DISTRICT RAILWAYS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1376, 10 November 1884, Page 2

DISTRICT RAILWAYS.

The following is the Hansard report ol Mr Walker’s speech on the resolution In respect to the negotiations for the parchase of district railways, delivered in the House of .Representatives on 30th Oct.:—

Mr Walker : With reference to the remark made by the last speaker, that this session the whole of the business ham hinged on these district railways, I do not think the remark is more applicable to this session than to the legislation of the last few years ; in fact, ever since the original Act was introduced. I believe the question has been constantly before Parliament ever since, and consequently the House may fairly consider that it has never been settled. 1 should like to give an instance to the Committee of how, in the case of one of the railways, the matter really atands. The Rakaia- Ashburton Forks Railway was constructed under the original Act of 1877, and it has three rates authorised to the 31st of March, 1883. The total value of tnese three rates comes to L 7.941 19a Bd, and of these three rates only L6OO have been collected. That is, L6OO have been collected put of, in round numbers, LB.OOO Smoe than another rate is due to the. end of the year 31st March, 1884, LI ,795 19a 2d,W.|a now awaiting the Minister’s certificate so that nearly LIO.OOO a-e due to that company in rates, of which they have only been able to collect L6OO. Well, I would ask those members who are conversant with the oolleccion of rates whether it would be possible, whether it would be feasible to collect those rates, whether they could expect that three years’ rates c mid be collected unless something were done by this House, or by some body able to set these matters right. I consider that this statement with reference to the railway, which is as sound as any railway possibly can be, is a very* sure proof of what mast be the circumstances connected with all the other railways ; and there-, fore it is evident that the subject deserves not only the most earnest consideration of this House, but their very best endeavors to set matters right. I really that one of the most serious imputations against the boiia fides, so to speak, of, the present Ministry has been the iact thqt not one of them represents the agrioulttyT ral interests. ' While in Committee' op the Land Bill the other’ night we hqd all sorts of taunts thrown out. The Premier, it was said, knew nothing about agricultural or pastoral pursuits—that he was a baby and a theorist, and all sorts of other things were said; but I maintain that the measure which was unfortunately lost in the other Chamber, and the loss of which this resolution endeavors to a certain exent to remedy, proves incontestably, that this Ministry really have the interests of the agricultural districts of the colony and of the Middle Island at heart There is hardly an agricutural district from the very north of Canterbury to the Bluff which is not more or leas interested in this question of the railways, and therefore I maintain that, in the interest of the agricui ural districts in that island, the Ministry are only doing their duty In pressing the consideration of this question most emphatically upon Parliament.