OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3005, 18 October 1911, Page 53

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

A CROMWELL PROTEST. Mr A. Moritzson has sent to us the following copy of a letter, which Mr C. Holden, town clerk of Cromwell, has forwarded to the Prime Minister setting forth tho reasons why the construction of the Otago Central railway should be vigorously prosecuted : Cromwell, October 11. The Right Hon. the Prime Minister, Wellington. Sir.—l am instructed by the Cromwell Borough Council, acting on behalf of settlers of 50 years' standing in the Upper Olutba Valley (the very centre of Otago), to forward bo you a most emphatic protest against the treatment accorded to them by your Government in the matter of railway communication with the coast. While protesting as above, I would respectfully draw your attention to the following facts: — 1. This district has been settled for the last 49 years, and ""hiring that time has been a great factor in the general prosperity of New Zealand. 2. It is now 32 years since construction work, has been commenced on the Otago Central railway, and during that 32 years it has not advanced in a straight line 100 miles from Dunedin. 3. During that 32 years .there has been sufficient money voted by Parliament to have completed the line to its natural terminus, Lake llawea, where there is enough power going to waste to work all the railways in New Zealand, power which local residents are debarred by Government regulations or departments, from putting to any use. 4. Since the Otago Central 'railway was first authorised by Parliament the Lands Department has received, in enhanced values of lands sold and leased on the route of the premised railway, sufficient unearned increment, (increment created by promises' afterwards broken) to have completed the line to Hawea. 5. Thereia still a vast estate belonging

to the Crown, between Clyde and the West Coast, which immediately on resumption of the work of construction would without doubt be doubled in value, either for sale or leasing, thus indirectly providing for the whole cost of the work. Trusting these facte will be taken into consideration when the Public Works Estimates are being framed, —I have the honour to be. Sir, your obedient servant, • Chas. Holden, Town Clerk.