THE NORTHERN INTERIOR RAILWAY.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 366, 10 March 1876, Page 3

THE NORTHERN INTERIOR RAILWAY.

(To the Editor of the Pabnerston ' Timea.'J Sir, —-I take the liberty of drawing retention to the projected Shag Valley branch railfpaw. Palmerston is everywhere said to be against th| construction or 'his line. In support of such uncontradicled statement there is on record the memorable petition of certain residents presented to the Provincial Council last session.: In addition I find a clear statement to the same effect in a late number of the ' North Otago Times,' in a notice of Pal merston. I uiay also say that I personally found that the topic of a branch line up the valley was nob considered the right thing to mention to one aupposed to be very much in its favor,.'although, the speedy extension of the main line was not in the same manner forbidden ground. My own view with reference to branch railways constructed by Government money has been for some time that the only facts worth consideration in determining their respective routes is the amount and value of Crown lands such lines would respectively open up for the successful settlement of population. Financially, no town in the Province outside Duuedin, except in consideration of its position, is of sufficient value in itself to justify a railway deviation.for even a dozen miles. JJor this reason a great injury has been done by the projectors of the various railway lines now before the Government in fixing upon isolated and unimportant towns as centres to push to and terminate at. It is almost impossible to speak of a main interior line by Shag "Valley or Beaumont without a sure element of criticism arisiing, pointing to the insignificant values of such towns as Naseby, Clyde, Teviot, &c. The wealth of the country, its immense pastoral and agricultural estate, in consequence of this unfortunate nomenclature, is almost always ignored. If, however, to the towns themselves the question appears differently, I would conceive that of all towns the one locally supposed to benefit to the greatest degree by an interior line would be Palmerston, with the future produce ani commerce of the Maniototo, Idaburn, and Manuheiikia thrown into it.

My object in writing to you is not, however, to state an opinion, or to pretend to be able to judge' for another district what is best for it. I have thought it-would not be out of place for me to suggest that it would be well, before it is finally recognised to be the correct thing to shelve the branch, for those interested in- the Shag Valley to consult together and with the district member as to whether it were not. after all, better to run the risk of a temporary terminus at Waynes or W aihemo, rather than allow all the interior traffic above Kyebumr to be diverted to join the branch line at Outram and the main south line at Mosgiel. In such a case a branch carried up from Palmerston to Waynes afterwards could, I presume, be constructed upon conditions of local rating for deficiency on interest and working expenses. If it were not that the two first sections of an interior line from Palmerston are already surveyed, the first of which should now be under contract, the ad vantages of the Strathtaieri route would have.already been pressed upon the Government. Such a route will certainly be advocated by the interior districts if the local influences at Palmerston continue to be represented without contradiction as opposed to the further development of the country. It will be immaterial to the grazier farmers of the plains whether their produce goes one way or another, while the element of comparative cost would greatly influence the Government. At the same time the general interests of the Palmerston, Mount Ida, and Dunstan districts must be injured by being severed.—l am, &c. 0. A. de Lautour. ifaseby, March 1, 1576.