"Much Ado About Nothing"

Feilding Star, Volume V, Issue 36, 27 March 1884, Page 2

"Much Ado About Nothing"

A gbxat deal of fuss hat been made about an imaginary promise of the VI mister for Publ c W rks to put a sum on the Estimates of nrxt year for the construction of the G'-rg" Railway. In order to clear up the matter we publish the following :— .

"THK GORGE BAILWA.Y. : " Wellington, Jan. 25, 18S4. " Messrs Linton and Macabthur have interviewed the Premier ani the Minister for Public Works re the railway to Ashurst. Mr Blackbtt will be instructed to survey the line with a view to placing the necessary amount for its construction on the Estimates next session. The de putation was well received." On January the 27t1» instant, th<> Press Association sent the following, which appears to, have b^eeo c 'Hated from the V6»i '&* ■■;• .-.■. :>i.'»- 1i 4 : .^ ,, .?\ " A deputation repre^ening the Manawabi County Council waited on the Premier and the Minister for Public Works, to urge the necessity of placing a sum on the Estimates next session for a railway through the Manawatu Gorge, extending from Woodville to the Foxion Taratahi line. The deputation earnestly pressed upon the attention of the Government the desirableness of pushing on this important work as speedily as possible. Ministers received the proposal very favorably. The Minister for Public. Works expressed a strong conviction of the importance of the work, and fully recognised the neces sityoi the Gorge line as an essential link in the trunk railway system of the North Island . He intimated the opinion th at

I the railway ought, Jo , be constructed^ without delay, and promised that a rote for the .purpose ! should; be placed on the ' Public Works Estimate'" rirxt session and the TSn^tniewlin.Ch ief .should be' >^'me> diatejj>|nstr ( ucied:,.t;» '^utj!in , hand] theY iae>dful.isur»«?ysi: i&c, /forthMfithj^utTUe j "Premier concurred. The 'deputation'eish'ssed satisiaction withrtke Miaisterial assurances. .- „'.. ...,.„ ... i . r . The' .above, are verbatim .■ copies' of |he f telegramvas publijM in^Mana^ratu;

Times. At present the Gorge .Railway, as authorised by Parliament, i* the line between Bunnythorpe and Woodville, whirh is already surveyed, and though, if the line from Palmerston to Ashurst were made, it is most probable that the secHon between Buunythorpe and Ashurat would not be completed for some years to come, yet, as a matter of fact, the heading "Gorge Railway" to the telegram about the | Palmers ton- Ashurst line is a complete misnomer, and so far as it conveys tins idea lhat the Minister promised the construction of the line through the Gorge, is a gmss misrepresentation.. The whole of the second telegram is utterly incorrect and unauthorised by either of the members of the deputation. The deputation j only asked for the Palmerston-Ashurst line, and obtained a promise of the survey of it, and the favorable consideration of the Minister, who, of course, could not bind the Cabinet by any definite promise to put a sura on the estimates to construct thi? railway. Our readers will observe th.it in the first telegram it particularly stated that " M> Blackett ffould be in*trueteJ to survey the line with a view " only, showing that the p-omiss was n>t of the definite character afterwards represented. What was obtained by the deputation was the surrey ani the favorable consideration of Ministers to the construction of the P.ilmerston-Ashurst line. The District Engineer is now preparing an approximate estimate of its cost, a sufficient survey for this purpose having been made some years ago. The detailed working survey, which the Manawatu Times complains is not being made, is, as everyone knows, not necessary untl the Tote for tlie line is passed by Parliamont.