SOUTH ISLANB TBUHK LIATE

Otago Witness, Issue 2845, 23 September 1908, Page 12

SOUTH ISLANB TBUHK LIA T E

J IMMEDIATE PROSECUTION URGEI).

{ courteous but f-trm; refusal.

WELLTNIGTO^ September 14. . ■ t A. large and iafluenitaal deputation repxe.•senting tibe South, Island Main Trunk EailI : "way League waited on. the Prrnw Minister ' tihds: morning, for tEe pufpose^of urging a vigorous prosecution of the railway works between Seddbn and Domett, completing [ the railway between, Auckland , and the- Bluff. T!he deputation consisted 'of betwieeiL 30. and 40* gentlemen representing practically every local body bePicton aaid Ohcffitchurch^ as fol>Tows : —^Mairlboroxigh Land and' Railway ; -J^ague —^Messrs R Goultex,, Bishel, F. j Shaw, / and Hbldsworth; Blenneim' ! sJiorougn Ck>uncil — Messrs B. Jst'Calloim 1 XM&yae)' and Rabone; Picton Borough r tbuncil-, Mr G. MurbTaaid (Mayor) 1 fMarlborough, A. and E. Society, Mr A. ■M'Arlauey; Picton Road" Board, Mr D. I Chaytor ; Kaikoura- County Council — Meßsrs- A.^ Enner, Monk, and Boyd ; Kaikouxa Railway Leaigue, Messrs F. Pareons and Davidson ; lEaikouffia A. and P. .Society — MeiS&rs S. Andrew, W. Trolove, R- T. Pope, and Davidson; Cheviot County Council', Messrs T. Gee asid T. Wilkinson;. Cheviot Railway League — Messrs P. Sullivan,, J. Evans, and E. D. Giles ; Ohristehurch- * Chamber of -Commerce, Mr H. J. Marriner : Spring Creek Road Board, Measrs J. Redwood " and Murray; Omaka Road Boards Mr R;, J". Bell; Awatere Road Board, .Mr 1 Pv! jlee■han; Wairau Road Board, Mr J: "Boyce ; Pelorus Road- Board, Meesrs Hj Reader ■ and Nees ; 'Fiaxbourne Settlers' Association, Mr Loe. The Hon. W. HaJtJonee, i Minister of Railways', accompanied the > Prime Minister, . and the- following members of Parliament were aJ»so present : — ' The Hon. Messrs- . Mills and , Guinness, Messrs- Rutherford, Rhodes, Gray,. Tanner, Flatman, E. G. Allen, and' Sir W. Steward. In introducing the deputation, Mr .Mills said this was the largest and most influential deputation /which had ever come from the South Island. They de^ir-ed to place before the Government their views retgardin-g the completion of the South Island Main Trunk line. They came in 'no spirit of parochialism or provincialfem. ! but looked upon the question as one of national importance. The South Island 1 had fully recognised in the past that in the matter of the Trunk line completion it was right and proper and in the best interests of the country that the Island should come first, but now that tlie Trunk line in that island was all biit finished they felt that the South Island's • claims called for the sympathy of the Government, and they hoped a good solid , vote would be placed' on the Estimates for the completion of the line between Seddon and Domett. — ("Hear, hear.") Mr Rutherford endorsed every thin 2 aaid by the previous speaker. They were one and all animated by national motives in advocating this matter, but if he mi^ht &ound a parochial note, he would urjre upon the Governmen<t the need for the TVaiatt bridge. If the Government could . not -see its- way to do more, he would at Least urge upon it the value of a com-biiied railway and traffic bridge. Mr GoultCT (Marlboroug-h Land and R2.ii.Avay League) congratulated the Government upon the completion. o£ the Nortih L«land Main Trunk line. — (•' Hear, hear.") Thereby much new laud ha<3 been openod up. and a fresh link liad fceen completed in the railway connection of I Auckland and the BJufi. " Eo hoped th-ev woiFk! soc +ho s-inie eneiiry which ia-d chaxacteiiscS the prof&eutioh of the Xoi'th I??or-d llain Trunk lir.e, i« recent years applied to- the coDiilsiion of the trmi]c line in tho South Isloisd. — {Applause.) ' This v,-as novs xh= moet important nilvr&y project before f.-s roimtiy. Closer aertknient vr?^ "sraKtcd betweui Chovi-ot asid St-rLorcinh. Here population was requir&d. and it r-nltr vc.pzhle- to set it if railv/av couimui-'CTtioh were ir."-do By complotir-r the line Ivt'.r en F^-'lnn and Domett the sjstsm would be linked

up, and 1 tber-eby #he earnings of the whole system materially, increased. Be also urged, the strategic importance of the line .from, the point of view of the rapid mobilisation of troops. The cost of the : line would be about £1;O0O,OOO: The d&i tamos was -108 miles. They;" thought the ' line should b& carried to completion quickly, and* that- the Government should' place £200",000- yearly- -for five years on the Estimates' for that purpose-. Aa a^ local line it would? pay to- ILikirongu in_ *he north, opening' up half a million acres of Grown land, and to KaiEoxtra, in the south,, \cheie-- excellent lamb-fattening land, existed. The intervening gap of 40 miles - would? be. dependent on through, traffic ; but that- 40 ! ' mile- would be very cheap to, conetanict, costings only £5000 per mile>. andi £200,0€K> -was not. a largesum on which to earn interest. He wouldremind the Prime Minister- that all the ( fat sheep would- be sent to market on. that- - line, whicih would also -tap some of- the finest grain-growing country in New Zealand, — (Applauefe.)Mr- Marrinier (Ohiistchurch Chamber of Commerce) said, speaking for his chamber, -* lie couldl say this was looked upon as \ a national cpestkm. — (Mr Mills r " Hear, • hear/) - Continuing, Mr Marriher said the delegates represened a quarter of the South Island. They came- in a compact body with no- difference-- of opinion's to ask the Government to- place- a substantial sum <m the Estimates ior the completion of tifoe line. Now- that the- North Island Main Trunk was compfeted he thought the men might be transferred to- the South Island line. It would tap- fine alluvial land, and though: there were few sheep ' in the district at 'present" and v the land was not adequately cropped, the change which, would' follow upon." railway construction would resemble that which had supervened in ' Winnipeg, _ Canada, where towns and villages- had spruag up in- alt directions after" the railway had been ■ con- . struefced. The line would pay a good revenue, — {'-'Hear, hear.") Results "had already justified' its construction to Domett — ('"Hear, bear"), — and he did not see wily it should not pay further to the north. He urged the value- of the tourist traffic which would pass over the Hue. Mr M'Callum (Mayor of Blenheim) said only 20 miles of railway had been constructed in 20 years in that 'districtTherefore, the deputation was making but a very moderate request. He said the land was exceptionally fertile, and would yield rich harvests. Mr Gee (Cheviot County Council) " said . a large proportion of the land was grain- t growing, which was a valuable source of railway revenue, and would be equal to 10a per acr.e. There were 250,000 store sheep =ent annually to southern markets. They had for years been contributing towards the cost of lines in other --parts of- the Dominion, and he felt it was row their turn to be favoured. Mr Boyd (Kaikoura County Council), Mr M'Cartney (Blenheim A. and P. Asso- , ciation), Mr Loe (Flaxbourne* Settlers' Association), Mr B.e\v (Kaikoura A. and P. Association ) r Mr Meehan (Mayor of Seddon), Mr Maitland (Mayor of Picton}, Mr Giles (Cheviot Railway League), and Mr Davidson (Kaikouqa Railway League) also spoke. - The Prime Minister, who was received with loud applause, said his colleagues and himself had been glad to hear the strong representations made in regard to the construction of this important" lino of railr/ay. It the construction of the line depended solely upon the influence of the representations, of the deputation, it misht ba considered an accomplished fact, but tha .Troonnt to be expended thi"> yeor for railways had been fised. ard the allocations h?.d to be made on the basis of ' the amount of money available. The Governmom had done, the br-sfc it rould ' under Uip circ:nm=tanees fur that railway. He conld not ruvrtl^e what was in the Public Works Sratc-'fent: for that Ihey ■ must wait ; bnt he wi^tied to explain to ' them that at present the cost ox varioaa : railway-? \vbi-_h were beiaa .".sked for in- ; different r^rls of the ro-jntrv would be £i2.C00 000. That wo jH h<> the cost of the : railwr\? were actually applied for, and all he desired to s*y mss that, if ever J the Mi'Jstiy \.&s weak cnau^h to accede ;

to every demand for public works experiduture, it would be a bad day for the country. The Government was friendly towards the project they were advocating,, but he did not wish, the deputation, to jro away with mistaken impressions, and he would- tell tnem quite frankly thair in the present stata of. the public purse it was utterly impossible to devote anything, -like £200,000 a year t&jfclie: completion- o£ this- line-. "He wished; them to* xmSerstatnA that something, like dB2QO>OOO' was reqairetl to complete the JSFortn. Island 4 Main- Tfeunk Ifne. That left them with £800',00a of. a balance- to meet all other demands-.. There was at the present time 17" or 18; new lines to be finished in various, parts of the Dpminion; and : * so long, as the Government made reasonable provision, for their line that wa&, all they- had a rigat to. expect. The- Government could , not do what was. impracticable- or "impossible. A» a matter of business', it. was the Government's duty-. to. complete . thelines . which were now near conrpletiort. By so doing they would put fresfc life into some, other lines, but it was. a misto say that the South Island, Main Trunk line must be completed before any branch lines were undertaken^ la certain places such lines, must be provided^ as the matter" was one of dira necessity, arid ; he .could not say. v that the whole country must wait -for the completion of any Irind of. Jine. The Government could not attempt to lay dawn anjr such, doctrine as .a principle of railway policy that one line should take supersession, over all others. He desired to nrotesfc agawst the statement that the Soutt ' Island railway revenue had declined. It was not .falling off. The earnings per mile on certain sections might not be as high as in the past. There might fee. fluctuations, but, it was a. libel on thesouthern- railways to. say that the revenue from them, was decreasing- The Government did not question the earning powers of' the proposed line any more than it did those of- -the line asked for in the north of Auckland. They knew the earning power would be good, but there were arterial .raikvays to be got rid of, and they must cut their coat according iq ■ their cloth. As for the matter of the Waiau bridge, that was receiving attention. He advised the member for: . Hurunui to wait for the Public -Works Statement. . . . Mr Rutherford : I am satisfied. ■ , Sir Joseph, .in conclusion* said • tha Government would/ always treat all portions of the Dominion fairly- .in the general interests of the country at large. — (Applause.) • - . . The Hon. Mr Hall-Jones asked the deputation, as men of practical common sense, to- recognise the large sum still required for the completion of the North Island Main Trunk line; also that the uncompleted small lines should be finished' first. This time 12 months hence six of these uncompleted lines would be finished,, and. then more attention might be directed to the important works suggested by the deputation. He congratulated them upon their perseverance and detenmnation, and said it would meet its reward, in good 'time. — (Applause.) After votes of thanks the deputation withdrew. ______