FROM ROXBURGH TO LAWRENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 18

FROM ROXBURGH TO LAWRENCE.

MINISTER'S CANDID REPLIES. LAWRENCE, August 18. Arrangements were* made last night at Roxburgh that if the weather was suitable the Minister of Public Works should pay a visit to Moa Flat for the purpose of inspecting the country which would be served if an extension" of the railway were made from Edievale, but during the night a heavy fall of snow occurred on Mount Benger and the neighbouring ranges. The morning was very bleak, and after waiting till 8 o'clock the Minister decided that it would- be inadvisable for the party to visit the upper lands. Accordingly, the party ' drove down towards Lawrence, on -the southern side of the river. At Ettrick the Minister, accompanied -by Mr Scott and Mr Anderson, M.P.'s, branched off, and visited Mr Tonkin's fine orchard. He was shown all over the ground by the nisr.ager (Mr Topham), and was told that there were now trees sufficient to plant 100 acres of land, making the total* number of trees_ 12,000. The Minister expressed his gratdficatiot at the energy shown, and remarked tnat if ■ other settlers showed a simitar spirit the district would soon make rapid advancement. i The settlers at Moa Flat had eagerly looked forward to a visit from the Minister, and had made arrangements to entertain him at luncheon as well as sending traps and driving into Roxburgh to take the party over the proposed route of railway. They advocite merely an extension of the Edievale line to Moa Flat, in order to redace the present distance of seven miUs' carUge. That the line should be continued down the ridges at Ettrick and taken to Roxburgh is not a point pressed by them. As already explained, however, the upper ridges were covered with snow, and as it was essential that the Minister should arrive at Lawrence before the evening the ascent of 900 ft to Moa Flat was not made. The drive down was marred by a cold, bleak, southerly wind, which brought with it slicrht showers of snow and sleat. This ! was the first bad weather experienced on f the Ministerial tour, and marred what ! would otherwise have been a record trip. ( Rae's Junction was reached about 1 p.m., ' and after luncheon the journey to Law- ! rence was resumed. The latter place wae reached at 5.30. The Minister was very heartily received, and was accorded three ,' hearty chee>s as he descended from the \ coach. In ascending the big hill the engineer (Mr Furkert) pointed out to the ! Emitter the progress that had been made : with the tunnel, s.. far as it could be **en from the road, and after crossing } the ridge, ami during the drive into Law-rciK-e. tn- Minister kept an ob.-orvant eve upon the constructed ix>rtion of the line A few men were to be seen at work in different place*, but no signs of ?reat activity or of the present labour of 50 men was viable. This portion of the work seemed to be of some extent . and well constructed. j T.4WRENCE ROXBURGH RAILWAY. | After tea an adjournment wae made to the Borough Council Chambers in order to receive a deputation. Mr Scott introduced the first deputation, which was- from the Lawrence i Branch of the Lawrence-Roxburgh Railway League. He said he appeared on behalf of the member for the district (Mr James Allen), who was absent on ac- j count of an engaeement at Auckland entered into previously. Mr J. B. M'Kinlav spoke first, and expressed his gratification at the Minister's response to the requisition from Lawrence asking him to visit the district and see the work which had been done on the r-iihyny Hne. He would have *<-cv. from his inspection that the work so fnT done

was useless by itself, and that it should be completed at once into Beaumont. The results from that extension would, he was f sure, be such that it would be carried on to Roxburgh. He felt convinced that the Minister would be satisfied that the work should be completad to Beaumont, as this section had been authorised by Parliament. Mr Pilling emphasised the importance of finishing the uncompleted part, and thus making the line productive. To reach Beaumont fiom the end of the present formation only five or six miles were required, but to reach the same point from Balclutha there was a distance of" 22 inileo to Tuapeka Mouth and 18 miles from Tuar.eka Mouth to Beaumont. It would not take a great deal to complete the line to Beaumont. If the land between Lawrence and Beaumont was cut up into small sections and used for fruit-growing, the population would be greatly increased. The Hon. Mr HallJoneshad maintained that once the valley was tapped there wae no end of its possibilities. By completing the line to Beaumont a great service would be done to the distract. * Mr Christie endorsed the remarks made previously, and said he was sure the Minister's mind was made up as to the to ba taken. Mr Scott said the matter had been brought under the Minister's notice so for,cibly on the trip that nothing he could j."s&y could add to the impression made.4. A characteristic Teply was given by the Hon. Mv M'Kenzie. He was not one of those, he fcaid, who made rash promises. ', When he made a promise he intended to stick to it. As a matter of fact, he did not recognise this deputation as an important one in connection with the Roxburgh line. He gave them credit for put- ) ting the matter favcurably, but as they , already had a railway to Lawrence they could have no grievance, and would per- , haps allow Rim and the Government, , when Parliament gave the money for the line, to decide which route fhould be adopted. He again pointed out the diversity of opinion as to the route, and said Mr Anderson, M.P. for Mataura, was just as strong in advocating an extension from Edievale as they were on behalf of Lawrence. Other public men were the same, and he could only ?ay that when the members of Parliament had decided amongst themselves what Mrae ' should be tak-en the Government would be prepared to agree to their request. He did ljot recognise Lawrence at all, as he could not see thai they were concerned. As far as Roxburgh was concerned, they (the peopte of Lawrence) did not care which way the line went so long as they made money out of it, but he had to have regard to the interests of the country. He believed that a line from Lawrence to Roxborgh would not pay for xery many years, but when the route was fixed upon it would be decide^ from a national, and not fiom a parochial, point of view. He would not discuss that night the merits of the different Toutes. and ho had no intention at all of committing, himself and tlie Government to any particular route. The actual position was that th«y could write to the Minister, to the Government, to tlie press, writo as much a« they likfd. t.-ilk as much as they liked, and deputnt ionise as lmicli as they liked, and it would not alter the proceedings one iota. At present there was no prosnect of Greltinij any more money for spending on the Rig Hill works. The Minister concluded by saying that other distiiote were wor=e off for railwave than was this one. and he again repeated liis advice as to seeming unanimity amongst the members as to the route to bo token. Mr M'Kinlay. in thankiner the Minister for his reply, sail that, with regard to the member*' opinion*. Mr Anderson had told him no later tfian that evening, after his arrival in Lawrence, that r.fter what he had seen of the work done he was firmly convinced that it wns the duty of the Government to carry out the line to where it was authoiised. Tlie only other man to convince was Mr Malcolm, and he really thouzht he was beginning to be convinced also. MINERS' WANTS. A further deputation upon mining matters was introduced. Mr W. R. Smyth, on behalf of the Lawrence Miners' Association, referred to the alienation of the mining reserve extending from Weatherstones. Blue Spur, and Evan's Flat down the valley diaia»-d

[ by" the Tuapeka River to Tuapeka Mouth. \ . This ground had been taken over undei ; ■ occupation lease, and in many cases hac l been converted into freehold. Under th« : piovisions made- a miner might take up : 100 acres or less on lease for 21 years. i i The trouble was that this was con-verted • into, freehold and alienated from the mining reserve, which had been consideri ably reduced. The miners of the district 1 would like Mr M'Kenzie to do what he > could to prevent the further alienation • of these lands or that miners when they • desired to use the land for mining would • not require to pay tremendous amounts of compensation for substantial buildings > and improvements made on these occupied lands. He would mention, however, that the miners of the district did not desire to act the dog-in-th&-ma.nger policy, and did not object to the land being utilised to the best advantages so long as it was not required for mining purposes. They would also like to have a geological survey of the district made as early as possible, as a knowledge of the minerals present woiild greatly facilitate the district's development. Mr W. M. Smyth said that some years ago the reserve was put aside, but from time to time it had been encroached upon until now on the road between Lawrence and Weatheretones they could' not put a foot down without touching freehold property, with the exception of between three and four chains between th© two roads leading to Waipori. He further " pressed home the arguments used by the previous speaker. Mr M'Kenzie said they could not get a freehold title without the consent of the warden, whom the Government trusted to look after the interests of miners. Mr Smyth said he understood that, but he asked what would be the result if aj>2>lication was made and no objection was lodiged. The Minister said that it was the duty of the Miners' Association to object. He could not alter the law upon the matter. • Mr Smyth said they only asked him to use his influence and power with a view to furthering the interests of the miners of • the district. Mr M'Kenzie interjected: "I might do harm." He had to consider the interest of the miners of New Zealand generally. Mr S. Johnson asked for a grant to complete a dam at Bow Bell Flat, which would provide employment for eight or 10 men for the next 25 years. The cost would be about £700. The Minister said he would try to find £1 for £2 up to £600. The Minister, in reply to the deputation as a whole, expressed hie surprise at the views put forward by it. He had been in Parliament when the act was passed. The intention had been to assist the mining community all over New Zealand. When it was passed three-quarters of the land of Otago was held in runs, and the squatters usually objected to the miners taking out sections of runs, so the act was passed with the intention of allowing miners to peg off 100 acres and make it freehold, so long as the warden was satisfied that there was no gold in it. Now they seemed to have a grievance because these areas had been taken and could not be mined. There was, however, plenty of power to resume them if they thought now there was payable gold in tbeim. The owner could be compelled to mine the land if it could be proved to the satief action of the warden that v there was gold in it. He was pleaseld with the act, because it allowed the miners to build homes and ghe up mining if they liked, and if there was no gold. He had no intention of getting the act repealed beteause it had I been passed for the benefit of the mineife as a whole. If he took this matter to a miners' co-nfelrettce he was suie that it would be an absolute impossibility to get two out of 100 to support their proposal. If they had a grievance they should just represent it to the wardetn, and if he did not deal with it, then report it to him, and if it was a legitimate grievance he would endeavour to get it redressed in a legal manner. With regard to the geological survey he said this had started at an annual cost of £650, and had been increased gradually up to £13,000. This, hfej thought, was too much, and he had one day given instructions that it should be reduced £5000 per year. He had no intention whatever of increasing it, and it would probably be noduced in two or three years' time to £2500 of £3000 per year. For the future there would be but one Darty in each inland. If thej

had any samples of metal they should f send them to the Dunedin geologists, who I were as good as any, or to the Minister > of Mines. > COUNTY ROADS. - Mr John iio&e, on behalf of the Tua1 peka County Council (the chairman of * which was unavoidably absent), brought ■ forward the matter ot county roads. The i county had, he said, to keep 70 miles of > mail roads through the length of the i county between Hound Hill and Roxr burgh, and he asked for a -substantial I grant towards the upkeep of these roads > as the council's finances were very low. s The road was used for conveying royal I mails. Bridges also required' attention, i especially the one at /J'uapeka Mouth, s which was decayed, and which would re- [" quire £400 to be repaired. I The Minifter said that lie had already i made a promise on Monday in connection with this bridge. Mt Rose then referred to the bridg* , wanted across the Wa-itahuna. River above : Greenfield. The Government had promised £500 and the county had promised £400, but after an inspection the full sum , could not be granted. They had received a grant of £200, and now asked for £100 to complete the work. „ Th« Minister asked what the county ' rate was, and he was told - that it was Id. He replied that they should increase it by 2d. — (Laughter,) He could not see his way to give a grant, and advised the County Council' to build ' a brfSge itself. He had .thousands of applications from cases 50 tim«s worse off titan they. were. The Tuapeka County was a wealthycounty, with only a Id rate, and he advised them to make it ljd and build a bridge. With regard to the Main road, he said he was responsible for £2,000,000 a year, but if he had £10,000.-000 a year not a penny would lie spend on roads and bridges in " the Tuapeka County, as they were very well off indeed. A SOCIAL. This concluded the deputations, and,' Mr Scott having thanked the Minister for his candid replies and sound advice, an adjournment was made to the social hall in the Victoria Hotel, where a smoke concert was given to the Minister by tne local residents. A 'lengthy list comprising the customary toasts was gone through, and songs were given by local gentlemen.