THE RAIWAY EXTENSION.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3802, 21 September 1883, Page 2

THE RAIWAY EXTENSION.

[To the Editor of the Daily Telegrato. j Sir, —The reports of the last meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, and the subsequent reference to the question in your sub-leader of yesterday, seem to me to show that there is a good deal of misconception as to tho position of the railway works past Makatoku. I do not by any means wish to appear as the apologist for the Government in these matters. There seems to bo an impression that the Government could by pushing a liltle open the lino as far as Matamau, ancl that this could be done at once. The letter from the Under-Secretary to the Chamber of Commerce seems to indicate that the line could bo opened if it were not for the expense of station buildings at Matamau, Tho contract for formation, which has been for some time past in the hands of Mr Saunders, is not yet complete. The Engi-neer-in-Chief, in his annual report published with the Public Works Statement, says that it isintendodto let tho con-

tract for the permanent way from Makatoku to Tahoraite in one contract, and then to open the lino to Tahoraite. The decision of the department to lot the contract for tho whole of the permanent way at onco may be open to question. Probably, if a contract were let for the completion of tho line from Makatoku to Matamau this section might be opened within three months, but I think it is unreasonable to suppose that any part of the line can be opened till the permanent way is laid.—l am, &c., F. Sutton. September, 21st, 1883.