The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1883.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3616, 13 February 1883, Page 2

The Daily Telegraph. TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1883.

It is certainly on tho cards that the opening up of the Kawhia will bo made the peg on which to hang a proposal to send the North Island trunk railway from Taranaki via Mokau. Three grand objects, in the eyes of the present Ministry, will be attained by the final adoption of that route. The muchloved Taranaki will thereby receive another blessing, and Major Atkinson will be rendered happy; the Native Minister will regard the line as a fatal blow to the difficulty which it is his province to solve, so he will bo satisfied ; and the land rings of Auckland will derive the pleasure and profit arising from a trunk line passing through the Patetcre from Kawhia to Cambridge, and so Mr Whitakcr will have no cause to weep. Tho colony is pretty fairly prepared to recognise the North Island trunk railway as a political work, and if the route selected can be made to please the minds of three members of the Cabinet there will be less difficulty to overcome. The question of cost, and of prospect of paying-, will scarcely be regarded in the face of the three advantages that we have indicated that will be gained by the selection of that route. The money for the undertaking has already been voted — that is to say, a special loan of a million has been sanctioned for the work. It only remains to be spent. Next session of Parliament, doubtless, the country will be asked through its representatives to consent to tho construction of another political railway, and to another piece of political jobbery. If the present Ministry remain in office tho question of what is to be the route of the North Island trunk railway will be practically settled. The Rangitikei Advocate says :— ■" Is the line to go through the centre of the islank and act as a poAverful instrument of colonization, or is it to be taken along the coast cia Mokau and used as a means of settling tho ' native difficulty ' ? Is the railway to be a political one, or is its construction to be guided by commercial principles 'i We are sorely afraid that political rather than business considerations are far in the ascendant with the Government at the present time in regard to this railway. The Wellington Post, which is the recognised organ of Ministerial opinions, on tho 3rd instant published a leading article the object of which was to show that the opening of the Kawhia harbor, should it take place, would be tho first definite and practical blow struck at Kingism and Kingite obstruction in the King country, and that the next ' definite and practical blow' would bo the construction of the North Island trunk railway from Awamutu to Waitara via Mokau. Now even the fondest dreams of the Government have been realized in regard to Kawhia. On the 6th instant avc published the following telegram : —' The Government have received information regarding , Kawhia that everything had been satisfactory arranged. On tho approach of the steamer Stella, the Maoris gave three cheers, and on the landing the parly were greeted with a Maori welcome. One of the leading chiefs pointed out the boundaries of the town, and the survey is proceeding with natives as chain - men. The depth of water on the bar is 18 feet, and at the township it is registered at four fathoms. The Hons. Bryce and Rol- ■

leston, accompanied by Mrs and Miss Rolleston, rode through from Kawhia to Alexandria.' Every true colonist (says the Advocate) will rejoice at this news, but it would surely be a lamentable thing if Ministers were to take advantage of the good fortune they have met with at Kawhia to help certain members of the Government in perpetrating a shameful political job. It is rumoured in well-informed circles that the Hon. Mr Bryce has quite made np his mind to have his name recorded in history as that of the "still strong man" who settled the native difficulty which so many other New Zealand statesmen had grappled with in vain, and that he will make everything else subsidiary to the accomplishment of the one end and aim of Ms life. If this rumour be true, ho will add his powerful influence to that of the Colonial Treasurer to have the Northlsland trunk railway made ci« Mokau instead of by the central route. _ Is it not time that the various districts interested in the central route, desirous of fair play and opposed to a nefarious political'swindle, united to fight for common justice? We would suggest the immediate formation of a Central Route Railway League.