OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 39, 10 January 1879, Page 2

OUR WELLINGTON LETTER.

[from ©ub own coitoespondisnt.] IIAILWAY STATION BITR. Mr Macandrew has been duly deputatiouized on this matter, and one of tho deputation —Mi J. £. Nathan — rather ruffled Mr Jlaoundrew's feathers by his persistency. But the Minister for Public Works is fully equal to occasions of this kind, and the deputation only got tibout half what they wanted. Howeyer, we are to have a Passenger Station at any rate on the reolaimed land, and tho Railway Wha»-f is to be built, and twenty acres of land is to be reclaimed close to the present station for tho accommodation of goods traffic, and cor engine sheds, carriage sheds, &c. This goods station being so far away from the business oentre will, of course, be very inconvenient, and as Mr Nathan pointed out, it will mean half a crown a ton cartage on all goods sent by rail which do not come straight off the railway wharf, which is so much more out of tho country settlers' pooket9. And I . am seriously afraid that eveu the Passenger Station will bo wrotchedly cramped and inconvenient, owing to tho very limited area allowed for if. But acting on the principle that half a loaf is better than no bread, we aro gratified at the assurances we have obtained. WEIXtNOTOH-FOXTON RAILWAY. When the above-mentioned deputation was bofore Mr Mao-mdrew, he mentioned that the Thorndon reclamation he estimated would realise £500,000, and thig money lie intendod to devote to the much-needed West Coast Railway. This looks like business, and as the trial surveys at thin end are nearly completed, wo may hope to see a coramonoement made shortly. The route has not yet been finally decided npon, but a very good line, I hear, has been found by way of Johnsouville aud Porirua. If this line is adopted, it will greatly gratify the'

aettlers in that district, who otherwise would bo ontiroly isolated from our now channels of communication. NEW COUBT HOUSE SITE. Tho site originally ohoson for our new Resident Magistrate's, District;, and Supreme Courts was on a triangular block of the newly-reclaimed land, possessing > a frontage to three m tin atroets, but with its principal face to Lr.mbton Quay. But with a view of realising the atmost p<mny by the reclamation sale this has all been changed, and the Courls are now to be built in Featheraton street, and this fine, block of land figures on the plan as one of those to be sold. It reallyjdoes seem a great pity that substantial and handsome buildings as these ara to be should be placed in a second rate street, when land in the finest position in Wellington is available. UAUjWAY EXTENSION. Now that our lino has just tapped the Wairarapa Valioy, the authorities appear lo bo quite contented, and put forth vory little endeavor to extend it any further. It is tru3 that a contract for an additional twenty miles or thereabouts, taking tho line right up to Mustcrton, has been let, and let some time, but very little progress has been made ; and if prospects do not considerably improve, our young men will have grown old before they get the chance of a railway ride to llosterton.