THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Inangahua Times, Volume II, Issue II, 8 April 1881, Page 2

THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Deputation to the Pbmieb. A deputation oonsisting of the Wowing gentlemen : Messrs T. S. Weston, L. E. **Nnthi»n, E. Weekes, Thornton, Pratt, Pavitt, Packer and Bain, recently waited upon the Premier to lay before him the sketch of a general Bill to be submitted to Parliament, under whioh the West Coast Railway and schemesfof a similar character can, it is believed, be carried out. Mr Weekes opened the proceedings by heartily thanking the Premier in tbe name of tbe promoters of the West Coast Bailway, for tbe promptness with wbich the Government had met them, by ap pointing Mr O'Connor to survey the proposed line. Mr O'Connor had left town with Mr Browne and would bo doubt very soon report to Government tbe result of bis journey. Tbe promoters had recognised the fact tbat there was a great difficulty in the way of the Government dealing with the present scheme, from the oircumstance that no similar one had previously been mooted. They had, therefore deemed it advisable, in order tc induce the Government to look men favorably on the ma'.ler, to draw up tbe sketch of a Bill to enable the Government to deal with companies in general, one which would be applicable to all parts ofthe Colony. Under such a Bill tbe Government would be enabled tc deal with the promoters without giving rise to any local jealousy. The Premier well knew that tbe promoters of the West Coast Bailway were anxious to work with him in advancing the welfare of tbe Col* ony. Tbey, none of them, bad aoy se!. fish ends to gain by the proposed railway. They had drawn up the heads ol a Bill with the idea that sotnethiog might be made of them. He would read tbem for the Premier's information : " East and West Coast Bailway. "It is suggested by the Committee of tbe Promoters of tbe West Coast railway, tbat the Govrenment should introduce at tbe next session of Parliament a Bill to enable them to deal witb individuals or companies willing to construct, maintain and work for a period* to be agreed upon, or to construct alone for the Government, trunk lines of railway of not less tban— say 50 miles in length, as distinguished from such lines as are contemplated bythe* District Railways Act, 1877.' : 'the' Bill, it is urged, should provide amongst other things— "1. in cases of constructing alone, the Government Bhould have power to grunt land in payment of the line \ the value of the line to be based upon the cost of similar works in the colony, whilst the Tand! granted should be taken not at a statutory price, but at the market value immediately prior to the initiation of tbe scheme, without reference to

any. prospective value tbat tbe proposed undertaking may give to it. " 8k In the cate of oomtructing, maintaining and working a line, a free grant or concession ofalend valued aa stated, and being eqtial fo not more than —per cent of the coat of the work estimated in manner mentioned, ahould be made to the contractors. " 3. That approved areas of land along tbe line and extending for a distance of 20 miles oa eacb aide thereof be withdrawn from sale, be surveyed and cut up into blocks of not less than 100 and not more tban 10,000 acrei, and be drawn for by the Government and the contractors alternately until tbe Concessions to the latter are satisfied. . " 4 Tbat free grants out of the waste lands of the Crown be made for station sites ar.d workshops along tbe line and at termini. "5. in tbe construction and maintenance of the line the contractors be permitted the free use of tbe timber, stone and other material upon tbe Government land adja"6. ThaKeasonable terms be made by the Safenal, raWP^and otner employes as the contractor* may require to construct the line "7, That the contractors be at liberty to carry tbe line and material required to con* struct it, through private property, the owners beine compensated in manner provided by the Public Wor^s Acts. • "8. The contractors to have the use of the Government lines thai connect with their own npon fair and reasonable terms, "9. That the contractors for making. maintaining and' working any line, sball band it over to tbe Crown at such time as may be agreed on, upon receiving -a fair valuation therefore. 1 »' Christchurch, March 29, 1881." 1 The Premier might think tbat it waa 1 somewhat bold on their part to make ' theae snegestions but the promoters wanted to do away with local jealousies, ' It was trne^that tbe promoters asked foj ' a grant of land ; but the Crown wontd not i lose by thiLas the enhanced -value of the ' rest of the Crown land in the vicinity of the railway Would more than rocoop the ' Government. He thanked the Premier ' for the attention bestowed, and would 1 now ask Mr Weston to explain the pro* ! po«»d Bill. Mr T. S. Weston could do little more ' than endorse the remarks which had been i made by his friend W Week es. The , promoters of the undertaking, and he be- , lieved he mieht say the public too, fully 1 appreciated the promptitude shown by » the Government in sending out theengi* I neers. , Ha believed that when Mr ; O'Connor's report was received it would be found that tbe promoters*' engineers had plotted a lioe which would b* beneficial, not only to this Province, bnt also to the. Colony* at laree. It would undoubtedly, malta Christohqroh the «#ntva3"emporium of the Middle Island, and woulA open direot eomrttnnicatioi with Westport and Nelson. There could be n*> doubt that there were many local jealousies to be combated, but ' when , Uie matter was treated on a broad and liberal principle, it would be found that whilst thia particular district would be benefited. ' the whole Colony must in its turn also reap the advantage. If the Government of which ! the premier waa a member.'could he induced to introduce to Parliament and support a < general measure such aa that sketched out, tbe whole country would be satisfied, and I the 'Bouse itself would view, without jealously, this particular enterprise. (The speaker here refenred to the salient points in i the proposed Bill.) It would be seen tbat land which would ( be otherwise unsaleable and valueless, would be rendered exceedingly valuable, and so the concessions made to tbe Company would prove really ad* rantaseous to tbe Colony, which would eventually get a line of railway practically ' costing them nothing. There was a quantity of land, lying between tbe two termini, now nsebss, which would be made most valuable for pnrposes of colonisation. It had been 1 said that the quantity of pastoral and 1 arable land was smaU, but tbe fact must not 1 be lost sight of that there existed a large . extent of forest land wbich would be brought > into use, and that the grand mineral re- - sources of the West Coast would be deve- ! loped. The promoters could not see where . the difficulty would lie in the way of Government giving consideration to the | scheme now proposed. The passing of such I a Bill would prevent considerable delay, as it would be impossible for the promoters themselves to introduce a private Bill in ' time for the next session, of Parliament. In the meantime tbe ardour of tbe people would cool, and there -was too much reason 1 to fear that the thing would be allowed to ' die out. He had heard it said that tbe ' Government, before treating with this par- ' ticular Company, were desirous of satisfying •" themselves that the matter waa really ; genuine. As Mr Wickes hnd already said i tbe thing was thorougblv genuine,* the peeple who wero interesting themselves in the West Coast line were actuated by no » selfish motives, but only desired the public > gooi. So far as he himself waa concerned, > his one desire was to see the people of the 1 West Coast, wbo had treated him so well 1 during bis adminstration there, advance in prosperity, as there was no doubt that if ; this soheme was carried out they would. Not merely would they benefit, however, bnt he felt convinced that the development of the resources of that Coast would bave snch grand results as to materially aid New Zealand in paying off ber national debt. Mr Bain had a newspaper in which were the names of some wbo interested themselves specially in the railway, but there were a number of otlier gentleman who bad promised their support, and who would join the Company wben it should be formed ; but until the mrvey of Mr O'Connor was completed, tbe promoters did not wish to put people or tbe Government to any expense.