WESTPORT AND MOUNT ROCHFORT RAILWAY.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 308, 14 September 1874, Page 2

WESTPORT AND MOUNT ROCHFORT RAILWAY.

Tfae ceremony ©f taming the first sod of this railway was performed on Wednesday last by Mr O'Conor, the Provincial Secretary, who ia reported by the JBuller News to have spoken as follows: — From the very first day that I took up my residence amongst you, I saw that a very great future awaited this district, nut only on account of its large auriferous resources, but its coal deposits also, which are the boast of New Zealand. Years ago, on the occasion of the Exhibition held in Dunedio, an exhibit of cool was shown from this district, and astonished all beholders, because it was of immense size, and fer superior to any other coal known in this country. The possession of this vast coal deposit had already attracted a great deal of attention to this district and even then private enterprise would have undertaken the work which we are now assembled to inaugurate. But unfortunately the Govern men t then in office failed in their duty to the colony in devoting the means at their disposal to the development of this great source of wealth, and rendering this district, as it should long ago have been, the home of hundreds of industiious settlers. It has been reserved for the Government of which Mr Yogel is the honored head to initiate a policy which will yet remove these vast forests, and substitute for them the homes of a happy and contented people, offering a refuge to the surplus population of the old country, whose increase has apparently outgrown the resources for their profitable employment. When the Public Works scheme was initiated, the Province of Nelson was calle>i upon, through its Proviacial Council, to state what works were most necessary for this province. At that time three great railway works were contemplated, the line commencing at Nelson, and running light through to Greymoutb, the Brunner linr, and the Mount Rochfort railway. I leave it to future historians to say by what means the great work we are now inaugurating was placed ia the background. I will also leave it to them to say what were the exertions of the people of this district io place clearly before the Government the extent of the great mineral resources designed to pour benefit upon the colony. (Cheers.) Their eSotta were deseiving of the greatest praise. They beheld this town encroached upon by the sea, destroying tboueande of pounds worth of properly, leaving many families homeless, and driving many settlers from the country. But from first to last our determination was to make our resources known throughout the colony, and to impress upon the Government the great advantages as a natural highway of the magnificent river upon whose bftuks Weetport stands. Unfortunately, those petty influences which sometimes divide communities did not leave Westport untouched, and perhaps the most important, and certainly the most promising, work in New Zealand was retarded. Four years ago I obtained the confidence of this district, and attended the Parliament of New Zealand as your representative, but when the great scheme of Public Works and Immigration was introduced, judge of my disappointment at finding no provision made to which New Zealand miglit look for a regular and abundant

supply of coal. I directed ray attention to the urgent necessity of the Westport and Mount Bocbfort Railway, and harbor works, and the large return that would accrue from the outlay. It becomes my duty to publicly express the thanks that this community and myself owe to Sir Donald M'Lean, who was then Native Minister, the hon W. Fox, then Premier, through whose kind assistance I succeeded, even in the absence of adequate surveys — a necessary preliminary to obtaining a grant for a railway — io getting the Mount Rochfort Railway. A great future was assured for the district, and the time was not far distaut when the noble forests now around them would be swept away to give place to the growing crops, the smiling pasturage and comfortable homesteads that would yet mark this locality as the home of many happy and industrious settlers. This river, which had already so much damaged property on its banks, would, under the Public Works policy, be deprived of its power to injure and be made the means of conveying to all parts oi New Zealand the animating power of the great industries of the present day, cheap and good coal. That these works would be proceeded with without further loss of time he felt assured, as the Government and the country were well aware of the losses that had already accrued through delay. Even since the initiation of the Public Works policy four years ago, over £700,000 had been Bent from New Zealand to obtain foreign coal inferior to our own, while upon the bank of this river in the town of Weatport the country and the inhabitants had suffered loss fully equal to £100,000 for want of efficient harbor and protective works. Each day added to the loss in both cases. What need was there of any other incentive to activity. Ho was glad to 6nd that, to carry out the intentions of the Government a contractor had come amongst them who certainly by the astonishing progress he had already made in the work showed that he was a man fully equal to the occasion. It was to be hoped that steps would be taken by Government to compel lessees of the coalfields to take steps necessary to enable them to forward coal by the railway, as soon bb it was opened.