The Feilding Star. Publish Daily. TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1894. THE MANAWATU RAILWAY.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 320, 22 May 1894, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Publish Daily. TUESDAY, MAY 22, 1894. THE MAN A WAT U RAILWAY.

We hope the rumour is founded on fact that t lie Cabinet purpose seriously considering the recommendation of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce for the colony to acquire the WellingtonManawatu Company's railway line. The desirableness of this has long been patent to every resident on this coast, and in the Hawke's Bay province. It would mean to the settlers on the line between Longburn and New Plymouth a saving of not less than ten thousand pounds a year, while the whole colony would benefit proportionately by getting possession of the best paying line on the whole system of the railways in New Zealand. This is an indisputable opinion, because the whole of the North Island even now acts as a feeder for it, and when the Central Line is completed through to Auckland the pre sent traffic will be more than quadrupled in a year, at the very lowest estimate, while the working expenses will probably not be increased by ten or twenty per cent, at the utmost. The whole of the present staff of the Company could be absorbed into the service of the Colony, with advantage to the latter. The question of raising the necessary money is not very difficult of solution. If the Cabinet decide to purchase the line a loan will be necessary, no doubt, and we may accept it as almost inevitable that after the coming session Ministers will put one on the London market. The purchase ot the Company's line will afford an excellent excuse for Ministers to put behind them that unfortunate electioneering cry, " non-borrowing," which they have been able to apply to the letter — but not to the spirit. That, however, has nothing— or very little — to do with the main question of the colony purchasing the Manawatu line, and thereby performing an act of justice to the settlers on this coast.