OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Dunstan Times, Issue 950, 2 July 1880, Page 3

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs Pyke, Ewing, and Colclough, waited on the Premier and the Minister of Works, to urge the more speedy construction of the Otago Central Railway. Mr Pyke said that the Interior districts of Otago complained that the lino was not being pushed on with the energy that their necessities and its importance to the Colony gave them a right to expect. He believed the Premier was one of the Committee of tlie Upper House that considered and approved of the proposal to construct the Otago Central Railway. That railway was the only one that had ever passed through the crucial test of a Committee of both Houses. He would refresh the memory of the Premier by pointing out to him certain passages in the reports of the Committees showing how highly the construction of the line had been recommended. He believed that a considerable amount of last year’s appropriation was yet unexpended, and he would ask the Government to at once proceed with the Lintorn section of the railway, which would bring it into the level country of the Strath Taieri Plain. The country through which the railway had as yet passed was broken, and useless for settlement.

The Premier fully agreed with all that had been stated flboufc the importance of the line. In the present state of the finances of the Colony ho was afraid it would be impossible to do more than keep working at the line. The portion of the lino decided on had been to Taieri Lake, 05 miles, and the estimated cost L 500,000, and from the funds available it would take about five years to complete. He could assure the deputation that if they thought the work had been proceeding slowly it was not so in comparison with other lines. No other lino in a similar position had, during the

past year, a fourth of the money expended on it. The Minister of Public Works said the Government were fully aware of the importance of the line, but where were the funds to come from ? The Government had no funds for absolutely necessary works. He could assure the deputation that the Otago Central had fared well in comparison with other lines of railway the construction of which had been authorised. He read a statement showing that the payments made on contracts on the Otago Central had during the past year been about L 70.000, and that the liabilities on these contracts were over L40.C00. The unexpended balance of the L 120.000 appropriated was only L19;000. Mr Pyke said this line was on a different footing to others. A large amount of land nearly 400,000 acres, had been reserved from sale to pay for the construction of this line, and the land was now locked up, useless for purposes of settlement. The Committee of the House that had recommended the construction of the line to the Government had stated the Willingness of the Counties interested -Taieri, Maniototo, and Vincent—to undertake the construction of the line and hand it over to the Government -when complete, and had recommended that, failing the Government undertaking the construction, they Should be placed in a position to do so, or that arrangements should be made for having the work carried out by a private company, such as the Committee had had evidence cotild be formed in Dunedin for the purpose.

The Premier said this certa'uily was in favor of the line. Other railways, they hail been toM, were to he paid for in this way ; but no reserves were made, and the land was now sold. In the case of the land reserved for the Otago Central, in the present depression to procure funds by selling would be to sacrifice it. They must prooee 1 with the work as funds permitted it. Mr Ewing observed that the Committee of the House that had considered the matter of a railway into the interior of Otago had examined into the merits of a number of proposed routes ; that one of these, the Shag Valley, although following nearly the Hue of mam road, an I, consequently, conferring benefits and being remunerative as it progressed, had been rejectel in favor of the Otago Central, which it was known would confer none till it reaches the Taieri Lake. The Government were therefore bound to get the line constructed to that point as soon as possible, as the wholu’expenditure, until Taieri Lake was reached, would be unreproductive. lie would not ask the Government to sacrifice the lands by selling them now, hut there was no need to wait the completion of the lino. As it progressed the land it passed through be raised in value, and could be sold to furnish funds for the remain ler.

Mr (Jololough remarked that the construction o? the coast lines had conferred no benefit on the'iuterior : in some oases quite the reverse, although the people there had to bear their share of the taxation rendered necessary. It was useless to open land unless communication with a market was established, He was afraid if the present state of things continued the interior would ho depopulated; the people then would clear nut to more favourable districts. The Premier asked if there was not a railway available as far as Palmerston. Mr Ewing: t have had goods taken direct from Dunedin at a cheaper rate than if they' came by rail to Palmerston. Mr Pykc spoke of the vast area of Crown lands—over 2,500,000 acres—to be opened up by the railway, and the adaptability of a great portion of it for agricultural purposes.

The Premier, while admitting the truth of all that hail hc5U said, regretted that lie could not promise more tlian that such provision should be made for the prosecution of the line, in common with other", as was possible in the existing state of the finances. It would, however, be pushed on moie rapidly ns soon as funds were available. Mr Pyke called the attention of the Government to a most advantageous site for a village settlement at Po ilhurn Gorge cn the line of the railway. The sight had beeil recommended by the Chief Surveyor as in every way suitable. In the neighbourhood was a rocky gorge, between two and three miles in length, through which the railway had to pass, and on this employment might from time to time he given. It would he well that work on this rocky cutting 1 should bo commenced long before the sections approaching it, as otherwise considerable delay might occur.

The Minister of Public Works asked if, supposing the Gorge cutting were made before necessary for the line, would it be of any use, say for road purposes ?

Mr Pyke Said it would be of every use ; it would shorten the distance by road between Clyde and Dunedin by nearly twenty miles.

Mr Ewing being’ referred to doubted whethar it would shorten it quite so much as that.

Tbe Premier said, under the circumstances represented, he would promise to favourably consider the matter. The deputation then withdrew.