OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. (BY TELEGRAPH,—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July 17.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 386, 20 July 1889, Page 5

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. (BY TELEGRAPH,—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Wellington, July 17.

Tjik fact that the Government have made provision for extending the Otago Central Railway, by taking the revenue of coi'tain runs, has aroused the representatives of other districts that have little railways to complete. In the House jesterday thoro v ere several notices of questions as to whether the Government would continue certain railways on the same torms as the Otago Central. Mr Smith ( Woodvillo) al&o asked in the House if tho Government would do this for the railway line between JBketahuna and Woodville, when Sir Harry replied "35!0," and explained that there was no necesyity for it, the railway not being in the same position as the Otago Centra). Dr. Novvman then moved the adjournment ol the House, and advocated tho construction of a railway, which he said would pay, while the Otago Central would not. Mr Buchanan (Wairarapa) deprecated this, and Mr Tanner (Waipawa) rose to advocate the line mentioned by Mr Smith, but on learning that the House had not endorsed the policy of the Government regarding the Obago Central, he subsided. Mr Stuart Menteath (Tcstro) considered that all railways should bo carried on afc

once, or none at all. Half-a-dozen should nob be sacrificed for the benefit of one. Mr Drummond (Hokitika) spoke in the same strain. ' Mr Samuels (New Plymouth) said the opinion of the House and of the country generally was that this new departure was one that, if it was to be applied at all, should bo applied to the whole of the railways throughout the colony. He thought the Government would have to desist from their purpose, for it was constructing a railAvay ab the expense oi the taxpayeis of che whole colony. ' j Mr Brown (Taupeke) puo in a good word for the YVoodville line, and considered it should have the same treatment as the Otago Central. Colonel Fraser (Thames) stigmatised the Otago Central as one of tho most unpromisI ing railways in the colony, and protested | against the public revenue being mortgaged i for years to pay for this line. Mr Seddon (Kumara) I declared that Otago got the best of everything the colony could give. In his mind there were far more important works throughout the colony than the Otago Central that needed construction. HeafctribuLodthe preference Otago gotto the dominant power exercised by Otago in the Cabinet. He protested against trust funds being pnt to uses for which they weie never intended. To apply them to carrying out the proposals of the Government with lespect ',o this Olago line he considered was merely an evasion of the promise made not to go to the money market for some time. Speaking of Westland district he said it was the general feeling there that because the majority of local representatives were opponents of the Government the district was punielied by its necessary works being kept back. Speaking of how the monoy for the Otago Central was to be raised, he said it might just as well be taken from the Customs tevonue. It meant the same thing to the country. The Premier asked the Hou&e to come back to business as the discussion was useless and would be repeated when the Otago Central Bill came up again. Mr Smith took up the cudgels for Woodville line, and Mr Scobio McKenzie defended the Government tor their action re the Otago Central. Mr Goldie showed that the Otago Central would not pay as was expected by its advocates. Mr Waid (Awarua) urged that all railways should be placed on the same looting as the Otago Central. After Dr. Newman had replied, when he stated he considered the debate one of the most important we have had this session, the subject dropped.