NELSON'S SCENIC ATTRACTIONS.

Colonist, Volume XLVIX, Issue 11812, 17 December 1906, Page 6 (Supplement)

NELSON'S SCENIC ATTRACTIONS.

| THE MIDLAND RAILWAY; , A deputation, consisting of mem- ' bers of th© Chamber of Commerce and the Nelson Inland Communication League, then waited upon the j Premier in reference to the omission . from the Tourist Guide Book of Nel- ! son's scenic attractions, and the cxi tension of the Midland railway. Mr Bannehr acted as spokesman, ; and palled attention to the way in which the Tourist Department had in the past, ignored Nelson. The i Chamber of Commerce had written urging that something more should be done than hud been done In the past, and it had boen promised that in the new guide book that was to be issued justice would be 1 done to the district. Instead ' of that, in the latest vsork, i Nelson was entirely ignored, pass- J ing reference only Joeing made to | certain of the well-known tourist < attractions. He was sure the Pre- : mier had no knowledge of these omissions, and it was only a ques- < tion of having the matter laid be- i fore h\va. In the advertisements appearing in many of the weekly illus- f rated newspapers the- name of Nel- I son was not even mentioned, I and places of minor importance i were referred to as leading fishing | and shooting reports. Sir Joseph said he would be very < glad to see the matter pat right. 1 Another guide book was about to be issued, and he would see that the matter was rectified. Mr Bannehr, on behalf of the Inland Communication League, ' brought up the question of railway < extension. He regretted that time < would not permit the Premier visit- < ing the Tadmor Valley, and taking 1 a bird's eyeview of that country, « which was used for grazing., hop J growing, etc., he also referred to the J indications of coal and said i that recently a geological survey of the valleys in the vicinity had been promised, with a view to boring for coal. Sawmills were also springing up in that district, and traffic on the present line « was growing, and was much larger ( than had been anticipated. There < were yet two million acres of land to I be opened up, but there was no in- * ducement for people to cultivate the * land, because the cost of bringing * their produce to market was too ' great. If the valleys were opened I up, he was convinced the country * would carry a large population, who J would be employed in agricultural, - pastoral and mining pursuits. The * Hon. \Y. Hall-Jones had told them J that as soon as the Broken River- * Springfield section of the Midland ' railway was completed, a number of * men would be available? for transfer * to the Nelson section, in order that j the section beyond the Tadmor * might be more expeditiously carried ' on. He trusted that tho promise -j was not forgotten, and that access - 1 would be given to the Central Bui- f ler. The sooner the line was con- | nccted with the southern system the better for the Colony and the district. The Minister* had promised authorisation of the extension of the live beyond the Hope Saddle. In 1874 the Midland railway was authorised, and they were now asking for authorisation of ten miles of railway to connect with the authorisation of 32 years ago. He contended they were in a diffeent position to that of any other district. They had the pledge of 32 years' ago that tho line would be caried on, and he believed if the extension was made it would be of the utmost importance, and of great advantage to the Colony. He asked that a promise be made to bring down the Authorisation Bill next session for this extension, and if tnis was done a recommencement of work would not have to be made, and a great deal of money would ba saved thereby. Mr McKenzie, M. H.R., said he had a promise from the late Premier and the Minister for Public Works that tho works woald be prosecuted , vigorously, but instead of that the i number of men in the Mann section i had been reduced from 140 to 80. The Premier said that it was bei yond his power to promise to bring down an Authorisation Bill, but he would be glad to convey thVir re presentations to the Minister. He could not make any promise; never - i tholess, he was anxious to see the ; country opened up and developed. , The Government were making nino- . teen different railways now, and one ; railway alone this year had cost . .£300,000, while their whole expendi- , ture was over £800,000. It was 'no , use disappointing people, and if i they started adding to their line 3 > the progress would be slow for -the - whole of them. They were at prej sent spending 2}4 millions a year ; through the Public Works Departi ment, which was an enormous sum t for a Colony with a population of , 900,000 people. When the North Isj land Trunk line was finished in j 1908 it would let loose £300,000 a i year to carry on railways. Mr Bannehr pointed out that it 5 was not a new railway they were j asking for— ifc had been authorised r 32 years ago. They had a positive i assurance from Ministers that this 3 line would be prosecuted morevigor- . ously, and they had also a distinct . pledge that the gap would be provided 3 for. There was a feeling of very 3 great indignation over the way the 1 district had been served, and he con- \ sidered Nelson had boen disgrace- [ fully neglected. They were not asking for a new railway, but to carry 9 on one that had been authorised. The Premier said he would not . pledge himself to any appropriation. y Any promise made by the Minister of i Railways would be carried out. s Mr Graham explained that they were not asking for anything that ': had not been promised before. The ' late Premier had promised to fiJl up c the ggap. Tha Authorisation Bill c only included half the gap, but he had promised to pass a bill for the remaining 10}£ miles. If the gap was filled they would have a one da} service to the West Coast instead of two. He urged the authorisation of tho lOJ'a miles in accordance with promise. The Premier said he did not know >f when they were going to make a l- fresh authorisation. If they put on I- one authorisation they would have s. to put on a dozen. >f Mr McKenzie said it was absoluiee ly necessary that this authorisation g should be dealt with next session, it even if it was the only one in the Colony. He had a letter from a >f minister in which there was an d undertaking that the authorisation g would be brought down last desion. [b Sir Joseph reiterated that he would d not pledge the Government, and ho la could not tell when the naxt Auie thorisation Bill would be brought l- down. i Mr Fell said that years ago tho r- whole line to the West Coast whs l- authorised, and he said there wns n-i j. reason why thy gap should tiot be it authorised.

g 1 Having thanked Sir Joseph foi hi his patient hearing, the deputatior s withdrew, and Mr Graham, on be - half of the Harbor Board, laid tht 3 question of > RECLAMATION OF FORESHORES AND WAIMEa I FLATS bofore the Premier. He said the t Board had very valuable andowmente t which, when reclaimed, would give . 8000 acres of land to the district. 3 He was not going to ask the Govern- - ment for a vote or grant, but he , asked the assistance of the Govern--1 ment in giving them the services 3 of a competent officer for the purpose , of making a comprehensive report on tbe foreshores with a view to rei commending the best way of pro- - ceeding for permanent reclamation, 7 and an approximate estimate of the j cost. The work would be of the ut- - most importance to this part of the Colony. 1 | Mr Hanby said they were not in a j position to do anything without a ; comprehensive plan, and if the ; Board did not carry out the work they would have to consider the advisability of allowing it to be done 1 by private enterprise. Mr McKenzie said the request was a reasonable one, and tho amount involved for survey was a very small matter indeed. The Premier agreed that the request was not an unreasonable one, and said that he would be glad to look into the matter and see if they had an officer to spare, Mr Graham then urged the extension of the Railway wharf, and askad the Premier to bring the matter before the Minister for Public Works with a view to expediting tho work which had been authorised. The Premier said he would be glad to convey their representations to the Minister for Public Works, who, he knew was anxious to go on with it.