OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 11 August 1909, Page 17

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY.

CLAIMS FOR EXTENSION, DEPUTATION TO HON.-R. M'KENZIE. "AN HjONEST POLITIGMN.-" A deputation from the Otago Central Railway League, consisting of Messrs W. Burnett (chairman), T. K. Sidey, M.P., W. T. Talboys, A. Bathgate, R. Chisholm, and W. F. Edmond, waited on. the Hon. R. M'Kenzie, Minister of Public Works, at 11.30 a.m. on the 4th inst. In introducing the deputation, Mr J. F. Arnold, M.P., said that this line had now been in existence for a- number of years, and had always done very good work. Mr M'Kenzie: Sometimes. Mr Arnold went on to say that at the present moment the work on the line had been stopped. This deputation would urge its extension. | Mr Burnett expressed his pleasure at seeing Mr M'Kenzie here. He would remind the Minister that a number of settlers acting on the promise — — ' Mr M'Kenzie: What promise? I made no promise that I am aware of. Mr Burnett said perhaps no€,. but the Government had, and on this promise a number of people had gone to Central Otago to settle. This promise not being -fulfilled, and in consequence numbers of young, strenuous, and robust young men were leaving for Australia and elsewhere; and he need hardly" remind the Minister that it was just this type that the country > was most in. need of, as,- it formed. . tbq finest asset that a 'country could possess. There was all this talk of people settling here and there,' but \he Otago Central Railway League wanted the Minister to enable people to settle in their own country. There was no doubt whatever about the fertility of Central Otago. Signor Bragato had 'reported on it, and considered it to be one of the finest fruit-growing territories in the world. It was also good vine-growing country. Mr M'Kenzie said he had heard of pineapples grown in Central Otago, but he had never seen any growing there. Mr Burnett: Well, sir, we are quite satisfied to leave the matter entirely in your hands. The Minister: I would not do that if I were you. ! Continuing, Mr Burnett said that had a practical man been in charge of this railway a vast sum of money would have been saved. ■ { Mr Talboys stated that the Minister ' knew the district, and had met people who had spent their lives there. Not only was he acquainted with the country, but he probably know to what extent irrigation could be brought -to bear. Wanaka farmers had had their market taken from them by Dunedin. If the country was to be opened up the extension of the railway was a necessity to the district. The worst place to be negotiated was the 14 miles from Clyde to Cromwell. After this it would be all plain sailing. The Minister: It's not a second edition of the Taieri Gorge, is it? Mr Talboys: Not by any means. Mr M'Kenzie would see the country for himself. Mr Sidey said that there was a large extent of country up there, which must sooner or later be opened up. There was little doubt that more facilities could be brought to bear to induce the people of Otago to take up land. The Minister said he was very glad indeed to meet the deputation, which must, however, understand that he had to look on this matter from a business standpoint. He sympathised with their wishes, but it should be borne in mind that he had known this country for about 40 years. If the deputation had advocated a system of irrigation first he might have been prepared to admit that the country would justify the extension of this railway, which had now been extended to its full limit to the disadvantage of the taxpayers'. had no intention of advising any Government that he happened to be a member of to extend this railway under present conditions, and he was of opinion that no Government would be justified in extending it at the present time. For one thing, he wanted to know the league's objective. No one in their sober senses would think that the Otago Central rail- 1 way should be connected with the West I Coast at the present time. He had no j doubt that members of the league knew ', Central Otago as well as he did. If they \ stuck to their irrigation proposals they would be on the right lines. There had been two schemes under consideration. I After they bad got their irrigation scheme I properly in shape they could again come , forward. As level-headed gentlemen, he hoped they would take his advice on this matter. ' I Mr Sidey urged the Minister to reserve » his judgment tall he had been to the district. Ha . did not agree tt ith Mr ,

I M'Kenzie'e suggestion that it must be re» gapded from altogether a, business 6tand« point. He did not think that a purely com* mercial aspect was the one which should bs their chief consideration. , The Minister.: Then who is going to pay for itr" • Mr Sidey said that indirectly the* country would get the value, and in addition to this, I the railway would relieve the congested ccxi- ! dition. of the towns. Though at present the returns showed only a small percentage > The Minister: On the contrary, they show a very big loss. Mr Sidey contended that if Mr M'Kenzia would look at the returns he would see that the railway had paid better sinoe its extension to Clyde" than it would hive done had it been stopped' 'half way. He maintainied that the* further the line was extended ihe better it would w pay. The Minister : But -what is your objec ! tive? Mr Sidey: Lake Wanaka — it's original i destination. Mr Bathgate *6aid he believed that there was a "fallacy contained in some of the'remarks made by Mr M'Kenzie. He held the- conditions pertaining to .Central Otago to be of such a nature that the railway must go hand in hand with settlement. If the railway was not taken there the population would -decrease. As a matter of fact .it was decreasing already. Apparently Mr M'Kenzie ■'■was inclined- to ■ treat the fruitgrowing possibilities of ■ Central Otago rather lightly. At any rate he had concluded as much by his little joke- about th« pineapples. .•--.;•' - - J The Minister: No, no, I don't. Mr Batbgate pointed out-'that the facili* - ties for taking up land had not been as good !as they might have been. It could not be ' expected that settlers should precede the railway. There were large areas of laral where irrigation was not required. In California even there were some parts which were better without it. Land with a clay bottom, such as was found along the foot hills did not require irrigation, which was necessary on shingle. The Minister said that, with all due deference to the deputation, he knew Central Otago, and he knew there were New ■ Zealand people— some thousands of them — i who were entitled to a (railway in order to ! get their goods to a market. Central Otago was in need of irrigation, and there were other people, whose* land did not require it. who were hundreds of miles from a | jrailw*.-<r. He was not coin-ST to say +VlAt. the Otajfo Central railway oujrht to b* extended when he knew it ou?ht not. Let them get their irrigation, and then he beloved they would be imtified in e«kin.ar the Government to extend "the lin^. They must romembor that Otago wns hM.tw served with railways than any other part of Nett Zf aland .— (Dissent.) Mr Airnold : That i* hardly the case. Southland is betfr"* off than w« ore. Thp Minister: Well, T am takimr Otagc and Southland as meanine the same. Mr Rnvett: Oh. but they ar«* not. The 'Minitfer : I remember the tin>? -wh^r if anyone had Said that, the people o( Ot«/a>o would have been the first to contradi<tf. it. Mr "Rdmond (decisively) : Well, thsy ar« no* fh<> rame. V»- Burnett said h<» must thank r M'KVnzSo for having 1 h°«*n so aV-*>o!utel« s+rAisrhtforwand. As to " who is to r><i.y." Tf he out 10s an acr« on land 'inersd *»«■ would soon pay fo- + nP Mi| wav . T,^+ him remember wKat Sisror Bri~«tto had <v>s/*. TVv«. had lyxyi n wood deal about. " Frii"ley " of 'ate. but tbvr* was to «V»nbfc ♦*•«* Central O*a«ro was Ketter adapted to Th» Minfot'T r«"">li*d that n»m i 5S'»' > *ci' ■» ■fruit-rr'vwiiv *H9t>"ict. and Vn^w about, f"u.it-airow»'n<* if he kn«w Anything at all. Tko ifcTmta-tfon »"«st <*»+, th-» frnit-7-rr.TO«r« urt tbc'w ■''rst. He r'M not, *Hnk •'June w»« sirft+Vivnv to su*+i'v oit f TOv»~nm'>nt! ,i-,rt«r<~>Mtvr tr» extend the line for th.3 r.ext 10 r\" is fears. "i«r his hs.nd. " T am .^-•lin'h }•/?<? to hava at last met an honest politician. Apparently some of the officers of the. Government departments are not held in the highest esteem' by members of this farming community. A delegate in the Farmers* Union Conference at Wpllinirton last week occasioned gnreot hilarity by suggesting that a certain resolution should be couched, in larurusjre "v» accordance with departmental intelligence I" It is not considered a crime in China to get rid of female babi*e. On the banks of the Tuen-Fule River, in Foocbow. th\er« is a sign which reads tlms: "Do not drown female infants here." "COAGULINE," "KLINX," "TENA, SITINE." Cements for breakages, man*, facturing purposes. et<*