LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 53

LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY.

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. R. M'KENZIE. (From Ock Special Repoeteb.)

BEAUMONT, August 16.

This evening, on the arrival of the Minis* ter of Public Works at Beauincnt, a strong deputation of residents waited upon him to present the claims of t'.e district for the prosecution of the .railway from Lawrence to Roxburgh.

Mr Wood, on behalf of Beaumont, welcomed the Minister.

Mr R. Scott, M.P., introduced the deputation, saying that, that was the district which had been very much disappointed when the work was stopped, and the residents considered they could verify the statements made that the district was worthy of a railway.

Mr James Bennett said that when it became known that the railway was (o be stopped they had concluded that the Government was under a wronjr impression, but they thought they could persuade the Minister differently. He would touch on, the agricultural aspects of the country through which the line would pass. Where the l'ne was stopped it was absolutely useless, and a great waste of public money. Mr Bennett then gave detailed evidence a» to the productivity of the land. Some farms gave 125 bushels of oats and 70 bushels of " wheat to the acre, anil on one piece 100 turnips would weigh a ton. Mr Brooks said he thought the people of ' the district- iad grievances. As far a* they knew no inquiries had been made lately a 9 to the prospects of the Hue.. He read a letter from the late Mr Seddon saying- that the authorisation for the commencement of the line had been nas=ed. He then referred to the possibilities of the fruit industry, and said that the Clutha Valley climate was the greatest asset of the district. Qne man had made £300 off about an acre It was a mistake to stop the line at the big hill, as money had been spent on the Roxburgh side, and the tunnel had also been pierced to a small extent. Mr Chalmers referred to the prospects of the dairying tndustry. Mr O'Keefj said that if the line was continued to Roxburgh it would pay 7 per cent., not only 3 per cent. To compare; this line with the Otago Central was a great blunder. Because tfiat did not pay, was no argument that this would not pay- ' The Valley was the most prolific place an/ man could possibly put his foot. into. Mr Scott in closing, 6aid that that was the first meeting of those who were directly interested in the prosecution of the line beyond tho Big Hill tunnel. He felt that it should go on. The Hon. Mr M'Kenzie said that it wa* no use representing matters in connection with this particular railway to the Government. They must recognise at one© that tho Government had every possible means of finding out all information in connection with the district. It- knew exactly the quantity of fruit that was sent away. Last year only 51 tons had been sent from Lawrence. He was not in the position to say that no railway would be made in this country at all. A lineu would certainly be made, and probably a lighter line than was started from Lawretice', which would take many years to pay interest on £330,000. A lighter iin© to Roxburgh would perhaps _ cost - £200,000, which was the lowest estimate tha* could be got. He was prepared to. admit that the dUt-riot would warrant a vailway, but he pointed out the number of different routes proposed, and 6aid some agreement should be come to as to which route would suit most. They had claimed that this was the greatest fruit-growing district in New Zealand. As a matter of fact he did not think it was. The Government had decided to encourage fruit-grow-ing for export, «nd if they could get 5000 tons per year instead of 50, a railway would come. He himself represented a fruitgrowing district, and vould undertake to say that 20 acres there produced as much as was sent away from this district every year. In concluding, the speaker said one railnay would be made probotly before many years, but they must insist on their representatives agreeing upon the one. The district was certainly capable of great dovelopment, but it needed more population, before a line would be justified. The Government did not mind making a railway and losing for a few years if it would pay in the end, but to construct railways which, would be a burden uron the taxpayers for a long time could "not be .endured. Mr Scott having thanked the Minister, Mr M"Kenzie concluded by remarking that, " whichever way the railway went, Beaumont would oom<». ou* on top, «.s the lm« must go somewhere near Beaumont.

Although experiments on living animal* numbered 88,634 last year, an increase oi 15,260," the" Home Office rqport shows 1 that; nearly all the 'increase is due to inoculations performed without anaesthetics. At present the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society has two court cases pending — one case for illegal shooting of Paradise ducks, the other for killing trout with a dartuno.