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Grey River Argus, Volume XI, Issue 1027, 10 November 1871, Page 2

If there is one thing (more than another that the Executive of Nelson are anxious for, it is the welfare of that portion of the Province comprised within the limits of what are called the South- West Gold Fields. From time to time we are informed by that sapient body and its head of what has been done and what is doing for the Western portion of the Province — the vast amount of money that has been voted, the hundreds of miles of roads and tracks. that have been constructed, especially in the Grey Valley— the pains that have been taken to develop its resources, and the general interest manifested in its welfare. No public work is undertaken, no great scheme conceived, but the interests of the mining population of the Upper Buller, the Inangahua, the Grey Valley, even to the Ahaura, is considered. . Gas works are to be constructed in Nelson to light the miners in their midnight rambles, as the peaceful citizens of Sleepy Hollow understand that miners — like beasts of prey— are given to wander at unseemly hours ; but, as the miner is a "fancy animal," he must be looked after, and therefore it is necessary that gas works should be constructed, not by means of a public company, because that means liability, or a probable hazard oil behalf of Nelson citizens, but the money must be borrowed on the security of the Provincial revenues. "And a decree went forth throughout the land that all should be taxed, says the old Jewish chronicler, and now well might the same apply to Nelson. What disinterestedness on the part of the inhabitants of Nelson proper to consent to being taxed in order to give light to that rara am in Nelson — a West Coast digger. For him the roads in and around welson city are made— "the beautiful rdads,'' as they were termed by a recent

visitor, that branch to every point of the compass radiating from the Provincial Council Chamber ; and • lastly, though not least, the railway from Nelson to Foxhill is to be made. There is such a thing as what is called "poking fun," and really this last proposition by our kind friends in Nelson looks excessively like as if the grave inhabitants of that city had woke up with a dry sense of humor, akindof eeriousirony, to inform the i residents in the mining districts that they really contemplated something good for them this time — not roads, something better than that ; not bridges over those stupid creeks, in which miners get drowned for the fun of the thing, and to form paragraphs in local newspapers No, not bridges over creeks — something better than that — a railway from Foxhill to Nelson, by which a miner, after travelling only seventy miles through a terra incognita, after climbing ranges, fording creeks, andflouuderingthrough swamps and quagmires, can reach Nelson, which ought to be the haven of all his desires. . But then, the railway is not expected to pay. The absurd thought that it would was not entertained for a moment, but then it is said it will open up the whole of the Upper Buller, Lyell, and Inangahua country, and develop their resources, although its nearest terminus is only seventy miles away. This might almost be deemed hyperbolical language, if it was not in fact the language -used at a meeting lately held in Nelson to promote the making of a railway from Nelson to Foxhill. Mr Greenfield, Provincial Secretary for Nelson, on that occasion said — " It had been decided that one million was to be borrowed for railway purposes, and no doubt that amount would be borrowed and spent ; the only question was, where? Some of the railways were only to be constructed on Provincial guarantee, but this condition did not now apply to the Foxhill line, as he had that day received a telegram from Mr Curtis stating that the 'money for construction is available without interest being chargable to the Province.' He did not think that of much importance, as eventually, if not immediately, Provincial institutions would be abolished, and the interest on the loans, whether guaranteed or not, would then become a first charge on the revenue of the whole Colony, no matter where the lines of railway were. This of itself he considered was not a sufficient reason for advocating this or any other line, but as the construction of the Foxhill line would promote the settlement of, and the connection of Nelson with the Central Bailer and the Inangahua, where there were large and valuable tracts of agricultural and mineral land, we were fairly entitled to claim the expenditure of a portion of the loan on that work. He had heard it said that the Foxhill line would not pay ; possibly it might not immediately by direct receipts, but the indirect benefits would be a great boon to the country — lines of communication seldom did pay a Government, but they were necessary to progress, and a roust not look at the question in the same light as a private company would do, who constructed railways merely for the revenue to be derived from them." This is very good — as if the construction of the Foxhill railway would promote the settlement of the Central Buller and the Inangahua, with only, fortunately or unfortunately, seventy miles of real West Coast country between! Therefore, say the Nelson residents, "We are fairly entitled to claim the expenditure of a portion of the loan on that work." Theu Mr Greenfield goes on to say that he had heard the line would not pay, &c; but then it would indirectly as a moans of communication. Are not roads means of communication, and are not roads — not railways — the great desideratum of the Nelson South-West Gold Fields, and of the Inangahua, Murray Creek, and Grey Valley Districts in particular. But then the immediate wants of these districts — the geese that produce the golden eggs for the Province — are nothing to the selfish policy of the Nelson Executive, who would kill the geese, so long as the result was a little temporary benefit to themselves. But there is something very peculiar about this railway proceeding, which may throw some light on the recent action taken by the General Government relative to the Grey Valley. The original proposition of Mr Gisboroe, the Minister of Public Works, reads thus : — " I will now turn to the subject of railways. The I two principles which we desire to regulate the construction of railways are those mentioned by my honorable friend the Colonial Treasurer in his Financial Statement—namely, first, that no railway should be constructed which does not promise at once to pay working expenses ; and secondly, that a power, in certain contingencies, of local rating should be provided." He then goes on to siy : — " We are of opinion that authority should also be obtained for the construction of the line from Nelson to Foxhill (part of the Nelsou and Cobden Line), on the recommendation of the Board of Works that such part line would pay its working expenses. In respect of the whole of the fine between Foxhill and Cobden, we propose to ask for a money vote in order that its capabilities, and especially its mineral resources, may be investigated." But this is all thrown over, and the cat is let out of the bag by Mr Greenfield, who says, in the extract from his speech, quoted above : — " Some of the railways were only to be constructed on Provincial guarantee, but this condition did not now apply to the Foxhill line, as he had that day received a telegram from Mr Curtis stating 'that the money for construction is available without interest being chargeable to the Province.'" So, therefore, the Nelsonites recently resolved to go in anconstruct a railway, and cost aside any idea of opening up the vast mineral resources of the West Coast which they know to be within the boundaries of their Province. This new phase was so thoroughly characteristic of Nelson proper, so selfish, and so shortsighted, that nothing else could have been expected ; but at the last moment, the action taken by some of the West Coast members in the Assembly has induced the Superintendent and] his following, as we noticed yesterday, to consent to allow fourelevenths of the Province' 8 share of the Middle Island Railway Fund to be expended in making main roads on the South- West Gold Fields. As Nelson's share must come to something like £66,000, the Gold Fields are clearly entitled to at least £24,000 for their roads, and if this is obtained the remainder of the Province will most likely follow the example of the residents on the

West Coast and demand that their share be spent on roads throughout all the Road Board Districts, in preference to the luxury of a railway from Nelson city to Foxhill.