HIS PROVINCE—THEIR RAILWAYS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1436, 10 May 1912, Page 4

HIS PROVINCE—THEIR RAILWAYS.

AND WHAT HE SAID. (fly Telegraph—Press Association.! Dimedin, May' 9. Tho Prime Minister returned from the South this morning and soon afterwards was waited on by several deputations. The first deputation urged the extension of the Catlins River railway, and also asked that a further section be taken over bv the Railway Department from the Public Works Department. The Minister said that he did not think that greater activity in constructing tho lino would be possible in view of tho opinion expressed by the country against heavy borrowing. If less borrowing was done in future this line, which was one of the great feeders of Dunedin, would receive its share. Tho next deputation, which represented the Dunedin Expansion League, urged the extension of tho Otago Central and Lawrence-Roxburgh railways,' and' irrigation in Central Otago. In reply the Prime Minister said that the interests of Otago would never bo forgotten by him. lie believed that between .£1,000,000 and .£2,000,000 would have to be spent on the irrigation scheme apart from railways. As the Government would be doing some experimenting in Otago it might be possible to establish a smaller experimental station in Central Otago. He suggested a system of light railways for this district.' He would see that special attention was paid to the LawrenceBeaumont railway, and would movo in that direction us soon as possible, but tho question of the authorisation to Roxburgh was a matter for Cabinet to decide. He was in favour of extending tho Otago Central Railway when the Catlins lino reached a certain point, but he could not commit the Government on the point. Tho Prime Minister will leave for tho north to-morrow after inspecting the crop experiments at Mount Royal now being carried out by owners in co-opcrntion with tho Agricultural Department. Ho trill proceed to Fairlio to attend a. banquet to tho Hon. T. Buxton, and on Saturday ho will leavo for Wellington. Ho will probably return to Dunedin in about three weeks.