MARTINBOROUGH'S WANTS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1518, 14 August 1912, Page 5

MARTINBOROUGH'S WANTS.

| DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS, A BRANCH RAILWAY. A delegation of residents of Martinborough camo to Wellington yesterday to reinvent to Ministers certain urgent requirements of their dfstrict. They wero introduced by Mr. \V. C. Buchanan, member for tho district, and the principal speakers in the deputation were Messrs. Murdoch Ross, chairman of tho Mnrtinbarougli Town Hoard, and A. D. M'Leod, chairman of the Fcatherston County Council. Tho first request was addressed to tho Minister for Public Works (tho Hon. W. Frascr), and it was in effect thai: a branch lino of railway should be built from l'eatherston to Martinborough, a distanco of ten miles. Mr. Buchanan claimed that the line, if constructed, would bo a payable 0110 from the outset, as tho Wairarapa line had been. Despite tho handicap of the heavy, climb, and tho maintenance of an extra staff at the foot of tho hill, tho Wairarapa lines had given the best net Teturn of all the country lines throughout New Zealand. This was a very different position from that which existed in regard to other short lines, which had lost heavily, and he quoted figures relating to the Kaivakawa, Gisborne, Nelson, and Picton lines. This Martinborougli-Fea-therston line, serving as it would a rich prodnctivo district, could never ho a burden on the taxpayers. He urged, therefore, that the county, carrying as it did a heavy burden of debt, could better alford to construct a paying branch lino than to go on with the remaining 120 miles of the South Island Main Trunk lino through from l'icton, which had no prospect of l.ving a paying line. If there was any new railway that could justly claim the best consideration of ths Government, this proposed railway could. He urged that the necessary survey should ba made, and that the lino should go on wilh as little delay as possible. Mr. A. I). M'Lead said that the haulage traffic along the Featherston-Martihbor-ougli Road was very heavy, and very expensive to the settlers. • At certain times of tho year, too, when settlers were very anxious to get away their fat sheep for export, it was almost impossible to movo sheep along the roads because they were so congested by wheeled traffic. The road had been costing so much to maintain that the settlers of the djstrict had offered on the occasion of a

former deputation to construct tho lino it they were allowed facilities tor so. 'i'liere could bo no possibility of tho lino being a non-paying one. The subdivision of land had Rone ahead at a greater rate in the Martinborough. district than in any. other part! of tho Y\airarapa, and there were 110 Crown tenants settled Oil laud there. The settlement had been a success, but the tenants, to make a greater success, had to go in for ilnirviu?, and they required transport. A (lyiii" survey had been made, and the cost, estimated was JJSO.OOO or .£OO,OOO, of which amount s-.omo 25 per cent, would b« absorbed bv a bridge. lie hoped the Government would take immediate steps to inquire, about the line, and get the bost reports possible for their informaMr. M. Koss also urged the necessity for the line. ~ ~ , ~ „ , The Hon. AY. Fraser said that the first step to be taken was to have the lino authorised. Ho was not in tho habit of making many promises, but ho would make one promise to the deyuiation. lie could not promise that' the lino would ha authorised, because that did not lie with him. He could promise, however, to represent it to Cabinet, and his own opinion was that this line, was one that ought to be authorised. If Cabinet decided to put the railway on the Authorisation Bill, he would see that the Department obtained sufficient data on which to base "an accurate estimate of tho cost. It would l>e for Parliament to sav next session whether the "railway .would bo built. ■

COURTHOUSE FOR MARTINBOROUGH. The same' deputation, waited upon the HouJ.Y. L. Herdinan (Minister iol- Justice) to tirgo the necessity for .a Courthouse at Martiiiborough. It was pointed out that the Court sat there oneo a month, and that sometimes the session extended over two days. > The Court sat in a building which was used as an Oddfellows' Lodge, and as a commercial travellers' sample room. The Government had no satisfactory tenancy of the building, and the business of the Court was often hindered by the use of the uau for these other purposes. • The Hon'. 'A. L. Herdmau, replying, said that the Government had some time Vo purchased a site for a Courthouse, but the question of erecting a Courtliouso was one of pounds, shillings, and pence. However, if the Government dccided that it had money to spare for new Courthouses, Mnrtinborough would bo one or the first to receive consideration.