Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE PUBLISHED Tuesdays and Fridays TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1909.

Western Star, 23 November 1909, Page 2

Western Star AND WALLACE COUNTY GAZETTE PUBLISHED Tuesdays and Fridays TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 1909.

Judging by the tenor of the replies reoaivfed, it would appear that the Government does not seem disposed, tq make provision for the creation off, the Waiau bridge this year. Money is scarce, and it is said there are prior claims to be considered in other parts of the Dominion for similar works. They recognise the necessity for the work, but its immediate prosecution is the question they are unable to settle, no doubt for the reasons mentioned. So far as the district is concerned, the, work is deemed one of urgency for more reasons than one. The early- erection of the bridge would certainly he]p the sawmilling; industry Messina Hamilton and. Co., of Ta Tua are erecting another mill near P.v ,atotara capable of turning o.it up to twelve thousand feet' per day. This makes the third mill on the west side of the river, and it is understood that within a few months two more are to follow. This will mean, a large and profitable source of freights to the railway. The success of the tin-ber industry there will depend upon getting the timber cheaply to the railway terminus at Tuatapcre. We do not see how the punt is going t© deal with the large and growing traffic, a«d the longer the bridge is delayed, the slower must be the develop mm tof the lar west- Were the bridge. there a tram way across it from the mills would greatly reduoa .the cost of handling the timber. To expedite mutters, end meet the financial difficulty, the member for Wallace suggested to the Commissioner of Crown Lands that the unsold Crown land west of the Wtiau should bo loaded to meet half the cost. It appears from a cep .ct submitted to the Minister lor Lands, whose letter on the subject -appears in another part of this issue, that the greater portion of the Crown land in question has already been loaded for roads, and such loading ha ß 1 been spent. The only urea that has not been loaded is an area of sixteen hundred acres between Mr H. Brskine’a and the proposed bridge site. There are thirty-three thousand acres of Crown land in the LiUbam district, at present unloaded, but when loaded, the loading will be required for reading the blocks. Hence, no help can be expected from loading. The question therefore, comes buck to the original position. The Government will require to find the whole of the money by a straightout vote. The two ridings interested, it may be taken for granted, would not saddle themselves -with the cost. The bridge is really a natural work, forms part and parcel of any land settlement and development scheme, and for that reason, if for n|o cither, should J>e a charge upon the national exchequer. That settlement west of the Waiau should proceed apace, and that the sawtmilling - industry should be encouraged, the mattar of the erection of the' bridge as early as possible becomes one of urgency

In August last representations were mode to tike Minister for Railways in regard to the shimtihlg of tike afternoon train from Orepuki at Riverton. The usual practice is lor the 'train to stop at the good shed, take on or put off 'trucks, anti then run, up to the platform. Meanwhile, passengers have alighted' while the carriages were standing at the igoodshed, It is all very well t Q say 'that they should keep their seats and wait until the train drew up to the station, hut as many of them desire to return by the gening train the same day, and aa

they OBly; Have about two hours in Riverton during which to do business minutes are precious, and hence their hurry to lea b the train at the goodshed. Leaving the train there is iraugiht with danger, . and that is why we think the train should run right into the station, where passengers could alight, after whiddit could Mery well do its shunting, as there is ample time. Not infrequently, it has to wait a considerable time for the arrival of the goods thain Irom Invercargill. In reply to the representations made ito the Minister, it is stated that the point 'where the train stops is nearer to l (the business portion of the town than the platform and that time is actually saved to the pa'ssedgers alighting there, Soever is for supplying that information to the Minister must iktaowi that it is not accurate. But the Minister’s refusal to accede to the request js based on another objection. He holds that to put passenger train after it has stopped at a P 1 fo*m is objectionable because passengers who are going on with the trains are apt to rush for the carriages l wader the impression that the train its leaving, and accidents! are likely to occur. What about the liability to. ..accidents in jumping from the carriage platform or steps to the road ? One is just about us dangerous as the other. We really think, and moist t ownspeo pie are oi the same opinion, that effect should bo given to the suggestion to run right up to the platform before shunting.