CORRESPONDENCE.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVI, Issue 8663, 4 November 1899, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE RAILWAY. (To the Editor or the Herald.) Sir,— The question raised in your leading article of last Wednesday, as to the probability of inducing outside capital to undertake the construction of our local railways, is a most important one for this district, and should command the serious attention of everyone of ue. It is quite hopeless to expect that the present or any new Government that may come into power will be either able or willing to expend a sum of, say, half-a-million in quickly opening up the country by main and branch lines of railway, and so turning to profit one of our most valuable assets, viz., timber, before it has disappeared. Were the settlers in the bush connected'by rail with the port, many of them would be able to clear their land at a profit, by utilising the millions of feet of timber which are now destroyed, a small army of workmen would find employment in preparing the timber for market, and the haulage would give a handsome return for many years to come to tne railway company. In addition, many thousands of acres which are now used entirely for sheep and cattle raising, would, with greater transport facilities, be brought into cultivation and dairy farming. Given the same traffic arrangements as exist in Taranaki, I am certain that this district, quite apart from the alluvial flats round the town, will run that place very closely in the dairying industry. From a ratepayer's point of view, railway construction would be of immense advantage, as, even if it dirt not lower the rates, it would so reduce the necessary expenditure on main roads as to leave a much larger sum for expenditure on outlying districts, which, for financial reasons, are at present neglected. The enormously increased trade of t.he port would ako so improve the Harbor Board's funds as to place us within reasonable distance of seeing a good little harbor completed. To attain this end we must be unanimous in urging the Government to grant such concessions as will induce capitalists to undertake the business. The question of broad or narrow euage, the direction of the line or lines, and the haulage rates and fares, we need not discuss. These matters will no doubt be settled between the Government and the company. If the Poverty Bay Railway League will consider this aspect of the question, and by public meetings or otherwise as may seem best, get the the matter thoroughly discussed, and gather data as to the probable receipts from haulnge, &c, it will put us in a very short time in the position being able to invite capital to take the matter up. The ball is at our feet, and if we make a united endeavor to induce the Government to grant reasonable concessions to a company, I have no doubt that a line will be well under way within twelve months.— l m, &c, W. K. Chambers.