Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25th, 1920. CONCENTRATION NECESSARY.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 August 1920, Page 2

Hokitika Guardian & Evening Star WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25th, 1920. CONCENTRATION NECESSARY.

Harking back again to £liy South Westhmd*railway, the extension of which is not only of paramount importance to the roijpji district, but which offers at the moment su/.if very strong reasons for the authorisation t/f flip pork because of the certainty of luej-ativp return, it jtf interesting to note that the Public Works Department actually con-templntc-s the extension fft ihp railway to Waif-sba, In the Parliameptary paper PI of JO]Q tjier.e is a rec.ord of the survey of the line from Ross to Waitaha, a distance of 10 miles, p-jfh a further statement in the report of the Engineer in Chief that ,f the permanent survey and plans have been completed to the Mlkonui station, about three miles.” The station it may he assumed would bo situated on the south side of the river, thus involving the bridging of the river. 'An important stage of the work is thus ready for undertaking if Parliament will at tins session provide the funds. That the line through to Waitaha is still actually contemplated is borne out by reference to the Public Works Statement of 1919 —the latest available. Jn appendix B, the Dl return of expenditure on Government railways to datje includes Greymouth to Waitaha- a distance of 50 miles 32 chains, whereof' 38 miles 68 chains are open for traffic—the total cost being £338,911, The Jip e now so urgently needed, and offering such an attractive reason for construction —its assured earning power is therefore fully emblazoned on the official mind. To sum up, therefore, the position is that the line is authorised for construction by act of Parliament to the south side of the Mikonui river, and the plans are ready to begin the work. The first essential, then, is to gef this readily available section under way. The next point and no less important, is to secure fhe authorisation of the line by act of Parliament- to the south side of the Waitaha and request the confirmation of {lie preliminary survey by the completion of the permanent survey. There is a great deal involved in this, and if the Government can Ije induced to advance quickly enough, tile move will be of the greatest importance to tii.e country as a- whole. Another addition to tire railway system will be added which like all other sections in Westland have proved financially remunerative. To demonstrate this statement it is for for the officials to delve into the revenue from the Greymoutlu-Ro.ss line and glean its earning power. Just as the Ross section pushed into a forest country whence it is drawing its major traffic, so the Waitalia section will tap forest country no less expansive and enduring as a material feeder to the line for long years to coilfe. It will take many decades to exhaust the natural supply of timber and ere that- period arrives, permanent settlement will come to pass which will continue to lie a regular feeder to the line. In any case the Waitaha section will be a link to tap the great forest territory further south, which will be unused and isolated as a timber producing country, till tlie railway pushes its way into the forest areas. Having reached tins conclusion it is for the people now to concentrate on a district effort to help the Government realise what a lyreat opening there is at the moment to go on with the railway works. If the chance is neglected, private enterprise will step in and the State will lose the revenue it should be earning itself. If the Government fails in its action now there will lie no , blame attachable to private enterprise seizing an opportunity which the State j

njeglects. Wo hear a lot about nationalisation from time to time Our railways are nationalised, and having that monopoly they are at least ex- ( peeled to serve all parts of the Dominion where trade is remunerative. If they fail to do so, there can bo no reasonable objection to private enterprise catering for the expansion of industry, to secure an outlet for itself, and when the Government declines, build a railway for itself. Such is the position which the people of Westland need to put to the powers that bo, very pointedly just now. There will be demands for railways all over the country. Over forty lines arc under construction, but we make bold to say there is no case analogous with the Waitaha section—which if the Government will not do the work private people will. It will be iiL the interests of the people and the country that Government should he given no opportunity to escape their liability in the matter and if they do, let it 'be done with their eyes open and a full sense of the responsibility ahead of them.