The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1885. THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Temuka Leader, Issue 1373, 1 August 1885, Page 2

The Temuka Leader SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 1885. THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

In July, 3884, in his address to his constituents at Belwyn, Mr Wakefield said ; “ He hoped to see the West Coast line made without raising money for that purpose. A public company was prepared to lend the whole of the money for that railway if they could get the Government to give the Company some guarantee. He did not see why they should not give them assistance. Land had been reserved for fifteen miles by the side of the railway, and he did not see why they should not give the Company, some of that, and then when the railway was made they could assist tht Company to the extent of 1 or S per cent, for a few years until the raihvay should be in working order. In this way they could get a great work done, and one which would be of great benefit to the farmers of Canterbury, and which would also cause the population of the West Coast to rise to 100,000.” This was Mr Wakefield’s opinion twelve months ago. Now this is exactly what has been proposed, and Mr Wakefield characterises it as a job which be will oppose to the bitter end. In a telegram to the Mayor of Christchurch he says : “I am grieved and ashamed at the reckless disregard of the public welfare which is shown at Christchurch for the sole object of getting an immediate expenditure of money. 1 never allow myself to be subjected to pressure whilst engaged in my parliamentary duty, even by my own constituents, much less by other people’s. Out of courtesy to your Worship, I beg to inform you that I am opposing the railway concession because I consider it an extremely profligate proposal, and I have no doubt i shall succeed, in company with the most publicspirited trustworthy men in the House.” What a change twelve months has made in his opinion 1 The change has been caused by the fact that since then Sir Julius Vogel formed a Ministry which did not include Mr Wakefield. The Hon. Mr Rolleston is more reasonable and sensible in his reply to the Mayor of Christchurch. He says “ Thank you for forwarding expression ef Council’s opinion. Shall not act without earnest consideration.” The Mayor cannot make much out of this, but no one will doubt but that Mr Rolleston will do what he considers will be for the best ; while we, as well as everyone who knows him, believe that if a Ministry were formed to-morrow which would include Mr Wakefield, that gentleman would not hesitate for one moment to turn round and support what he now condemns. The Dunedin Chamber of Commerce have passed resolutions condemning the railway, and forwarded copies of them to Messrs Larnach and Stout, Their replies are unique. Mr Larnach says : “ Be your telegram of 24th instant regarding the East and West Coast Railways. It seems to me that your fears are altogether groundless. It you expect the Otago Central to proceed, why should you object to so important a main trunk line from Canterbury to the West Coast on fair terras 1 Do you wish the Colony to stand still, while our neighbors in Australia are carrying on great public works, and consequently drawing our population away from New Zealand 1 I am really surprised at you and other members of your Chamber taking such an attitude as you seem to do. The Government are not going to sacrifice the interests of the Colony in any arrangeraant they come to for any public works. You had better go to sleep, or go away for a few months and get rid of the cobwebs that apparently are gathering about your caput.” This is nice from a Cabinet Minister to the Chairman of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce. Mr Larnach is the gentleman who once said to his constituents “Kennel up, you curs,”when they would not listen to him, Mr Stout said : “Unless the Chamber is to be transformed into a political society I doubt if such questions come within its sphere ; and if it desires to acquit itself of political bias in the future it will wait for the Government proposals before it proceeds to condemn what it believes they are.—R. Stoot.” Bo the world wags as regards the railway. We have just come across the report of the Commission, consisting of Messrs W. R. Russel, J. G. Wilson and C. Napier Bell, who reported on Hie East and West Coast Railway in 1883. They say • “ The nature or circumstances of the soil are such that along neither of the alternative lines can it be looked to for the support of a population earning a substance from either pastoral or agricultural pursuits; and, although metals other than gold probably exist in many places, we have no reason to suppose they can be found in such quantity or quality of ore as to become for many years of any commercial importance, or likely to aiford employment to a population of any magnitude.” This bears out our statement made in our last issue, to the effect that the intermediate traffic would be insignificant. They, also state that : “ Land cannot compete with watercarriage, and Mr JF. Back, traffic manager, told us that for 100 tons of merchandise carried from Lyttelton to Dunedin by railway, 1000 went by sen, and that the trade between Lyttelton and Timaru was also by sea, although Tiraaru is a risky harbor.” They qualify this, however, by the following : “On the West Coast the harbors are all bad, the insurance and delays consequently considerable, and the coal and timber being found inland would have to he conveyed to the ports ot shipment by railway, and on arrival by sea at Lyttelton would be subjected to landing and railway charges before reaching the consumers ; and, as the terminal charges form a very considerable part of the tariff rate, the cost at both ends would

almost, if m entirely, conterbalance any advantage P'-gihle from sea-carriage. This particular, applies to the timber trade, which b e commenced 20 miles along the q e towards Canterbury.” , The objection ba t t h 9 West Coast harbors are bad n( j insurances high will not exist when be j| na i 8 opened, because vast sums 0i money are about to be spent in improve tbeßo harbors, and they will be safe , ong before th( . railway can be made, coa [ ftn( j timber traffic, on which ni. wb o favor this line rely, would not paj |^ r ]?_ Back, Manager of Railways, incidence, says : “The bulk of the traffic indicated—namely, coal, agricultural produce, sh=ep, and cattle—being carried at rates which are unremunerative or entail a loss, to the inference that, under conditions stated, the line with the traffic indicated would probably not pay.” Timber ought to have been included in this : for limber is carried now bo cheap that it does not pay. Besides, there is so much coal now being found on this side of the ranges, that in all probability before many years we shall hare a supply equal to the demand. If, for instance, fair coal was got at Kakahu which could be sold in all parts of South Canterbury for between l,*>s and £1 per ton, West Coast coal would not 001 l bore for £2 ss, except for special purposes. Fair coalfields are being worked at present, and will undoubtedly improve. This must lead to the conclusion that the coal trade will not be so great as people imagine. As for passenger traffic, only 800 persons travelled from Christchurch to the West Coast in 1881 ; but the traffic would without doubt greatly increase if there were railway communication. Still, it would be hopeless to expect that it would be sufficient to pay.

Considering the proposal from every point of view, we feel convinced that if constructed to-morrow, the line would be a burden to the colony. We quite agree with Mr Wakefield that it would be a profligate waste of public money to construct it. If it were constructed under the Act of last session, we should not complain, so long as the State was not called upon to contribute anything towards its management. In our opinion the trouble is not so much in constructing it ns in maintaining it afterwards. The only thing in its favor is that it would give employment, but wc think more productive works ought to be undertaken.