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Auckland Star, Volume II, Issue 471, 14 July 1871, Page 2

Qn the principle audi alteram partem, \re have much pleasure in submitting the following article from an esteemed contributor i-^-At ' the very' worst season of the year, when all the roads are almost impassable, an advertisement appears in the morning papers requiring tenders for the construction of the Kaipara railway. BjMpre they proceed any further, the

I Government would do well to pause and consider, first, is thil railway Really needed ? Secondly, is.it^b be constructed in the most fertile and •flourishing part of the pyovi^CeT - And thirdly, will it pay ? p To a^rlhese questions we answer -Nol A really Jgdod road from Helensville to Riverhead would be preferable,; as it" would cosHfai? less, and .'iSQuld easily;. Ibe continued on to Atickland. The country through whiclr the proposed railway is to" pass is most barren and desolate, and very.thinly populated, and the settlers generally, ace poor, and have little money to; spare for travelling expenses.' In England railways are of comparatively recent date, and the first was, if we mistake not, laid between two of the most important towns in the kingdom^ When once the utility of railways was made apparent they were extended all , over Great Britain; but then the country was ready for them,-and there were large towns, important for their manufactures, to be connected, and an immense population to be provided with a ready means of transit. Now is this the case, or likely to be the case here ? Again we answer emphatically No. It may be urged that railways' are also of recent; invehtiofi/ and that England availed:herself oPthe invention at once, and why should not we do, the ,Baine ? > .Because we have not yet "copied England's example in mak ing good roads and bridges all over the country, and, until that is done, no railways will pay. A sufficient traffic cannot be brought to them. What then is required in this unfortunate province ? First, a vise and judicious expenditure of the -public mtfhies oh public works of real and lasting benefit to the province, and which will induce foreign capitalists to come and invest in them, and to bring not only money, , but an increase of population to our , shores. Then Auckland is decidedly a maritime port, and has an excellent, ,: natural harbour; but almost nothing is . done to induce foreign merchants to , send their ships here. A scheme was; set afloat some eighteen months' \ since to start a floating dock, but that,' [ as usual, was allowed to fall through. .: Why should not Auckland have a ~ graving dock at once sufficiently large , to enable vessels of the size of our largest ships to be docked when . necessary. This would give employment to tho artisans and mechanics of this city, and bring money into the . , place, which is so greatly needod. . £2Q,000; has been voted for the ext penses of the railway for the first [ year. Let £10,000 be spent on the country settlers, making them a good , road from Helensville to Auckland, and the remaining £10,000 be spent in commencing*: a^graving'dock. By \ so doing the country will be generally , benefitted, whereas by making a railj way, it is. very doubtful if any benefit . will be derived at all.