Hawke's Bay Times. THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1868. WELLINGTON AND WAIRARAPA TRAMWAY.

Hawke's Bay Times, Volume XIII, Issue 545, 23 January 1868, Page 2

Hawke's Bay Times.

THURSDAY, JANUARY 23, 1868. WELLINGTON AND WAIRARAPA TRAMWAY.

“ Xidlius adJhius jurare in verba magisiri."

A project for the construction of a railway from Wellington to the Wairarapa—as part of a grand trunk line through the Northern Island—has received a considerable degree of attention of late. Public meetings have been held on the subject, and a provisional committee appointed for the purpose of forming a company for laying down a tramway from Wellington to Masterton, with a capital of £IBO,OOO, in 12,000 shares, with power to increase the number of shares to 24,000; and at a public meeting held at Wellington on the 6th instant, the engineers presented their report to the public. The report, which occupies several columns of the Independent, after showing the advantages calculated to flow from the carrying out of the scheme, detailed what had been already done in that direction by the Wellington Provincial Council since the question was first mooted in 1863, when a select committee was appointed on the motion of Mr Piofcert Stokes, which reported as follows :

Your committee, having carefully considered the question of a railway from the city of Wellington to the north-eastern boundary of the province as contained in the memorandum submitted to the Council by Wr Stokes, are of opinion that the construction of such a work would tend very greatly to increase (he profitable occupation of the inland districts by an agricultural population, and to promote in the highest degree the prospects of the province, and that such a work would probably be undertaken by a company if liberal concessions were oliered by the prcnincc. Y itn this view your committee recommend that toe following concessions be granted to a committee to be formed for this object ; Ist, A guarantee not exceeding six per cent, per annum on the capital expended on the undertaking to the extent of £500,000. 2nd. lhat the laud required for the formation of a hue of railway to the width of one chain, and the land requisite for the neecssary stations _ be provided by the Government free of cost. Your committee recommend that his Honor the Superintendent he authorised to take such preliminary steps in furtherance of the recommendation as may appear under the circumstances to be pracI ticable. (Signed) Robert Stokes, Chairman. The suggestions of that committee it seems was not acted on owing partly to the disturbed state of the Northern Island, which prevented the formation oi a company, auu mSv the unwillingness of the Wellington Provincial Government to commit itself to any concessions until it had acquired the lands through which the railroad would pass, though it was exceedingly anxious to see the work performed. In 1864 Mr Morrison made a mej oiOictudum of tbs probable cost of a

railway from Wellington through the Wairarapa to the boundary of Hawke’s Bay—distance, about 150 miles, — being, except for about 9 miles, through a comparatively level country • probable cost, £ 500,000. In 1865 Mr D. A. M‘Leod likewise made a memorandum, but the estimated cost seems to have been so high as

to nave stayed proceedings xor a time. In 1866 Mr R. Marchant gave evidence before a select committee of the Wellington Provincial Council, which caused such committee to recommend to the Government that the said railway should be formed without unnecessary delay as far as the Wairapa,—the Government to give a guarantee at the rate of 7 per cent, on any outlay not exceeding £150,000 ; and accordingly during that session an Act was passed embracing the recommendation of the committee.

As we have intimated the line proposed is but the commencement of a great northern line from Wellington through Hawke’s Bay to Auckland, embracing also a branch line to Wanganui by the Manawatu block, and in connection with this larger scheme the following communication from our Superintendent will be read with interest : Napier, Bth November, 1867. My Dear Sir, —I have received your letter of the 29th ult., with the tracing of a proposed line of tramway from Wellington to Wairarapa, for which I am exceedingly obliged. There is no doubt that the extension of the line to Napier would be of great service to the province, as every means of opening up a new country must be of immense advantage. There is no portion of this Island that could be opened by a tramway or otherwise, with less labor and expense, than this province, owing chiefly to the large extent of level and open country ; but I must admit that I do not consider the present an auspicious time to undertake such an outlay. I should like much to see the line of communication between Auckland and Wellington open, and this must necessarily be via the East Coast and Tanpo, in. consequence of the slopes of the mountain ranges towards the West Coast being so intersected by deep wooded ravines and impassable creeks ; while on the East Coast the land is much more level, and no engineering difficulties of a costly nature would be found to impede the progress of a good line to unite the north and south of the island.

I have long been of opinion that road making in a new country shonld be carried over the most natural and accessible gradients, notwithstanding the distance might thereby be increased, leaving posterity hereafter to shorten the distance by more expensive and direct lines.

I am confident that immense saving would have been gained to the colony if a few practical suggestions of this kind had been considered in the i formation of roads in the early settlement of the colony. Unfortunately, in many parts of New Zealand the principal object of the engineer seemed to be how he could save distance, by going over, in some instances, the most inaccessible lines, causing large outlays without a corresponding bei nefit. lam glad to see that the "Wellington press report favorably on your proposals. I remain, my dear sir. Yours very truly, (Signed) Donald M'Lean, C. O’Neil, Esq., M.H.R., Civil Engineer, Wellington.

While we quite agree with his Honor that the present is an inauspicious time for undertaking so great an outlay, we can but express our pleasure to find that there are people in Wei iington of enterprise and spirit suffi cient to undertake that part of the work, which more immediately concerns their own Province ; and we feel that the construction of the line to Alasterton—6o miles of the distance towards this Province—would cause a speedy continuation of it to be effected, so as to give us a share in its advantages, while that would be a step further in the carrying out of the original scheme of a great northern trunk railway, which we are sanguine enough to believe we may have the good fortune to see completed during the next seven years.

CONGREGATIONAL TEA-MEETING On Tuesday evening, 21st January, at halfpast six o’clock, a tea-meeting of the congregation of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church was held in the school-room, which was-ra-ther thinly attended, in consequence, no doubt, of the unfavorable state of the weather, An excellent tea was provided in the school-room, at the conclusion of which the party adjourned to the church, his Honor the Superintendent taking the chair. The Chaieiian briefly explained the object of the meeting—which was intended to be an annual one—to full acquaint the congregation with their position, financially or otherwise. It was three years since such a meeting had been held, but he hoped that in future they would be held at shorter intervals.

The choir sang “ St. George’s, Edinburgh.” Mr Stabxes then read the report of the Managers, and Mr Lawson read the Treasurer’s report, which stated that the present debt of the church was £275, and suggested several means to raise funds to clear it off, such as collecting from the pews instead of the plates at the church door. The Sev, Mr. Moeice said he did not believe that at any time St. Paul’s church had a more energetic and efficient court of managers than at present. He then referred to the debt, and said that he highly approved of the plan of sending the plate round the church, as he knew of cases where the system had been attended with very pleasing results. He found that in the English church, where this plan was followed, the average weekly receipts were £4, just double those at this church. A still more striking instance of the value of this plan was shown at Wanganui, where there is a flourishing Presbyterian congregation. The money was originally collected at the door, and 15s was then considered a good collection. The plan of taking round the plate was then adopted, and the receipts at once rose to between £8 and £9, and had continued at that rate. It would be seen from the estimate of receipts which had been read that the seat-rents had been reduced, being estimated at £l. This was now the price of the greater number, the committee considering that it was a bad system to raise funds by high seat-rents, for two reasons—that it deterred many from taking sittings who otherwise would do so, and that it was an unfair tax, falling equally on rich and poor. The other plan which had been suggested was that of a committee of lailies to \isit in districts, making collections. This plan also had its advantages, as it brought the congregation closer together, and more into communiea-j tion. The Treasurer had suggested that! £IOO might be collected in this manner, and £75 from the wealthier members of the*congregation in large contributions,l such as £8 or £lO, reducing the debt to | £IOO. Judging from the liberality of the congregation he did not think this idea was an extravagant one, and ho felt confident j that the deficiency had only to be mails I known to be remedied. He might say that this large debt, which appeared so formidable, was not incurred in building or enlarging the church, —these expenses being defrayed by large subscriptions at the time. It had been contracted simply by falling a little in arrear year by year. He hoped that at future meetings this question of debt would not arise, but that the congregation would be enabled to give their attention to subjects of a higher and more important character.

Mr Wood said that this meeting was a striking contrast to one which he remembered being held just ten years ago, in January, 185 S, in Muiin’ 9 hotel, to see if something could not be done to establish a church, at which Mr Alexander occupied the chair, aud a sum of £SG was collected. He then gave an interesting history of the iPresbyterian Church in Napier from that date, speaking highly of the exertions of the Key. David Bruce and the Rev. Peter Barclay. He then spoke of the reports which had been read, saying that he considered them highly satisfactory documents, and giving a very clear idea of the state of the church. He approved of the idea of collecting from the pews. He moved that the reports be adopted. The motion was unanimously assented to. The choir then sang the anthsm, “ I was glad.” Mr S. T. G-eeexwxlx. then read the report of the Superintendent of the Presbyterian Sunday School, and Mr Mokice gave a few particulars relative to the Port Sunday School, held in the church at the Spit. The choir sang the 39th Scripture paraphrase. The Rev. Mr. Macmichael (hen ad dressed the meeting at considerable length. He said that it was a pity they could not get angels to do the work of the gospel, as while it was doue by men there would be always debt or difficulty of some kind. The great Whitfield had found that though the gospel was “ without money and without price,” yet pitchers were necessary to carry it in, and they had to be paid for. He believed the congregation might free itself by a good effort; let them give a long pull, a strong pull, and a pull alltogether, andaway would go tits debt. He then referred to a visit he had lately made to the southern parts of the colony, and the missions of the church, noticing that a gentleman had offered £IOO to the church to extend their operations among the Maoris. In connection with this offer he would refer to the natives of the Manawatu district in Wellington. A minister had spent 20 years among them, laboring well and zealously, instructing them in their religion, in their Bible, and their Shorter Catechism ; they were universally considered the best reli-giously-educated natives in Hew Zealand, and their good teacher hoped that some

lasting benefit had, under Divine Providence, been effected. But lie was disappointed. The war broke out, and bis 20 years’ instruction and counsel vanished—the Maoris discontinued attending Divine service, and relapsed into a state as bad as ever, when this minister was telling him of this—as he thought of his 20 years’ labor—his life’s work—thus being swept away in a moment, it was too much for him, and he could not speak. He (Mr M.) was glad that they were to get a Hymnal for the church, as there were many who would like hymns to whom the old metre psalms were not endeared by their associations, as they were to others. In such cast s as this they must bear and forbear. What was now wanted was a spirit of universal love, which would combine all Christians into one great body, without distinction of sect or belief. Unity of spirit did not enforce unity in external ceremonies, or in belief, but simply the one grand foundation of all Christianity—love of Christ. He was proud of the fact that the congregation of St. Paul’s had contributed more to the general objects of the church than any other in the colony. Ho had been told out of the Province that the people of Hawke’* Bay considered their Province the Colony, He had asked them to show him such another Superintendent as Mr M‘Lean, and they had been unable to do so; he had asked them to show him another caper like the Hawke’s Bay Herald, and they could not say anything.

The Ilev. Mr Mohice said that in his address there was one subject which he had forgotten, and the remarks of the last speaker about forbearance had reminded him. The voluntary played at the close of the service had for some time been discontinued, in consequence of its being distasteful to a portion of the congregation. This discontinuance had given another portion some pain, as they considered that it was a decorous and seemly way of ending the worship. He should like the question to be now put to the congregation. The Chairman put the question, and it was decided in favor of the voluntary by a large show of bands. Choir : “ Marvbank.”

Mr Stables was sorry that through the absence of some gentlemen who had been expected to address the meeting, ho was called upon to speak. He had a kind of dread of again speaking before such a meeting, from some strictures ho had heard on a few remarks of his, made on a similar occasion some months ago—that they were too|narrow-minded,too Scotch, andunsuited to the Colony. There was no more fervent admirer of uusectarianism than himself, and he was prepared to hold out the right hand of fellowship to any member of the Church of Christ, no matter what his denomination. There would always be diversity of opinion among churches, as there would be in congregatious, and he hoped there would always be a keen rivalry between the churches iu every good cause. He believed that this was the eleventh time (hat he had ibcen at such a meeting as the present, and' ho always took the greatest pleasure in such gatherings. He was deeply sensible of the honor they had done him by electing him to the responsible position of an elder. He was much pleased at the account given by Mr Wood of the first meeting held for' the establishment of a Presbyterian Church iu Hawke’s Bay j and remembered the circumstance distinctly, though not in th» district at the time. He considered that a deep debt of gratitude was owing to those who had borne the burden and the heat of the day ; but thought none more deserving of the gratitude of the congregation than the Eev. Peter Barclay, who, wherever ho was, was still working heartily for the good of the church in New Zealand. He (Mr S.) had been the second person to welcome him to the shores of New Zealand, and an indissoluble friendship then commenced between them. He thought the debt of the church was not very frightful, and might be easily wiped off by the congregation. It had been considered unlucky for a church to be out of debt, as if they had no debt to attend to they would quarrel amongst themselves; but he thought the congregation would clear off the debt and risk the quarrelling. Ho had not come prepared to speak, but addressed his few remarks to them in the way that Professor Wilson presented his daughter to Professor Aytoun, “ with the author’s compliments.” Mr Lawson proposed a vote of thanks to the ladies who had so kindly given their services to the tea meeting, to the choir, and to Mr Martin. Carried by acclamation. Mr Morice proposed a vote of thanks to the chairman, winch was carried.

Mr M'Leax returned thanks for the honor and the flattering manner in which he had been spoken of, and drew an ingenious comparison between the early settler* and the Pilgrim Fathers. 'lhe choir then sang the anthem, “Thine, O Lord,” Mr Macmichael pronounced the benediction, and the meeting separated shortly after 10 p.m. The reports, which were very interesting, wo will endeavour to publish in our next.