DISTRICT RAILWAYS.

Southland Times, Issue 16689, 18 March 1911, Page 5

DISTRICT RAILWAYS.

SO tnc BLAND’S CLAIMS. A practical farmer living In the Eastern District writes as follows : Writing of opening up lands for settlement, one is reminded of the large areas of Crown and private lands that an extension of the Walkaka railway through the Leithen and Moa Flat to Roxburgh would make available. Possibly there is no line at present proposed in the colony that would return to the State a better return than a line tapping the Molyneux Valley. Some day this country will wake up to the horrible blunder we of the present day are making in allowing our Government to continue to waste money on the mountain fastnesses of the Beaumont-Lawrence-Roxburgh extension. There is no possible excuse for the continuance of this extension. It is a political “ job ” engineered by the wirepullers of Dunedin, and it is a “ job.” too, that the best and most respectable men of Dunedin are ashamed to father. Southland is the natural outlet for all that part of Otago lying west of the Blue Mountains, and extending on to Roxburgh, Clyde, Alexandra, Cromwell, and right on to the Lakes. The trade and commerce of the Clutha Valley should all reach Southland by way of the Kawaru and Wakatipu, while lower down a line of railway tapping Roxburgh and Moa Flat, and leading on to the main South line, should easily and expeditiously deal with the whole of the remaining traffic. The great want that is felt in Central Otago Is timber. The want of timber Is delaying progress, and stifling industries, and it is to Southland alone that the people must look for relief. When, oh when, will the Southland people take a hand in the game that is being played, and counter the huge blunder the whole colony lg allowing to be carried on. It is right up to the public and private men of Southland to checkmate the greed of the wire-pullers of Dunedin by taking up a decided stand against any further money being expended on the line, Lawrence to Roxburgh. The Dunedin leaguers stick at nothing, so long as what they are playing for Is for the benefit of their town. Whether right or wrong, no matter if it is the biggest kind of " jobs,” or the lowest kind of •• graft, we seem to have humans who will give such their support. Surely Southland can support and assist what is hj -ast and for the good of the whole colony.