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Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2296, 15 September 1908, Page 2

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

This is the season of deputations. A few days ago an imposing array of Auckland and East Coast nioinbers was got together to wait upon the Minister of Railways and draw his attention to the urgent necessity of pushing ahead with the railways of special interest to the people of the territories represented. The North Auckland line, branches of the Main Trunk, and the Gisborne-ltotorua lines were-talked of and tho Minister’s reply was as guarded 86 he could possibly mako it without directly offending the largo number of voters represented. Now comes a counterstroke by tho South Islanders, who havo nlso organised a large deputation which modestly asks that £200,000 a year should be spent in traversing tlie Alpine tops of Canterbury and Westland. The particular cause of this exceptional activity on the part of members is tho near approach of the Public Works Statement, which is due early next week. Sir Joseph Ward state# that he lias had applications for works that, if granted, would involve an expenditure of £12,000,000, and it is obvious they cannot all bo granted. After all is said that can be said, tho fact still Remains that this business of deputationising Ministers is simply a- somewhat demoralising scramble for the loaves and fishes which the Government distributes always with a'n eye open to votes in the future. Under these circumstances it will be instructive to watch how this district fares when the Estimates come down'. Properly speaking, there is no district which lias stronger claims in this respect than has Gisborne. Without a harbor and without railway communication with any other centre, one of the richest districts in New Zealand has been prevented in the past from developing its own latent wealth and from assisting to tho general welfare of the Dominion because of the shameful neglect- that has been its lot when- the expenditure of public money has been under consideration. We have millions of feet of timber that the rest of the Dominion is needing, but under existing conditions merchants have to solid to the United -States instead to secure supplies whilst our own arc being burned. Our pastoral industry, big as it is, is terribly handicapped, and our dairy interests, which should equal those of Taranaki, are dwarfed into comparative insignificance for lack of proper communication, and the only answer we can get to our complainings is that wo had three milc6 of line constructed last year, and wo have the inestimable privilege of being represented in Parliament by a Cabinet- Minister. If this latter condition really constitutes a privilege aud -a substantial advantage then wo should reasonably oxpect that the Government will make some provision to remove our state of isolation and while pushing on the Gisborne railway northwards at a very much faster rate than in the past will also make a commencement with earnest preparations for the communication of this town with Wellington, via Napier.