Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1884. The Main Trunk Railway

Feilding Star, Volume VI, Issue 3, 17 June 1884, Page 2

Feilding Star. TUESDAY, JUNE 17, 1884. The Main Trunk Railway

Some time ago it was stated in the columns of a contemporary that the Hon. Mr Mitchelson had prepared his report on the various routes suggested for the main trunk railway. It was generally believed that he would be discreet enough to wait until the exploration of the Oroua Valley route was completed before he made public his opinions, or indicated the line he. intended to support, and that our contemporary had been wrongly informed. As it now turns out, however, he was quite justified in his statement, for we now learn that Mr M-tchelson has made a report, in which he formulates a scheme by which he tries to please the advocates of both the coastal and central routes. He suggests that loop lines be constructed, joining at Stratford and near Marton respectively, connecting with the Auckland line at a point south of Te Awamutu. In trying to please both parties he has shown how utterly incapable he is of forming a firm and unbiased judgment on the relative merits of the two routes. We wish to comment strongly on the bad faith exhibited in arriving at a conclusion in favor of one or other of the lines before the report of Mr Rochfobt, on that of the Oroua Valley, could have reached him. In point of fact, he appears to have made up his mind on the question before Mr Rochfobt started on his exploration. The country will be well rid of such a Minister who is so lamentably ignorant of the obligations attendant upon the pledged word of a gentleman. Whoever has the honor to represent the Manawatu constituency during the next Parliament will have a duty to perform in enforcing the just claims of this district for consideration at the hands of the Government on this and many other points.