The Levin Deputation.

Manawatu Herald, 12 February 1903, Page 2

The Levin Deputation.

On Tuesday a deputation waited on the Premier at Levin about connecting Foxton and Levin. The reply as given in the Times we reproduce and was exactly an answer that must have been expected by those who have paid any attention to the Premier’s views on private lines Or additions to existing lines. Mr John Davies Was spokesman of the deputation. Mr Seddon said he would never be a party as long as he was in office to placing ulterior means of communication in the hands of private companies This Manawatu district had suffered from that. (A voice; “Quite trad.”) The colony was also suffering very_ mudli from it—as instance, the Midland Rail-way—-in fact, there had been no railway constructed by private capital that had not in the end been inimical to the best interests of the State. He might say at Once they would never get what they wanted through him as a private work, A member of the deputation pointed out that the object was to i have the line completed under control of local bodies only in the event of the Government not taking it over.

Mr Seddon, continuing, said he thought he comprehended the situation Of course, supposing the Government argued that local bodies should construct the line, it could not immediately step in afterwards and acquire it Such a course would cause friction. He laid it down as a principle that they ought to build their main arterial lines before paying much attention to what become necessary lines in the Way of loops to touch the country now touched only by roads. It would not be opportune to press the construction of loop lines Parliament had made up its mind that the North Island trunk line should be the first Work completed, and the appropriation of last session of £2,200,000 for public works was as much as any 800,000 people in the world could stand. It Was, in fact more than the country was entitled to. If they went on with lavish expenditure and put their neck in a noose by borrowing- money, there must be a day of reckoning. He asked them, would it not be better before the Government took up the railway, to take up the land ? If he gave a favourable reply it would mean that the land would rise 10a an acre, He would get a report .from a Government officer, and would, ask that special attention should be paid to the purchase of the estates mentioned, for,' in his own opinion, now was the time to get land In Scotland a railway company in many instances had the right to purchase land within twenty years at a fixed price. That was sanctioned by Parliament. In view of the fact that the West Coast was destined to carry an immense population, it behoved the Government to be very careful in the construction of public works which tended so much to improve the properties of private individuals. Concluding, he said the deputation had put* the matter in a sensible manner and he was prepared to give their representations the fullest consideration, He trusted there would be no necessity for the extension of the tramway.