MR BROGDEN ON RAILWAYS.

Westport Times, Volume VI, Issue 973, 24 May 1872, Page 3

MR BROGDEN ON RAILWAYS.

lAtQueenStown, Lake Wakalip, Mr idles Brogden of the firm of John r ogden and Sons, and Mr John Henderson, C.E., accepted an inviktion to a banquet from the leading L of the town ; and in a speech Ue during the evening Mr Brogden, [referring to the Government railLy scheme, said after having received L first idea of this Colony's requirLts from Messrs Dillon Bell and Ltherstone ; and noticing the valuIble gold yields, and increasing confiLce displayed in the Colony by Letary men, Mr Yogel, the Treas[rW, appeared on the scene, armed Uh credentials that could not bo Lubted. He negociated a loan favorL]y. He was authorised to borrow Lr millions of money which were Mily forthcoming ; negotiations tare opened with his (the speaker's) Las to public works and immigrate. They had been previously Lred that the public works would and had since, again Weived_the same assurances. The L tf" into long negotiations Lt| .-.ted in the contract being EI-Mnd he (the speaker) as a memfer of that firm was now here to carry P the terms of the contract —if fairly liministered. He had, however, t6 Per to the absence of an important toe in the contract —that of arbitraL. It bad been represented how le mines were idle, agricultural invests depressed, and the pastoral ' Ends required settlement. However, h General Assembly were anxious h the immediate execution of these hihvay works, and a definite contract ha entered into with reference to this Isu'se upon these grounds, so far as Ling the price of the works or the Miniates made by the colonial engijeers. He thought they would all. Wee with him, that when disputes mse between men as to the nature of forks, and value of property, arbitrapn was the fairest and most honest lurse to pursue between man and U,or interest and interest. His Uhad acted most ? honorably with re Colony, and had introduced into pe money market of England some jssurances of faith in New Zealand. jtwa9not for him to say whether and low they would take the risks of exejuting these works themselves, or by B English company—as they had at ne time proposed. Mr Vogel had, o far, acted most honestly in the latter of the arrangements entered lto. He (the speaker) had travelled oth North and South, and had been uite prepared to give credence to asorancea as to the reproductive cbarao ir of these works, but the represen-. rt"'.,.* djof them were not fully isunnecThi his opinion. The conduct f the Assembly in the matter of the ontracts had also raised dubious slings. He waa only a member of a rm responsible to many, and must ay that the reproductive interests ppeared to be over-rated, for the

Msent generation, at least so far as hey were concerned. He hoped these ntereata would grow and become treat in time, but be had necessarily o deal with the subject in a business ight. He might remark that, so fay is his firm was concerned, it was quite of New Zealand, or any jjther colony, but they, at the same i hi, desired to carry out their contacts honorably, and hoped they fould be fairly met under the circum-. fences. He could not, however, help Inferring to the conduct'of the General Lssembly; and upon his arrival in Wellington he was taken 'by surprise »Y the action of parties iri it. His istonishment waa very great at the 6-500,000 proposal; considering he Me from Home representing an im»rtant company, who had to make Railways on land terms, to work them ot thirty-three years and to receive inly interest to a certain extent, while he Government had at any time lower to purchase. To limit opera•rastosuch an extent as £500,000 Kerned deception. He had said that m, in London, had accepted in good la 'h and assurances offered, and were Prepared to go into the money market * & greater . extent than they had "ready. The 1 Assembly afterwards PMsed an authority further allowing to Government to contract for works to the extent of one million sterling. Jtot so impressed was he that, while 'be Government held £60,000 worth f™ their money, as a deposit, of the pnnicting state of affairs, that he pote home to release and otherwise Bttl p!oy an amount equal to a million it money otherwise, as matters were »different to the feelings of the As*jj%, as to what they had been repented in London. The loss thereIJ was that of the Colony. He had P8 to the country believing that the P«c works to be carried out were "jW for the benefit of the country •Mof the people at large, and not of

any government or party alono. The terms of their contract rendered progress and settlement necessary (cheers.) The immigration clauses of thjoir contract showed this. He re- , gretted that the country had not come to them to make good lines of railways upon terms, as they had made elsewhere. They would then have had lines in places where they were really required, and of value to the colony; not lines promoted, as in some instances, by log rolling influences (hear, hear.) As a representative of ' a large body of capitalists, the people would have directly come in contact with them, and would have secured immediate and direct advantages, the result.oflong and practical experience. When he used the words " log rolling influences," ho only quoted words he heard members use at Wellington about these railways. He had come to the colony to judge for himself, but, in Wellington and in the North, he hadjbeen told it was no use going down South ; That what was wanted was railways in the North. He was told it was better to go away home than come down to this island ; but he was justified in stating that the reports given of the South were to a large extent unfounded, and he was glad to say he was surprised to find so large a quantity of good land available for settlement. His opinion was, that it was best for their own interests and that of the colony to make the main trunk lines first. They •svould all reap the advantage of that, as whatever increased the colony's pcosperity was a general benefit.