NEW RAILWAYS

Otago Witness, Issue 2857, 16 December 1908, Page 53

NEW RAILWAYS

"" H^DGEHOPE-GLEN COS-GORE ADVOCATED. """ DEPUTATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER. (I*3M>i£ OVS. Offir CcJtRX 3POKDINT ) INVEP.CARGILL, December 9. Ai Invercargill this morning Mr G. J Anderson. M.P., introduced to Sir J. G. Ward a deputation from the Hedgehope and Qlencoe districts. Mr Anderson, in speaking on ihz subject, urged* the prosecution of a railway from Hedgehope, a distance of eight miles, to Glencoe. with an ultimate terminus at Gore. He said that the Prime Minister would be personally acquainted with the district, and would know that it was easy country for railway construction. He pointed out that there were great quantities of virgin bush on the route. Timber in the areas which would be tapped had been cut, but because of the lack of facilities could not be got to a market. Mr Miller, a settler of Hedgehope, urged the importance of the railway in the interests, of the farming community, which "was suffering because of ile isolation. The eawmilling industry was also placed at considerable disadvantages. The present conditions necessitating the laying down of tramways for the haulage of limber was both expensive and dangerous, causing fiequent accidents to men and horses. Mr Mair, secretary of the Railway League, supported the aims of the deputation, and gave as a reason for its prosecution that the arable ground, comprising about 70,000 acres, was, in his opinion, fit for settlement purposes. The ground required lime, but under present conditions the expense of cairiage precluded iis use. Railway facilities, however, would enable lime to be brought right on to the land, and so make it a valuable asset to the Dominion. He referred to the fact that there were about 60. C00 acres of virgin forest to bo tapped by tlie lailway. It at present cost the two a" mills woiking in the district Is per 100 ft, and in some instances 2s 6d, to !»• t the timber to the railway, which he considered was a detenent to the industry. .There waG a contiderablc nax area Mittkieht to keep two mills going. There were valuable deposits of potters' clay and fire clay, as well as minerals; and he also understood there was biown coal, whilst lignite was very plentiful. He was strongly of opinion that there were ample means to ensure the payableness of the line.

Mr Bmngott, a sawmiller, gave it as his opinion that with the lailv.ay not only would there be two sawmills, but a much larger number could be profitably eml>iuv€d. Hir Joseph said their representations on ihi* matter would receive confaideiation. He would not make a promise regarding lac making of railways here or elfewheie for the reason that it wui> quite eight mon'.ha before the time when the Government would go into the question of appropriating nionsT for lailv. ayt> throughout the Dominion, and until h<> knew tlie general requirements of the whole country he would make no promise in any direction. The advantages ot railway communication he fully realised, but when he told them the list of applications for new railways last year, out'-kle of v. hat was authorised, amounted lo 12 millions. all of which were refused, they would bee how difficult it was to make a promise in regard to any sectional port.on of a lailv. a}'. He preferred to tell thpin straight out what the position was. i>o that they tould undeistand it for th-eriiselve-. He Mas always anxious to help s-aw millers if he could. He was not certain it would be a good thing to establish ii number of mills in any pail of the countn at present as hadi been tuggeated. In some parts of the North Isiand tliey were multiplying the mills to such an extent that it was difficult to dispose of tlie timber they were producing. The natural re&ult was the mills were being clocod down, and men being put off. He was, therefoie of opinion that if eight mills, as stated by one speaker, were at work in thiu d.birict, it would ba a calamity to the s-awmill-ert He was at present looking into the question of helping the milling industry in this country by giving it some assistance in the oidmary course of comiittition with outside maikets. The w}io'<.- qiustion of tapiiing foi3&t-& in proximity t« railw iv tracks lequired consideiation in the interests of s.iw milloi.- themttlves On h:s leU'.m to WL'lliagtoa he hoped to l>e able t>> l.elp Ibo in'lu»>tn by a iea<i ji -'-hunt of thu timber rates on the rail- « a vs.

MATRIMONIAL DIFFERENCE.

APPLICATION FOR SEPARATION ORDER. WELLINGTON, December 14. Before Mr Justice Denniston and a jury of 12 to-day, Mary Ann Thew petitioned for a decree of judicial separation from Hugh Beattie Thew, medical and magnetic healer, on the ground of cruelty.

The petition set forth tha^ the parties were married on June 9, 1884, at Wellington. There had been five children of the marriage, one of whom had died. Their ages ranged from 22 years to one year and eight months. For a- considerable time prior to July, 1906, respondent had, it was alleged, been guilty of cruelty to petitioner by striking her on the body and using threatening language towards her.' Petitioner asserted that in June, 1906, respondent deserted her, and remained away for a period of one year and six months, during which time she was compelled to maintain herself and her children. Respondent returned in February, 1908, and continued to ill-treat her until June last, when she was compelled to leave her home. During the last-men-tioned period respondent, she alleged, assaulted and threatened her several times. On one occasion respondent had burst open the door of the room in which petitioner had locked herself in order to escape ill-treatment, and threatened to kill her with the file which he had used to open the door. Petitioner, in evidence, stated that her married life had throughout been an unhappy one. Respondent was lazy, and she had difficulty in obtaining money from him. He gave her only a few days' notice of his intention to go to England in June, 1906, and he did not return until February, 1903. When he went aw.iy ho handed her £10 in cash, but had not nrovided for her during his absence. Prior to his visit to Ergiand lespondent had on a number of occ«i- c ions caught her by the throat and threatened to poke his fingers into her eyes. In reply to questions put by respondent, who conducted his own case, petitioner said when respondent returned from England she offered to take a larger house and give him a start as a spiritualist. She had about £200 in the bank, as well ao two cottages when respondent left for England. Twelve months before he went away she bought a cottage from respondent for £250. She had bought the other cottage with her own earnings, and what she had saved out of housekeeping expenses. To his Honor : Since respondent became a believer in spiritualism he had ill-treated and neglected heX to a much greater extent. He now had a habit of moping about the house and staring at things on the wall. m

Defendant stated that he was the purchaser of the house, w.hich was situated in Water street. They acquired another house, which they sold to advantage. Then a property in Martin square was secured by them. Prior to his visit to England he transferred one of the cottages to his wife, but no rrr»7 pawed. Petitioner was aware of his intention to go Home to study magnetic boaling for a considerable period bo f ore lie '.vrnt. On the occasion on which it wa^ necessary tor him to bieak into tho house, petitioner told him thnt she kept him out because the propo-tv was her*. He hnd on one occasion sh;>ken his wife, but had rever ill-treated her.

' Cross-examined, respondent denied havj !n^ ever taken his wife by the throat. He could earn from £'2 to £4 per week as a mental healer. | In reply to further queri- o*-.0 *-. resoonI dent stated he had obtained close on £200 ! from his wife just prior to his leaving for j England. I After a deliberation of eight hours the I jury brought in a verd'et for respondent.