RAILWAY EXTENSION.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 950, 24 July 1903, Page 4

RAILWAY EXTENSION.

(To the Editor, .Gisborne Times.) Sir,—Now, that an agitation is on foot foe the purpose of inducing the Government to spend money, on .the extension of the railway beyond Te Ivaraka, it may be .well to remember that there -is a phase of the question which does not appear to have .been considered. At a meeting, of

the .Labor Party recently held in London, a: member of Parliament (Mr Hardie) was requested to introduce into the House of Commons a measure authorising the .Government to . acquire the railway system of the United Kingdom. Mr Hardie replied 1 that lie would do so if desired, but at the same time he produced evidence derived from the highest sources, showing that • no Worse investment of public money could be made—for that probably Within ten years the system of railways now. in use would become obsolete, owing to the great progress Which was being made in other modes of transit. The- railways

might still be used for some purposes, but they: would occupy a position similar, to that of sailing ships in the mercantile, marine. Instead of the country expending an enormous sum in the purchase of the lines, the question would be whether the Government could be persuaded to -accept them as a gilt. Now, if in a crowded country, like England theres'is a strong probability of the railways becoming nearly/ useless and wholly, unprofitable in a comparatively short tiine, how, is, it possible -a Gisborne-Motu line can be made to pay? Supposing the

.Government consents to go on expending at the average rate of the past votes, £12,000 to* £30,000 a year ; it -will take thirty, years to reach the Motu. How much timber will be available for freight. by, that time? How, much is there now, for that matter, still public property? The Hawke’s Bay Land Board recently sold—or rather gave away—all the best of the timber the; .Government had, which is now in private hands, and will probably be burnt and .wasted. Without a timber trade what is the line going to carry to pay expenses ? i . ' The Gisborne - Kaitaratahi line, ever since it was opened, has! been costing £SO or £6O a week; more than it has earned on an expenditure of about £SOOO per mile. How, much would a line beyond Te’Karaka be to the bad op an expenditure / which will be £II,OOO to £15,000 per mile ? : In the meantime the whole district, and more especially the! back country, is starved for roads, j The statement has been made that the railway expenditure does not j interfere with the road votes. Let any one who holds this faith make enquiry, and he will find that the annual expenditure of the General Government on roads does not now amount to a fifth part of What it was before the railway was begun. With reference to the proposed extension of the survey, the position is something like this : There were three possible routes to tlie ; , Motu—the Waikohu, the Waihuka, 'and the Mangatu. The Waikohu route has been condemned on account of impracticable curves and grades ; the Waihuka was passed over on Account of the rotten and slippery na/ture of the. ground. There remains the Mangatu—the most improbable of the lot on account of the altfitude of the main' range! ' '' " J Nevertheless, it will be ai good thing if the Government will | go on with the survey (waste of / money as it will be), for nothing eljse will convince the general public tpiat Mr James Ste Wart was right When he said that a railway through the Motu would be half tunnel and half viaduct, and the line was pra/ctically _ impossible on account of the! enor- ", mous expense.—l am, etc., V TRAVELLER.