A REMINDER.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 82, 13 June 1879, Page 2

A REMINDER.

The months are creeping slowly by, and still there is no sign of the fulfilment of Mr Macandrew's promise regarding the deviation of the railway line at Foxton. It would perhaps be too much to expect that every promise made by a Minister when roaming the country would be fulfilled, but the particular matter we are now referring to, was brought so prominently under Mr Macandrew's notice, and he professed himself to be so heartily in favor of it, that the long delay which has taken place is very surprising. It is generally understood that the plans for the work are already prepared, and we believe the money is also in hand, as £15,000 was last year voted for expenditure upon the Fatea-Mana-watu line. The reason for the delay in calling for tenders for the work, it is therefore difficult to understand, unless it is that the 0 )lonial Treasurer has put his " brake" upon the chariot wheels of the Public Works Department, with a view to holding in hand as large a credit balance as possible against the meeting of Parliament Whatever maybe- the reason, we would press upon the authorities the importance of pushing on with the work, which will certainly when finished, enable the business to be executed with much greater expedi tion and economy, than, at present, and will besides prove a great boon to the public. And whilst we are writing on this subject, we may enquire when the new scale of wharf charges is likely to come into operation upon the Fox^ ton wharf. This matter has been talked about for nearly a year, but no result can so far be seen. The Minister of Public Works, the Commissioner of Railways for the North Island, and the General Manager of the Wanganui-Foxton line, have all expressed themselves in favour of a revision of the charges, and a reclassification of the scale, but no result is visible. We trust the Local Board and the Harbour Board will not be at all timid in pressing the matters referred to upon the notice of Mr Macandrew. Every effort should be made to get these promises fulfilled before Parliament meets. Eumour says that at the very outset of the session the Opposition will endeavour to bring on a crisis, and in the present state of parties, anew Ministry is quite within the range of possibility. Should such an event occur before steps are taken to fulfil Ministerial promises, we may look upoa their realization as indefinitely postponed.