SOUTH MAIN LINE.

Hokitika Guardian, 2 October 1924, Page 3

SOUTH MAIN LINE.

BRIDGING THE GAP. QUESTION OE ROUTES. NELSON. September HO. Referring to railway extension matters, the “.Mail’’ say.s: The outstanding need in the South Isaiul railway system is lor the bridging ot the 55 mile gap in the railway linking one end of the South Island with the other. So long as the gap remains, so long will the whole system he deprived of the revenue that would he secured by through trallie. This district has mu: li to olfer the rest of the South Island, and. given a satisfactory means of communication, production could he enormously increased. Already many thousands of tons of produce ape imported from the south annually. With increased production many more thousand tons would he, required for the larger population and more extensive operations. Fortunately, so far as flee ease for the bridging of the >W> is cnccntcd. a big interchange id' produce lo mutual advantage is assured, and will increase 'rapidly once the facilities arc provided on the route. There is the important farming district of Murchison •labouring under the handicap of isolation. Given railway facilities, the production of the fertile valleys would lie enormously increased, both ~ in regard to the cheaper supply of manures and in securing markets for many profitable "lines flint are u-eless under present conditions. Added lo bis. I Ivi'e are important <osl fields on Ibe route, and to a certain extent liml.er supplies. Whether the ronxtril'T. in ol the line, as an extension to Alun bison alone, would be justified is a matter Unit mav be open to some doubt, great .as would be the increase in product ion with the necessary transport facilities, tint when this is placet beside the fact of tbe importance of tilling tbe gap to the whole of lire Nelson district, to tbe West Coast, to Canterbury, and, in fact, to the rest of the South Island, there can lie no doubt as to tbe national importance of the work. Nelson farmers look upon Addington as a centre of their activities. Given direct railway cummuniintion. there would lie a tremendous increase in production. It has been stated that sueli it connexion would increase the value of the 550,000 sheep in tbe northern portion of the Nelson district alone by 5s per head. NELSON ROUTE CHE,AVER. In presenting his very sound and well-reasoned case for the comp-lotion <-,f the tine to the confcreii.-c at Murchison on Saturday evening. Air I-. G. Gibbs referred to the but that the cost of completing the Nelson gap would |,e .CL,TOO,OOO, which was £707.0C0 less than the estimated cost of the East Coast Railway. Tims the Nelson gap was very much shorter and easier to complete than the gap on the East Const. It was, of course, for Marlborough to shape its railway policy according to its views, but from a jnat.ional standpoint it would seem that a. verv much better result would bo obtained by giving Marlborough communication with the southern markets by tbe extension of tbe line from Cilonbopc dawn tbe AVairau A alley, which tbe £707,000 additional rest of tbe IKast Coast Railway would go a long way to complete. ft might he said, of course, that such a view on their part was all very well, for national policy was always easy when it fitted in with heal needs, but there was this to be said: a line from Glenliopc to Blenheim would cut out Nelson completely frc.ni trade that found that route more suitable, but Nelson could not expect a. pennyworth more trade than flowed to or from it naturally. Its real interest could not long be prompted by artificial means rTho South Island and all its various districts would progress on the roundest ami best lines when railway and s other facilities met the general needs. I and did not serve to favour unduly any one particular district. The claims for the tilling of tbe gap were based on sound national needs. • and the whole Island would not develop v as it should until railway (ommuiiicah tion lmd been provided throughout its P~ whole length. Tt was absurd that tbe .5.5 • .dies gao in the 700 miles railway should remain.