The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 25th, 1925. SOUTH WESTLAND RAILWAY.

Hokitika Guardian, 25 June 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. THURSDAY, JUNE 25th, 1925. SOUTH WESTLAND RAILWAY.

Memories of the South Westland Hailwav were revived hy the Gonlerenco j ut Ross this week, when a representative gathering of southern settlers discussed railway transport matters. The feeling expressed was strongly in favor of a railway, and Mr G. Norther, ft recalled the promise of the late .Mr tSeddon that he hoped to see the dream of .Ma. undrew fulfilled. The dream of that very active Minister of Public Works in his day, was to see an iron girdle encircling the South Island. Mr Seddon in his time did somethin;-, to contribute to that end. He was responsible for finalising the railway hot ween Hokitika mid Greymouth. At a meeting at the Town Hail. Hokitika, subsequently, he electrified tile audience on one occasion by stating he was going to provide for a railway to Hoss! The proposal had not been asked for—it. was a gift from the gods. But the subsequent •experience justified the action, and showed hew long sighted Air Seddon was. Mr Seddon did not lire to see the line reach Ross. He turned the lirst sod of the railway at the southern borough, and participated at the opening of the first section to Maliinapua, and though he intended to carry the line south, as circumstances justified. he did not live to see the matter further provided for. With the parsing of Mr Seddon. Sir .Joseph Ward came to power, and the promise of the late Premier was kept before the Government. In tile end. in the session of 1011. Parliament in the Railways Authorisation Act provided for the Ross-Mikonui railway. This section was four miles iu length reaching from a point near Ross to the south side of the Mikontii river, naturally involving the bridging of that crossing. In the Public Works Statement of 1011 the claims for the line were fully recognised, and a vote for the work waprovided on the Estimates. The survey of the line was put in hand preparatory to commencing work. Early in 1912 Sir Joseph Ward went out of office, and for a little less than four mouths the Mackenzie Ministry was in power. Mr W. D. MacDonald, was the Minister of Public Works in that Government; and there was tip?

promise of the work going on. but in July, 1912, the Massey .Ministry went into office. The late Sir AVm. Fraser was Minister of Public AYorks in the new .Ministry, and it was painful to read in Ids first Public Works Statement. of the same year, that the work was. to lie dropped. When Sir William had visited the district earlier, the prosecution of the work had Tijecn pressed upon him. and while not making any definite promise, he seemed to indicate that the construction of the work was a matter of funds. At the time, it- is worth noting, there was ample money for railways. In that particular year a record was established for public works expenditure, and the railways expenditure, in point of fact, according to the official figures, had increased by £22,027. While work on the Ross-Alikonui section was stopped, work on other lines authorised the year following the South Westland Bailway, were provided for, anil from that circumstance it was inferred the district was being penalised unfairly. Subsei|iieiit to that, we know that when pressed about extending the line Sir William Ira-er told a deputation later that the work would not bo taken up. and it was in that circumstance that private enterprise began the construction of a private tramway, which, inter alia, had to cross the Alikonui river, and in so doing, by arrangement with the local body, the bridge erected was made to serve both sawmilling and general vehicle traffic—and it serves that useful purpose to-day, thanks to the consideration shown the public by the firm which erected the very credit a hie 'tincture spanning a crossing which was always a difficulty for traffic when it was unhridgod. Such is the history of the South A\estland Railway to date. The authorisation of the railway line to the south side of the Alikonui river is still oil the statute book, while the route for the railway lias keen surveyed as far as Waitaha. a distance of ten miles from Boss. It is now a ipiestioii howfar agitation should la* revived for the prosecution of (lie railway. With so many other prominent claims on the (loveriimeut. it seems preferable to see the present tramway put in order and utilised tor the time being with Government rolling stock. subject of course. In fair arrangements between tin* owners of the tramway and the Government. Also arrangements should lie finalised to enable the tramway to he pushed south am! so give greater service still to lie* settlers.