South Canterbury Times, FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1881.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2441, 14 January 1881, Page 2

South Canterbury Times, FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1881.

It is to be hoped that no dog-in-tlic manger policy will be allowed to interfere with the prosecution of the West Coast railway. The promoters of the line which is to bring the agricultural districts of Canterbury into immediate communication with Westland and her goldfields, have made no more than a reasonable, request in asking a land subsidy from the Government, The land they require is going to waste, and if they can turn it to practical account by promoting settlement the colonial revenue can hardly suffer. A railway is needed to connect the two coasts, and if the Government is not prepared to construct it, then every possible encouragement should be given to private enterprise. The promoters have calculated the cost, and they see their way not only to make the lino, pay, but to render it highly profitable. But to ensure success their scheme must have a backbone, and that backbone is a grant of land. Seeing that the land is a permanent source of revenue to the State, and that as the area of settlement expands the sources of taxation are multiplied, the Government will be making no foolish bargain in conceding what the promoters request. They ask land, not money, and they offer in return to make a public work which will at, once open up fresh avenues of employment to the industrial classes and bring about an industrial and commercial equilibrium advantageous to the communities on both sides of the island. As regards the concession asked for it involves in reality no sacrifice. The territory sought is as valueless as the mineral in a lode that has nevei been worked. To make it of any value it must be rendered accessible to port or market through the agency of railway communication. After much consideration and hesitation Parliament has decided that the neccssaiy improvements cannot be made at preBen t—that, in fact, they must be indefinitely postponed. The promoters of this railway, having faith in the enterprise, have offered to take the waste over, and to convert the wilder-

ness, if not into a garden, at all event! into something that will be useful and reproductive. They may not be able to plant orchards on the mountain tops or grow grain in the gorges, but they will develope, notwithstanding, the wild Alpine interior, where the mining and agricultural divisions embrace. We repeat that the land the Government is asked to surrender is of no value. The promoters of the line intend turning it to good account by expending labor and capital on it. To refuse their reasonable request would be adopt an attitude of obstruction. There is a severely deprecated system of mining sometimes pursued on new rushes called shepherding. The shepherds sit on their claims smoking in idleness, waiting like Macawber for something to turn up, and relying on the thrift of others to compensate them for their time killing. Are the Government or Parliament prepared to pursue this course with the West Coast line ? If not, then they will give private enterprise a chance, by encouraging in every possible way the scheme that has been propounded. There is another reason why the experiment of a trans-insular railway should be encouraged. It is alleged that it is somewhat Utopian ; that it is premature ; that it would be too costly ; and that there is no reasonable prospect of its being remunerative. These are the forebodings of the wiseheads—the fossils of tbe Civil Service and Parliament. A railway concerning which so many predictions have been expressed, would bo a sort of wiscometer, with the aid of which the sapience or imbecility of our railway prophets may be determined. It is true that the State lines have not been worked to advantage, and the managers of this new line would have a chance of teaching the department how to make their property profitable. The promoters, at any rate, are willing to take the risk and responsibility, and we sincerely hope they will be afforded the opportunity of showing what may be done by private enterprise. In advocating this line, we are influenced by no feeling of petty aggrandisement. One of the speakers at the late meeting at Christchurch referred to Iho danger which Lyttelton was in of having its trade diverted to Timaru. But the gentleman was a foreigner from the other side of the island, and in trying to stir up petty jealousy between two prosperous ports he merely aired his intense ignorance—a privilege that several other Mayors in the colony ; can always claim with impunity. The West Coast line is not likely to make any very decided impression on the shipping trade of either Timaru or Lyttelton. If it will do anything it will hurt the coasting trade to some extent, but this will be compensated for by the development of our resources on land, and an augmented intercolonial and foreign trade. Not only Canterbury but the whole of the Middle Island will be benefited by a central connecting line between our coastal railways, and hence we consider it desirable in the interests of this part of the colony that the scheme of the promoters should have the utmost sympathy and encouragement.