SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2934, 8 June 1910, Page 37

SOUTH ISLAND MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

• A PLEA FOR UNANIMITY. CHRISTCHURCH, June 6,

Following is the text of a letter sent by Mr H J. Marriner (acting president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce) to Mr R. M'Callum (president of the Marlborough Land and Railway League) : "Dear Sir, —It was with some surprise that I read your remarks at the annual meeting of your league in Blenheim in reference to 'he deviation of the South Island Main Trunk railway. I would respectfully draw your attention to the following :—(1) That the league is committed solely to forwarding the interests of the railway which is to extend south of Ward, via Kaikoura, and on to Cheviot; (2) that at each of the combined meetings to discuss this matter, no mention was made of any deviation; (3) that ia. the interests of the railway all local interests were to be merged into the aoheme of urging the Government to forward the completion of this national railway along the above route; (4) that owing to conflicting interests, my' chamber refused to sanction either of the routes from the Domett or Culverden ends, but was prepared to accept the Government's ruling, and to urge th© completion of the railway; (5) that last November a pile of the combined bridge for rail and other traffic over the Waiau River was driven, thus defining the rail-* way route. "In the face of the foregoing, to allow or sanction a .deviation of th« railway, via Tophouse, to join the NelsonB'uller railway, would defeat our ends, break faith with our friends along the route, especially at Kaikoura, and cause a division of interests and indefinitely, delay the completion of the 'railway. There must be only one policy,- and that' is the joining of the railway at Cheviot and Ward, and we must all work fou this end."