THE NELSON AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume VI, Issue 258, 30 January 1886, Page 2

THE NELSON AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

The following is from the full report of Mr Larnach's speech which appears in the Dunedin papers:— Having visited the West Coast, though very much prejudiced against the werk, he had come to the conclusion, after what he had seen of the resources of that part of the colony, that the railway was a very dssirable work. The timber alone would pay the 1 cost of the line, regardless of the immense value of the mineral resources of the country. Besides this there was in the valley of Inangalua an extent of 30,000 acres of land that was not at all of an inferior quality for cultivation, and many miles of country through which the railway would run contained forests tint would afford very useful timber, and unless communication was made to these forests, which were on < Town Lands, they would be destroved by lires. The work had been decreed to be done by several Governments, and he would go further and say that no Governnent, he believed, would have the power, oven if the work were uudesirable, to jarry on the business of the country until <ome arrangement had been made to lave that work done. He believed it vould be better for the Colonial Government to do this work than for it to give/

as had boon proponed, enormous quantities of lu;;<i as a bonus for its construction. There was some chance of tile proposal made last session being carried out, but he hoped it would not be, but that when the line was made it would be made by the Government. He certainly would be in favor of no other arrangement than that uf the Colony fathering the line.— (Applause.) There were now some hundred miles of Government railway that was of little use which would be continuously used if that line were made, and that was an important matter to bear in mind. They must not look to immediate direct payment from the railways. There were many indirect advantages they gave to the Colony, and so long as they opened up new country, and the Colony could get money at 4 per cent, the Colony could not go wrong in making works that would connect large communities. They would therefore understand from what he had said that he would give his support towards the construction of the East and West Coast Bailway. On the question of borrowing, he had heard and seen it stated in print that it was the intention of the Government to borrow largely for the sake of borrowing. He could assure them that it was not so —not for the sake of borrowing; but he thought the present Government would not flinch from the responsibility of borrowing such a sum as would do good to the country if Parliament sanctioned the works. —(Applause.) And the Government would not hesitate to lay before Parliament a scheme of such Works as should be gone on with, which they could accept or reject; but it would be a scheme which the Government ware prepared to stand or fall by, and of which they would not be ashamed.