The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, DEC. 7, 1886. Feilding and Foxton

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 67, 7 December 1886, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, DEC. 7, 1886. Feilding and Foxton

Tiie complaints auont the new train arrangements are now assuming a definite form, instead of being mere generalisations. We have bad brought under our notice, very forcibly, the inconvenience of importers and loss to tho Government by the abandonment of a direct train, at least once a day, from the port of Foxton. Under the old system goods from Wellington via Foxton by steamer, reached Feilding A'ithin a reasonable calculable time ; but now, goods which otherwise would be sent by eea, are practically forced to be conveyed b^ rail, owing to the train service from Foxton making it impossible for sea-borne goods to be delivered at their destination within any known period. By its own act the Government has cut off 20 miles of railway line, i.e., from Foxton to Longburn, entirely for the benefit of of the private line. The rivalry which must always obtain between the Wellington - Manawatu Railway and steamers, has beon almost stifled by the Government Railway throwing the weight of its influence into the balance in favor of the private railway. We do not think the authorities were so blind or stupid as to knowingly attempt to close the port of Foxton to us ; but we do think the Directors of the Wellingtou-Manawatu Railway have exhibited business smartness a little beyond the bland simplicity (too put it mildly) of tho Minister for Public Works, and his henchman King Maxwell, and they have almost attained that end. We have long recognised the huge benefits of the line to Wellington, and have freely pointed them out in these columns, but we decline to recognise as an article of faith that profitable , business connections which have existed for the last ton or fifteen years, between the townships on the Foxton- ■ Wanganui Railway line are to bo severed and broken up entirely for the aggrandizemeut of a private company, or the convenience of people at the two terminal points of Taranaki and | Wellington. The Government Railway has everything to gain and no- : thing to lose by encouraging trade with the port of Foxton, for by so i doing the twenty miles from that port to Longburn can be made to pay. Under the present system of trains 1 that is impossible. At *he meeting to be held to-night we hope some coneideration will be given to this important matter, which concerns the ratepayers quite as deeply as the sub- ■ ject they are called together to discuss.