THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1873. THE WEST COAST BAIL WAY.

Colonist, Volume XVI, Issue 1663, 26 August 1873, Page 3

THE COLONIST. NELSON, TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1873. THE WEST COAST BAIL WAY.

After the hopes entertained by the inhabitants of Nelson that the Government would at once undertake the construction of our railway, the announcement made by . Mr. Vogel as to the unfavorable nature of Mr. Calcutt's report on the land proposed to be pledged as security was received with feelings of bitter disappointment by those who had long labored to promote a work by which alone the interior can be made accessible for profitable settlement, and who had been thoroughly convinced of the value of the land and the soundness of the project, the estimate made by the Government Surveyor was believed to contain errors seriously affecting its reliability, and as soon as a careful examination could be made this opinion was amply confirmed. The ability and honesty exhibited in the lengthy paper prepared by Mr. Calcutt need not be questioned even by those who entirely differ from his conclusions. Prom the first it was known that no enquiry would be made by him into the mineral resources of the district through which the line would pass, nor does there appear to be any allowance in estimating the value of the land for the additional price certain to be obtained in consequence of its proximity to gold depoaits capable of employing a large population if provisions could be obtained at reasonable prices. The whole extent of land to which any price is assigned amounts only to 202,341 acres, and this limited quantity is set down as worth within a trifle of £300,000 when a railway is made, while two-thirds of the forest land is expected to " be increased in value threefold," with a railway running through the country. No addition is made for increase in the value of the open land, and though Mr. Calcutt does jjoi; consider there would be a material few will be found to agree with him. He seems strangely forgetful of the effect of railways in every country where they have been constructed, and we should rather be disposed to think there would be puch an additional price secured as to bring the land he has taken account of to a total of not less than £350,000. There would still remain nearly 1,200,000 acres, and without taking into account the vast mineral treasures knowirto be contained in it surely no one will be found to believe this enormous tract is insufficient to bring up the -whole to £560,000, the estimated cost of the line.

No doubt ifc would Lave been much more pleasant to^have secured an appropriation this year, but in face of Mr. Calcutt's adverse report, which was alwayß understood to be decisive, and in the absence of information calculated to lead to a different conclusion it would be idle to expect any Government to come down with proposals for a work of such magnitude. In .Nelson the importance of our railway is well understood, but full credence is not given in other parts of the Colony, and it must not be forgotten that Ministers cannot dispose of loans simply because .they are satisfied, but they must be able to convince a majority of the House as well, and to do this in opposition to the report of their own oftcer would be a task of no ordinary difficulty. Among the pleas urged for haste, the must prominent have been, that the borrowing powers of the Colony may becomfc exhausted, and that perhaps before another year changes may take place which will render Mr. Vogel unable to carry out liis intentions. It is some little satisfaction to find that'the Honesty of his 'indentions at Jast ceases to be disputed; but let us see what the objections to delay for enquiry mean. Should the borrowing power of the

tißb&Uße the jPUblid Works pßlie'y had failed, and to ahticijjate sttch ft cataStrdphe ia to entertain a.disbelief in its soundness, -which, if the objectors are influenced by upright motives, would lead them to object not to delay, but- to the execution of the wort at any time. In fact the spirit of greed in which alone so large an expenditure can be urged with such opinions, is, when once displayed, tbe most dangerous force against which we have to contend, and seen by representatives from other Provinces is certain to rouse them to the most determined opposition to us, and resolution to secure for themselves by force of numbers corresponding advantages. If our railway will net bear enquiry, what hope ought we to have of its construction, and 'how "can we decently refuse time to obtain proofs, not for Ministers, for they are willing, but for Parliament, which it. is necessary to con- • vince ? Mr. Vogel's statement to the Deputation at the last interview was decisive as to his opinion being that the line must be executed, and that the only question was one of time. The changes contemplated are changes of government, and how could a more biting sarcasm be launched againt the Opposition than is thus uttered by its members. It means that only from the present Government can our railway be expected, and that a change of Ministry would bring in men who would not listen to our claims, but would say enough had been borrowed, and Provinces not already provided for must be left out in the cold. 60 is the Opposition judged by itself. With Mr. Vogel we are encouraged to hope, with any other Premier we are informed we must despair. Yet the very men who reason in this manner are doing all in their power to diminish the popularity of the Government, and replace it by one they admit would be opposed to Nelson interests.

The following proposals from our members were placed before the Government last week : —

"In the event of the Government deciding finally not to ask authority of Parliament during the present session for the construction of the whole of this line, we have the honor to submit the following proposal:

"That the Government take authority fivin Parliament this Bession to continue tha lins from Fox> Hill to the junction of the Osven with the Buller, a distance of about 45 miles.

" The late discovery of a seam of coal at tbat point appears to us to make it a matter of urgent importance that no time should be lost in connecting that district with the port. " The seam to which we refer i 3, at the point of outcrop, 2ft. 6in. in thickness, and its quality for steam purposes at lea9t equal to the average of the coals imported from New South Wales. "A reference to the reports of Dr. Haast and Dr. Hector will place the fact of the existence of large deposits of coal in this part of the Bullor valley beyond doubfc. " The distance from Fox Hill to the junction of the Owen with the Buller, by way of the Hope valley, is, as above stated, about 45 miles. "The Co9t of construction, we believe, would not exceed the average of the through line, say £1000 per mile, or £180,000; "As regards security, we would suggest that the Government might take such. proportion of the 1,400,000 acres offered for the entire line of 140 miles as they think would be sufficient, in addition to the Provincial revenues, for the protection of the Colony. " We trust that the.Government will not refuse to accede thus far to the urgent desire of the people of Nelson, in common with other parts of the Colony, to open up the interior of the country." [Signed by all the Nelson members.]