Jolly thought it was scandalous that so much money should be spent upon the Tourist Department, and that -the needy settlers should be neglected in the way in which they wore. The sum of £40,000 had been voted to Rotorua for a house and baths, which he considered was a scandal, and did not know how the public submitted to it. He thought about £66.000 had been voted altogether for that purpose. Mr Gow : Of which Otago cots The Secretary (Mr Campbell) : Nothing. Mr Fenwick : Oh, I think Otago gets something.

Mr Jolly/ said he thought it would perhaps be as well to wait and make a big effort towards the close of the year. The elections would be on then, and they would be in duty bound to bring the matter very prominently before the electors and expose the way members had neg-lecte-d their duties in this matter.

The Chairman sai<l it could not be want of money, because the Prime Minister had been inundated with offers of money at 4 per cent, from Australia. The settlement of the land was the main element of prosperity, but they could not settle the land until there were means of communication with the oost. In two or three years there would be immense areas of land opened up for settlement in Otago Central. The meeting then terminated.