Mataura Ensing WIth which is incorporated "THE WAIKAIA HERALD." GORE. TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1883. THE NEWS' AND THE WAIMEA PLAINS LINE.

Mataura Ensign, Volume V, Issue 249, 24 April 1883, Page 2

Mataura Ensing Wlth which is incorporated "THE WAIKAIA HERALD." GOR E. TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1883. THE NEWS' AND THE WAIMEA PLAINS LINE.

, 'Thb. 'News, is an .excellent paper — for, Invercargill; and Messrs Joyce y. and Feldwiok are excellent members— for the same place. Our contemporary ' does npt agree with our article on the Waimfea Plains Bailway. We never expected thai it would ; for to mention the Waimea line in the metropolis of the South is to display the red rag to the bull, It diverts trade. Its greatest offence in the eyes of our Invercargill . friends was that it allowed storekeepers at Lumsden and in the Lake district to obtain their goods several per pent ! cfceapey frotn Pucedf. via. ths Waf mear i line thaa they co_ld from Inferoargill. , lb p* ttaMy removed Dunedin's handii cap, by giving easier aocefSg frofo , that centre to the La£c, and although mileage waa still against : them they contended manfully with long odds and generally came off best. It is petty to blame them and to throw obstacles iri their way and in the way of the numerous settlers on either s side of the line. Inveroargill should supply cheaper or better goods ; l then its merchants would regain the trade they lost. We repeat what we said a few days ago that from its geographical position the line can only be successfully and i economically worked by the Government. We do not know whether the directors of the company wish to sell ; but we do know that the Government ought to buy. It must come to that Booner or later, and why should overtures not be made now? The line < would not cost a very large amount of ' money, but its commercial value is daily [ increasing. The cost of working it in \ conjunction with the Government lines would be infinitesimal compared with running it as an independent venture. The producer and the consumer would be better served, and would be ; on terms of equality with residents in other parts. As taxpayers they are good friends of the Government, who we feel sure will not disregard their cry. If they are unanimous in their desire that the line should be taken over, over it will be taken, and there will be ( an end to the iniquitous special rates now prevailing. The line must not be practically closed because the Invercargill merchants cannot compete with those of Dunedin. It is essentially a colonial line. To close it would be a colonial and not purely a local loss.

Many regard it as the main trunk line from Dunedin to the Lakes, and it has often been hinted jocularly .that the line from Gore to Invercargill is now only a branch. There is sometimes a good deal of earnestness and truth about these little jokes. The 'News' insults the settlers by telling them that they have the remedy in their, own hands. " The country is not a difficult one to traverse with ordinary drays. The spectacle of a long string of set-, tiers' teams gently taking their grain to the nearest Government railway station would soon b^ing the Waimea railway directorate to its senses." This is madness pure and simple. Our contemporary must know that at thia busy season of the year it would not pay to cart grain for miles over the shocking roads that exist on ' the Plains. The district has in consequence of under representation in the County Council been grossly neglected in the past, the rates raised in it going to enrich more favored portions of Southland. Most of the settlers are not within miles of a decent road, and, be the rates ever so high, their only plan is to cart their grain to the nearest railway siding, pay freight, and bear the loss with as much equanimity as possible. But we need not pursue this subject further. "We have succeeded in levelling the house of cards built by the c News/ which we are fain to confess would hare treated the subject in a different light had it been acquainted with the surrounding circumstances. In the article alluded to there is an inclintian displayed to treat the subject on its merits, but with his jaundiced Invercargill eye and his imperfect knowledge the editor has failed to makeconverts. Possibly at to-nig_fc's meeting at Eiversdale some means may be adopted to practically forge the directory to re-consider their tariff. It can only be done by combination. So far, owing to theharvest, no united action has been taken. _ i