THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7609, 20 January 1903, Page 2

THE OTAGO CENTRAL.

« — DUNEDIN IN DEFENCE. {Frou Our Cobresi'ondent.] DUNEDIN, Jan. 20. The "Otago Daily Times," commenting upon the " Lylteltc-n Timcs's " persistent hostility to ihe Otago Central Railway, sa}-s that ifc is apparently oblivious of the fact that every argument employed against the construction of that line might with tbe strongest force be used against the Midland Railway. It questions tlie wisdom of throwing cold water upon schemes to which the colony is committed. "The Midland Railway project," it says, "has always been regarded by us as a huge political job, but though we think it should never have been started we do not, on that account, demand that it should be stopped at q point where it might be said to go nowhere. A saner line of action is to urge that both the /Otago Central and Midland lines be carried to thoir termini. Tlie 'Times' need not vex its spirit with the fear that the Otago Central will never pay more than 2 per cent on t.he cost of construction. .That' estimate i« merely a random guess totally unsupported by evidence. As far as it has gone tho Otago Central has developed— a considerable amount of traffic. Much is made of the character of a good deal of tho country through which the line passes, but it must not be overlooked that the main trunk line from the Bluff to v Amberley passes through a good deal of -worthies. ' country. In any case, it was hardly contemplated when the Otago Central line was projected tint it would develop a large traffic in carrying grain to the seaboard. It is somewhat superfluous to assert that only restricted areas of first-class agricultural land will be tapped by the railway. During a vi_it to Central Otago a few years ago Mr Braguto. Government Viticulturist, found it an ideal region for fruit-growing, and he expressed the opinion that a great future lay before the Otago Central region for the production of wine. It is not by any means the Sahara our contemporary would represent it to be. It may be sparsely peopled in the meantime, but it 'is not too much to assume that tho railway will be the means of a large population eventually settlinff to develop its neglected resources. The gold dredging industry _is another factor tho significance of .which must not be overlooked. It is wholly erroneous to assume that the line, is likely to prove anything of a white elephant." / * ""