EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2658, 13 October 1882, Page 3

EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

A special general meeting of the Industrial Association was held last evening in the Congregational sohoolroom, Manchester street, to oonsider the question of the East and West Coast railway. There was a large attendance, including the following members of the House of Bepresentatives—Messrs T. 8. Weston, H. Thomson, H. Allwright, W. H. Pilliett, and W. F. Pearson. Mr A. G. Holland (president) occupied the chair. He said he had been requested to apologise for the absence of his Wrship the Mayor, whose sympathies, however, pore with the objeot of the meeting. (His Worship subsequently arrived and took his soat on the platform.) Mr E. H. Banks (treasurer) read apologies from the Sir John Hall, Mr J. E. Brown, Mr E. G. Wright, M.H.B.'e, and Professor Bickerton.

The Chairman, in opening-the meeting *aid that the asgooi&tion now numbered about 500 members, and they felt that their voice should be heard on suoh an important subject as that whioh they had noir met to discuss. The oommittee had prepared resolutions whioh he hoped would be acceptable to the meeting. They would be proposed and supported by gentlemen who were well acquainted with the subjeot, and who h&d it well at heart. The association did not take up this matter in a political way, but with a view to encouraging looal industries and opening up the vast mineral and other resources of the West Coast, and procuring for Canterbury the splendid timber, of whioh there were two millions of acres, whioh existed on the other side of the rarge. The existenoe of these reserves was sufficient proof that enough would be obtained from the sale of the land to pay for the railway. A royalty of 6d a ton on the 40,000,000 tons of coal on the West Coast would be sufficient even to pay cff the national debt. There were other valuable resources whioh could be utilised by the expenditure of a few hundred theueand pounds on a railway across the island. There was a strong undercurrent working against the saheme, and it was necessary for them to use ail their endeavors to acoure the object in view. Mr JT. Pavitt rose with diffidence to move the first resolution in the presence of so many members of Parliament, who were better acquainted with the subject than himself. The people in Ohristohuroh felt considerable alarm on learning that the Government were pledged to carry out the line of railway along the Bast Coast, as it had never ocourred to them that such a sohnne would ever be proposed, Years ago Sir Julius Vogol had advocated the route, but at that time there had been no surveys or estimates made, and people were ignorant of the difficulties of the country. It would be absurd to enter upon a work which would entail upon the colony a heavy dobt without producing any return whatever; and therefore he was of opinion that an important body, like the Association, should enter its protest against such on undesirable soheme. It had been said that there was no cause for alarm, as the Government did not intend to adopt the line until the Boyal Commission had reported, but the Government had aotually oommenoed the construction of the line, by beginning a section f.om Blenheim to a place called Burnham, which was past the point of the alternate route. One cf the Canterbury members pleaded ignorance of tbe fact that one of the Government engineers had aotually eoinploted surveys of the lino. Knowing that this was the case, the members of the Association had thought it time to use their influence to induce the Government to abandon the soheme. Mr Foy, a surveyor who was brought out to the colony at great expense, had reported against the line in very strong terms. The whole length of the line passed convenient shipping places. There were no agricultural farms, and the sheep stations on the route were conveniently situated with regard to shipping places from whioh they could send their produce to Wellington or Lyttelton for 8i or 10s a ton. The only object in constructing such a line was to suit the iuterents of a few people. There were so many reasons against the line that he was almoEt tired of reiterating them, The objoot of the Association in adopting the resolution he would propose was to prevent the possibility of the line being oommenced. Not one of the Christchurch members had been consulted in this matter, whioh would involve an expenditure of about two millions of money. He did not wish to say anything whioh might imply blame to their members, but he would have been pleased if they had strongly protested against the proposal. The resolution he would propoao was as follows :—" That

tbii association earnestly and respectfully request the Government to abandon the idea of making a railway from the Waipara to Blenheim, aa in the opinion of the association

it would be unprofitable, and a wasto of publio money to construot suoh a, lino." [Cheers.] Mr T. 8. Weiton, M.H.8., felt extremely flattered at being invited by the association co second the resolution. He attended not as a duty but as a pleasure and a distinction, and to help them to get rid of a projeot which ho oould not but regard with disfavor. It was one which should not have been adopted by the Government, and he was surprised that tie people of the colony had not made their voice heard before, particularly through their roprssontativea, when Parliament was sitting. He raised his voice in the House against it, and this line of railway was one oftho causss why ho left the Government and threw in 'cia lot with the Opposition. [Cheers,] Ha went to Wellington unpledged, hut his sjxipa:h ; es b-sing with the "Government. He found them, however, wasting the timo of the oountry trying to get votes, he would not s*y by what means, and laughing at the Housci while it was dealing with the ridiculous measure* submitted to it. Eventually, when they had made their peace with a few menibors, including Borne from Canterbury, they passed legislation of a character moefc inimioal to the interests of the colony. When the members ansembled they found a national debt of .£SO 8j 4d per head, including Maoris. But whilst they saw suoh a load on their shoulders, involving as it did the sending away of nearly £2,000,000 annually, they also saw on the other hand a grand country capable of supporting an immense population, teeming with wealth, and capable of produoing crops and products to an almost extravagant extent. Members went to Parliament to assist in developing these resources, and it bscame a question whether or not further loans should be negotiated. The told them that their expenditure had not exceeded the revenue; that the insurances and savings bank deposits had increesed, showing the continued prosperity of the country; and then he said the oountry could bear the burden of another loan, at the same time, with strange inconsistency, urging that it was necessary in order to keep employed 3000 men, who, with their families, amounted ia all to 10 000 persons. Then he brought down his Loan Bills—one for £3,000.000, aad another for £1,000,000. The Government, caolly asked Parliament to sanction the expenditure of £1,000,000 on a line as to which they did not even know the route, or whether the land oould be procured from the Natives. Oould they expect their members to support a Government making such a proposal as that? ["No."] Mr Montgomery and others endeavoured to foroe the Government to postpone the raising of the loan until after surveys had bsen made and the route determined, and eventually the Government gave way and agreed to do this. What did Mr Montgomery say in the House ? Tbat he objected to sanctioning loast for lines to go from somewhere unknown to some other place goodness knows where. So much for the Northern line. Coming now to the line which was the subjeot of the resolution, the same objection was taken to it that was urged against the North Island line. Had the House committed itself to any one of the three alternative works P No; the House had voted the money, and left the Government to spend it. A route was to be fixed by Royal Commission. Who they might be, what their proclivities might be, they knew not. Was it right that the country should be governed by Royal Commissions in this way ? If the report of that Commission was to be considered by the House next seision, and sot dealt with by the Government during the recess, the sooner they raised their voioes in protest the better. [Cheers ] Mr Blair said the Bast Coast line passed through good country, and Mr Oonolly and Mr Dobson—another Marlborough member—also advocated the line as the most profitable that oould be adopted. But the whole thing was perfect nonsense. The whole of the oountry that would be opened up would bo only 15,000 acres, to tap which they would have to burrow through the mountains, and spend about £2,000,000. He did not believe the Government really intended to oarry the line right through, but only to construct a certain portion at each end, and when that was done the first to oomplain would be these Tery pcopls themselves. The construction of the line would enrich the Hon. W. Robinson and a few others, and Mr Robinson would even then send bis wool _ away by steamer. Sir Frederick Weld would also be enabled to out up his estate at Flaxbourne and sell it at a great profit. It was true that this scheme would nominally complete the trunk line, but of what use would it be * Could they expect the Well ngton merohants to send their goods aoross the Straits to Pioton, and then , down overland to Ohristchuroh, when there would be a line of steamers doing the distance direct in as ihort a time ? The lino might aecommodate a few, but to the many it would bo perfectly useless. He would just read an extract from Mr Blair s report of

1877, and a few remarks made by himself on the eubjeot during last session. read."] Mr Blair repeated his arguments in hie report this year, his opinion being based on the supposition that this line was wanted merely to connect Invercargill with the northern part of the South Island. Now, as a matter of fact that connection would not be required for the next ten yean. If they had money to opara in this young country let them put it into something that would developo their resources at onoe, and indues immig-a-■tion to the colony. The Ghriatchurch and Wostland members met in caucus id Wellington to see what they could do to get their share of the loan and to atk the Government to put £IOO,OOO in the schedule of the Bill to ooimeot Beefton with Greymouth, and £IBO,OOO to connect Amberloy with Waiau, but they were not successful, and the Govsmment instead pluoed the £IBO,OOO in the schedule to be devoted to the line along the East Coast. He must give a meed of praise to Mr Montgomery, Mr J. E. Brown and Mr I. Wilson, who were certainly anxious that the West Ooast line should bo put; through, and both in and out of caucus had endeavored to obtain that object. If this line were made taxation would be enormously increaeod and the people would be driven from the country. Under the Boads Construction Act £300,000 WMoapabloof being spent thisyear. Could they use the Savings Bank money for these works without obtaining funds from England to repay it ? If soraathing waa not dona they would soon find themselves ground down with taxation, and it behoved the people to look upon things with great anxiety, or, rs aure as he stood oa that platform, they would realise it to thoir cost when it was too lute. [Uheera.]

Mr H. Thomson, M.H.R., said it gave him much pleasure to be present, and if ho oouid throw any light on this vexed question it would be a doubio pleaaure. The jjropoqer of the resolution had referred to him. He had certainly expressed the opinion to Mr Pavitt that the question had soaroely boen put fairly before the people of Ohristchmch. (The main trunk railway had been part of the railway sohame of the colony for years, and it would be generally recognised that it had been before Parliament in various way* for several seesions. In 1877 amongst the works proposed to ba oarried out wts this line from Amberley northward. In 1878 there was a change of Government, and only a short public works statement, and the liue was not mentioned, but there was another Canterbury lino put forward to tickle the fancy of the Christohuroh people, namely, a line from Oxford to Te&uka, whioh was really never intended to be carried out. In 1879 the Pioton to Hurunui railway *ras mentioned, and again in 1880 and in 1881. In the latter year Mr Weaton was a member of Parliament, aud why was his protest not raids then, when the proposal was equally objectionable ? He (Mr Thomson) was only giving a history of the question, and waa nut advancing any opinion of his owa i» furor of any particular route. In 1882 the pubiio works statemont referred Rgtsin to the "Pioton-Hurunui line" and to a portion of a contract having bean Int. It had beon said that the £IBO,COO had been put down in th* schedule ol the Loan Bill for a line from Waipara to Bleu heim, but that was not so. It wis merelj put down for the main trunk line extension northward?, no route being indicated. The reason was—and it was well known to many membera —that there was a great diversity of opinion as to the direction which the route should take, and the Government promised the Canterbury members that a sum should be put down in the schedule whioh could not be touched by any other province, but which would be only available for Canterbury. Mr Holmes, who was away from Wellington at the time, od his return waited upon the Minister for Pubiio Works on the subject', vrho said that

lot & chilling of the money for the line would be spent until next year, after the Commission had reported and the subject had been considered before the House. It was scarcely fair that Mr Weston had not explained this—that not one penny of the £IBO,OOO would be spent until next year, after the Commission had reported. At the election he was asked about the Eist and "West Coast Bail way. There was some agitation on the subject, bat the attempt to form a private company was a hopeless failure. The report Lhat oame from the Chamber of Commerce was enough to damn any such project, and what oould he say when he was asked in Wellington whether he would make a railway in the face of sneha report ? .according to experts, it did seem the height of madness to make a line from Pic!.on to Huruimi. It was net-less as a connection between the two Itlands, because passengers would not tra?el that way while the steamers were running. £A Voice " Why didn't you say so in Parliament ?"J The line was not proposed to be made. Only a sum of £IO,OOO was to be spent in surreys, and it wonld be better to expend that money if ib could be shown that hundreds of would ba uselessly saont. Referring agvln" to the Eist acd West Ooest Rsiiiroy, he was willing to take shares in the undertaking, and amongst others, instituted a pt-rsocal can* vaas, tho result of whioh was to oonviaoathem that the project waa quite hopeless. He was talis fie d to trust the Gov«rnment to perform their promises, and next year it is-ould be the duty of the House to decide the question. He would like to say one word with regard to the one million loan. Mr Weston in referring to the subject had scarcely done justice to the Government. It was distinctly understood that not a penny was to be spent until it was known that the Natives would give the land, and indeed it was; afipulatcd that tho Natives would hare to deal very liberally with the Government in the matter. This understanding was not made by the Government, as as!»rted by Mr Weston, in consequence of the action of the Opposition, and this was sufficiently evident from the fact that Mr Sheehan and ether Auckland members spoke of the loan as a " paper loan." Mr Weston desired to say a word in explanation. It was the first time he had heard Mr Thomson make a speech. [Laughtsr.j The fact renuined that the £IBO 000 was in the schedule of the Bill for iho lint: northwards from Huruuu .

Mr Hooper asked Mr Thoinaon how lie could justify the, Government in placing £IO,OOO on the estimates to survey a linewhioh h&d already been surveyed and cobdemned by Mr 3?oy ? Mr Thomson said be waa cot there to defend or justify the actio- of the Government. Part of the £IO,OOO would be devoted to obtaining information about the Kati and West OcßSfc railway.

The resolution wai then put and carried unanimously. The Hoc. E. Richardson procoied the next resolution m follows:—" Thct tkis meeting ii of opinion that a line of railway to connect the West Coast with Canterbury la of paramount importance, and that the Government be urged to undertake its immediate oonotrnotion." He would have had some hesitation in proposing this resolution had it not been for the action of the Parliament last session in sanctioning further borrowing. Otherwise he might hare doubted whether thft time hadcamo for constructing such a line&s that indicated in this resolution. It wti natural to expect that a fair proportion of the money borrowed should be spent in this where it was largely raised. He was not prepared to say whether this expenditure would be immediately reproductive, but he was decidedly of opinio* that the money proposed to be applisd to the East Coast line to Pic ton would be infinitely better expended in the construction of a line across to the West Coast. With regard to Mr Thomson's ref erenoe to "Hansard," he was hardly correct in saying that it had been decided for many years past that the destination of the maintrunk line should be by a direct route north from Hurunui. Speaking from memory, in the public works statements made in 1873 45 and 6 this question was referred to as entirely unsettled. It was said that efforts were being made to determine the best route, and from Beefton to Nelson was indicated aa £ feasible and practicable route. Beyond that he did not know that anything had been done to commit the country to any particnlgr route, By the Loan Bill and the public works statement, which must be read together, there wss no doubt that i'ailliiment had committed the country to tb» line from Greymonth to Nelson, via Beefton* It would cost three-quarters of a million to fill up the gap from the Waian. to Greymouth, and this would be about half the cost of the proposed route from Fietoa round the East Coast, and thero could be no doubt as to whioh was the more desirable work, and the most profitable to the colony. Anyone having had experience on the West Coast would tell them that the proposed line across the itland would have the effect of lessening the cost of living there to the extent of 10s a week, and this would enable the niinere to apply their industry to a larger area of country. The construction of even one-half of the line would take them to th« large forests of valuable timber which had been alluded to, and develop the mineral reaouroes, and it would alio have the effect of making the line as fat 35 the Wiiau muoh more remunerative. The matter had been so fully discussed already that he would not go further into it. If money were to be expended in taking the nilway further north than Hurunui, the route selected should be that of most benefit to Canterbury, and that would also be better for the rest of the colony. He was csavir.ced that all the information in the hands of the Government would lead to the conclusion that the route aoross to the West Coast was the most desirable one in every respect. Faith should be kept with Marlborough, but this be done by connecting it with Canterbury via the Tophouse and joining the Rsefton and Nelson railway, the line terminating at Blenheim. Canterbury would then be nearer to Nekon, Wanganui, and Taranaki. It was folly to suppose that people from the North Island would use a railway from Pioton to Christ-church in preference to a direct saa voyage from Wellington to Lyttolton. It was only fair to the members of the association to 657 why he did not coma forward and support the private company alluded to by Mr Thomson. He did not consider it was possible for any prirat* company to make that line with any hope of success, and he knew that such a line must become pa;t of one of the trunk lineß of the colony, and should bo undertaken by the Government. Had he framed the resolution, he would have preferred some other word to "immediate," m it was known thet the Government not undertake tbe work at once, as they had not the money. [Cheers.] Mr D. Thomas seconded the resolution. The private ursociation which had been formed with a view to constructing the line to the West Coast had at any rate succeeded in demonstrating that & line to Recfton wa»i a practicable undertaking, and that the coat of constructing and working suck a line wss not so great as was supposed. New that the Govern nent had placed money on the schedule for this line, it was not likely that the matter would be taken up by a private company. Otherwise he believed it would have been possible for the Canterbury people to have carried tho matter out to a successful issue. There were now es many people between the Aahburton ar.d the Bikaia as there rero in the whole province when the Lyttelton tunnel was undertaken. (The speaker then referred at length to the exports and imports of Wostland, quoting from the '« Gazette"). Weslland's imports per annum f-om New Wales and Viotoria amounted to £88,320. 'i'liers was no reason why the whale of (his jhould not be supplied by Canterbury. The total export of gold alone from the WpeS Coast was £611,292, and the production tf this article was increasing. At Rseftvn la.se year nine oompanies paid in dividends no less than £63,000. The import of Newcastle coal into Lyttelton was about 70,0'J0 tons a year, which cost in Christohuroh cbout 34; a ton. Now coal just aa good in quality could be obtained from the West Coast and delivered in Chri«tchnrch at 21» a to:i if a roilway were constructed. There ■*ere also 23,672 tons of native coal procured frvin JMvera during the year ending 31at "tl-«n-h Jiwt. The cost of living would be ao> reduced on the West Coast that where there us one miner now employed in prospecting for gold there would be a dozen, and the population would ba so increased as to conrume an enormous amount of the grain o! O-.nterbnry, whioh would have the whole of the Westlaad trade in its hands. Timber, better in qualify than that obtained from li.vercargill, could be delivered in Ohriiti huroh from the coast by rail at 10a pee100ft. This would be a great touree.

■of revenue to the railway. "With ra gard to tho route along the coa=<i. th* ? had heard auffiaient to know that it would not pay for the axle grev<s. liven Bdmittirg that tba West Ooaafc Hue did not pay at flnt, he would telton tunnel pay at firat ?" And he maintained that there was as fins a count-j to bo opened up raow on the West Ooaat aa tho country they had opened between Ohri tchuroh and T:ru*ru. After a few concluding remarks n.oinas returned hia seat amidst «palaiue. Mr D. B-icne supported the resolution, and ■poke in favor of the great resources of the WaetOout, The nest time the constituencies of Pioton and Blenheim required a member to advocate their claims they should sand down to Canterbury, «nd the paoplo of Ohriotchuroh north would ua able to supply them with a member who would do tVom justice. [Laughter and cheers.] Xhe West Co&ac line was not a railway whioh should b* bvj priTato oapital, but a. colonial work *hioh should he undertaken by the Government. The other route was more of a prints nature, and if the few persons particularly interested desired a railway they should form * company for the purpose. He was aony that Canterbury had not been able to return members who would enable it to hold iis own, not only in Parliament but in the Ministry. If the present momber of the Q-ovemment who represented Canterbury bad had the pluck of a Britisher he would have said to his colleagues -*'Gentlemen, I can't sit with you any longer." Mr Wright, although he was a Conservative, deserved the thanks of Canterbury for tbo honerty of his action in regard to ths vaoant portfolio. The speaker was proceeding to ro.'sr to Mr Thomson, when Mie Chairman hoped he would refrain from attacking any momber of the House, or anyone else who had been invited to be present by the association. It was not a political meeting, but a meeting of the association. Mr Thomson thanked the chairman fir frotecting him from attacks whioh he would e quite ready to answer on his own platform. It was not fair that ho should be intuited when he was only there as a guest. Mr Beese, after a few further remarks, concluded his address.

Mr Pavitt desired to add to the information whioh had been given with regard to the resouroes of the West Const, that the quantity of timber whioh wontthrooch tho lijttolton tunnel in the year was 20,000,000 ft. Mr Barrett, who said he was an old Westland resident, spoke in support of the resolution. The Chairman, before putting tho resolution, mentioned that an apology had been received from Mr Wynn Williams, who w.»s enable to attend through illness. Mr Williams had forwarded a letter, which ho desired should be read to tho meeting, but as it waS rather long he (the chairman) was afraid there would not be time to read it to the meeting. The resolution was carried unanimously.

Mr W. 8. King proposed—" That copies of the foregoing resolution be forwarded to too -Government and the members of both Houses of the General Assembly." Mr. B. W. England seconded the rose* lotion, whioh was put and carried. His Worship the Mayor said he would like to read to the meeting some resolutions passed by the railway league at Keef ton, whioh had fe««o forwarded to him. They were as follows: <1) " That in the opinion of the Beef ton Bailway Zieague a survey of the proposed line to connect the Bast and West ooaste of the Middlo Island is indispensable, in order to tarnish reliable evidence t'j the proposed Royal XUHway Commission." (2) " That with a view to carry out the foregoing resolution it is desirable to obtain the co-operation of all centres of population along the line of the proposed route, to obtain which correspondence be opened up with the Mayors of Boroughs, chairmen of County Councils of Ohristohnrob, Nelson, Waimeo, Sydenham, Amberley, and all others interested in the movement, asking them to contribute towards the expense of a preliminary smrvey, with theobjeot of supplying the necoßsary evidence and data to the Commission." The Loague would no doubt like to have some answer with regard to the second resolution, hut it was perhaps rather too late for the meeting to disouss it. He himself sympathised very muoh with the object of the mooting, and was at any rate in favor of the money being expended on the Bast and West Coait line in preference to the proposed line along the Bast Coast to Fioton.

At the suggestion of the Chairman, the resolutions read by His Worship were referred to the committee of the aspooiation.

A rote of thanks having been passed to the Chairman, the meeting terminated.

The following is Mr Wynn Williams' letter referred to by the Chairman :

"I may wy, in a few words, that I conaider this question is one of those on which I should be guided by the general opinion of the community, ar.d if the Canterbury people, as a whole, should consider, after flaring gone exhaustively into the -whole -question, that the West Const line of railway will be of greater advantage to the colony, •nd to this part of it especially, than the through line to Picton, I shall certainly give it my cordial support. At the same time, if Z may be permitted to express an opinion, I think that the question should bo discussed entirely without referenoa to the faot that the lands through which tho the Northern line would go are private property. It is unfortunate for the oolony that these lands have been sold at the price at whioh they were sold many years ago, but that fact should not influence tho question M to whioh line of railway would be the most serviceable to the colony. I shall take it that this will bo admitted without doubt, *s the proper point to start from, and that the whole question must resolve itself into one, a> to which line will prove to be the moat profitable and best calculated to repay the oolony. I believe it has been already admitted that tha oost of the West Coast line will bo so great that there is no hope of its paying for many years to oome. In addition to this, it must also be remembered that the population of the West Coast is a very vary. ing one, and that as there is very little agricultural land, ar.d osrtuinly none on the line of railway itself after reaching the Waiau Gorge, it will become of very serious importance to consider whether the railway north will not eventually be of vastly more importance, not only to this part of the country, but to the whole colony. I have not the least doubt that a line to Picton would, in a very few years, open up an immense traffic with Ohristchuroh, particularly in passengers. Bo important is the question ronjidered in certain quarters, that I believe there is a strong combination already existing in order to prevent the construction of this line, and this should not be lost sight of. The question, I seed hardly remark, should be decided entirely on the basis of traffic. That both lines will bj required some day, I ahould fancy there can be no manner of doubt; at any rate (and I speak with some knowledge of the country), I feel confident that a through line direct to JP.ctor.', so as to connect this island as closely ua possible with the North, will, in a very few years' time, pay a very fair intaroat on the cost of construction. I would add that I fancy very few of those whr> are supporting so strongly the pri-.r claims of the West Coast line, have any knowledge of tha Northern country or its resources, through whioh the line will pass, and they support the other line on tho assumption that it will open up a very large trade with Chriitohucch. If those who are so energetio in stirring up the question, are prepared to discuss the relative merits of these proposed lines impartially, then I think it would bo aB well to have statistics prepared of the probablo rc-sourceo of the eastern country. It has been eonteaded, and I think very properly, that if the landowners will be able to soil their lards at prices ranging up to £ls per acre, that of itself ia a strong argument in favour of the value of the country, and of its capability-?, and-is strong proof that there would in a vary few years be a large population settled them. Knowing as I do a very large portion of this country, I quite conour iu that view, and I feel very little doubt tbat if a line of railway was constructed so as to terminate at Picton, the Christohurch peoplo at any rate would find there would be a much larger increase of trade of all description? iu consequence of the construction of th.it line than there would be fcoin tho West Coast Hoe. I am aware that several persons who have formed decided opinions upon tbo West Coast line seem to be unable to discuss a question of this kind without imputing dishonorable motives. I say this I ti*u»t justifiably, as there are persons who have already, in plain terms, accused members of Parliament of having sold themselves to a -wealthy owner of land on the line of the £«ywd northers railway, and ia other

directions members have been accused d pledging themselves to support this pattioul r. line. I may say that, so far as I am awm • ihere is not n vestige of truth even in tlit Utter charge ; with regard to the former 0r..-, I do not think it needs contrsdiction 1 would therefore, if I mu not talii'g too gre .t a liberty in doing H>, snsrpest to the ineeti if that both question'-* should be fully gone ir.to, jod the pros and conn carefully mid in partially considered, after having full particulars bs to the probable returns plao?d before the publio, and when this is done, that the whole question should be docided by a reference, in the most convenient form, to publio opinion. I do not think that the question of tho line to Pioton has received that consideration which it deserves, and most people have bean lod nway by the assertions of thoso who are totally ignorant of tho not uro of the northern oonntry, and m many infttanocs aro strongly biassed against any idfa of the lino being taken that .ay, iiroply, and for no other reason whatever, ihirt lhat the lund had beoomo privato property. I repeat, I am not awara of any plodgo of any kind havinp bt.on gitvri by any member of the House ;and I oertainly have rot only not given any pledge myself, but I hr.ve not evor been asked by either any membsr of Govcrnmont or anyono elaa to pledge inyacif to vote for either lino. I have, therefore, in conclusion only to say this, I have a right to exercise my opinion, as 1 adsjoic other* have to exercise theirs, without having improper motives cttributed tome because I hold euoh an opinion. And my opinion is, that the quoetion of the West Coast line has been too hastily accepted, and that no reliable information of any kind has yet been ;3iren to the public with regard to either of tho popesod routes. The opponents of the northern line have simply referred to the fact that tho lino will have to be taken through barren oountry at the Kaikouras, ignoring the fact that there aro many hundreds of thousands of acres of valuable land whioh will be brought into the market if this railway ism J de. Besides, there would be the through passenger traffic, whioh I have no doubt would be large, with steamer communication from Wellington to Picton (a matter of three and a-half hours) to oonneot with the trains to the South. This would be a permanent and increasing traffic. On the line through this country there would soon exist a thriving population of sotilero, and their trade for every possible kind of supply, from coaio to pins and needles, would have to be supplied from this port. I would suggest, therefore, that the question of this line to Pictan should be calmly and impartially discussed, without the opinions of persons who differ with those who aro so strongly in favor of the West Coast line being attributed to improper motives. I consider that the connecting liuk between the Worth Island and the South is not only of far more national importance, but undoubtedly of far more direct importance to us in Canterbury, than the line to the West Coast would be. I have given my opinion, I trust, fairly and openly, and hope it will be received in the spirit in whichit is given. At the same time I repeat that if the general opinion here, after full statistical information as to the capabilities of both lines has been obtained, is deoidedly in favor of the West Coast line, I will waive my own individual opinion, and support the proposition for tha construction of that line."