The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1866.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 216, 14 February 1866, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 1866.

Railways, their construction and utility, is perhaps the question which, beyond all others, occupies the minds of colonial legislators at the present time. In Australia,, OautiUu, Titsuirtliia, IsTott &vu.hh. "Wales, the Cape of Grood Hope, and even New Zealand, it has become the subject of subjects. In order to compass this great and important question it is well to study the results of experiments which have been tried in the colonies. In Canada railways have been constructed over hundreds of miles, and from the most unquestionable evidence every line has proved a success ; the same may be said of India, and other distant dependencies of Britain. The more the question is ventilated the more clear becomes the fact that railways are essential to progress. Southland was among the first of the New Zealand provinces to adopt the views wlrch are now becoming universal, and although the earnestness she evinced in giving practical evidence of faith in its conclusions, may have contributed to bring about the temporary difficulties which now surround her, it " is satisfactory to find fresh testimony of the soundness of the policy adopted, and should encourage us to persistently adhere to it — to resolve to overcome all obstacles and maintain under all changes, that the construction of railways is the pivot of prosperity — that to develope the resources of the Province they are indispensable. It is to encourage such a feeling that we now hastily notice the Victorian Railway Report, 1866. It is acknowledged that the "Victorian Railways have been the most expensively, and almost -the most substantially constructed, in the world. About eight millions of money has been expended in making Railways of a description far in advance of the present — or for a hundred years — requirements. It might have been supposed this blunder would have exercised a destructive influence on the progress of that country — that such an amount as £480,000 per annum for interest alone would have been like a millstone round its neck, dragging it deeper and deeper into difficulties and retrogression. What is the fact ? The traffic returns of the Victorian Railways for 1865, show startling and encouraging features. ' Erom the Age of the 26th January, in an article upon the subject, we learn that the total revenue of the Victorian Railways for the year 1865 reached to the enormous sum of £588,955, or an average of £11,268 per week. The inciease over the preceding year (1864) is £70,417, the total returns for that twelvemonth being £515,538, or £9,914 per week. An increase of close on 14 per cent. This is a most encouraging result. It should stimulate the supporters of Railways for Southland tp mewed exertion, and disarm those ,

who have been loud in their complainings of those who initiated the works. To quote figures again— assuming that the capital borrowed was eight million (£8,000,000) the interest on the amount would be £480,000 for working expenses. True it is that the working expenses exceed this amount, but it must be remembered that they will not become more costly for years to come, while the increased traffic— if it continues at the same ratio — will not only cover all expenses, but leave a very handsome profit. There is, however, a still more important consideration. The increased traffic is evidence of increased settlement — that the country is being developed and multiplying its productiveness. Southland from this may find cause for hope and faith in the future. She has initiated and partially constructed main trunk lines of considerable extent, which if once completed, will lead to the full development of the province, and command a large trade from border districts. Every effort should be put forth to complete these lines — we should not be satisfied with knowing that the Bluff Harbor and Invercargill line is to be finished. - That mistakes have been ~ made in the past in Southland as well as Victoria, — that a lighter and more inexpensive rail would have been sufficient for scores of years to come — is acknowledged on all hands ; still they are not fatal. Let the main trunk lines be finished, and private enterprise enlisted to provide feeders, and we have confidence in the prosperity and rapid progress of the Province. Victoria has proved the efficiency of this system, of tramways and cheap railways being constructed by companies. Hence the success realised; the subjoined extract from the Age is pertinent to the subject : — " To develope railways to the highest point of national usefulness, the establishment of branches feeding the main trunk line is a paramount necessity. The utmost encouragement should be offered to private or joint-stock undertakings, when they are willing to relieve the State of direct action in a procedure so obviously desirable. The recognition of such claims in the case of the Sandhurst, Inglewood and Lodden Tramway, augurs well for the promotion of similar useful enterprise. And again, the suggestion of the Engineer-in- Chief, that where main lines of road have not already been constructed, it would be preferable — and, indeed, cheaper in the long run — to at once construct railways, Is worthy of ilie most earnest consideration. Much as interior roads effect in aid of main lines of railway, subsidiary railways will do far more."