TME WI3LLINGTON-FOXTON RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 43, 23 January 1880, Page 2

THE WELLINGTON FOXTON RAILWAY.

(From the New Zealander, of Saturday.) Of the works enumerated the West Coast Railway is far and a«ray the most important. Commenced at this end some time ago, it has, so to sp6ak, hung fire, and the consummation of the great work of connecting Wellington with Wangauui and Tar«ttia,ki by rail is waiting upon the construction of the line henco to Foxton. The delay in the construction of this section is simply incomprehensible, for

there can be no question about die highly profitable character of the West Coast Railway when once it is s( connected whole. It must pay, anii we have no hesitation in predicting that, when in full work, it jvill compare most favorably in its returns with th:se of any other railway in the Colony. Regarded merely as a speculation to secure profit on outlay, it is one that the Government should push with due speed to completion; but when those important factors, the settlement and development of the country, are considered, interest becomes merged in duty, the pursuance of which should be a paramount object. The railway, as a whole, is well advanced, being completed from the north to Foxton south, but the im« portant, link thence to Wellington is missing. Hitherto the forging of this link has been made a sort ol" refuge for the destitute. Instead of doipg the work by contract, the Government have kept it to themselves for the benefit ot a certain number of the unemployed, and commenced at, this end it is dragging its slow length along towards Paikakariki. Now, we take no exception to the action of the Go. vernment in the interest of the unemployed, of whom, unfortunately, there are too many to provide for, but we do take exception to thg apathy that permits the stretch of magnificent agricultural country from Foxton north to Paikakariki south to remain virtually closed to settlement. It contains from 300,000 to- 500,000 acres of good land, in a great part of which the native title is extinct, and the whole will very soon be in the hands of the Government. No better field for settlement could be desired, and now that the eyes of the substantial yeomen of the Mother Country — men of means— are turned wistfully towards New Zealand, every effort should be made to display to the best advantage such wares as the stretch of country we are dealing with. This object would be materially approached if the construction of the railway south from Foxtou were commenced and gradually pushed on, not too hastily, or the acquisition of the balance of the land by the Government might be impeded, but with sufficient des* patch to bring portions of the land into the market within reasonable time. As construction progressed, the Hue could be opened in short sections and, resting on the handy little port of Fox ton as a base, there wqujd be a cheap and convenient way by water to the Wellington market until the better way by land .was opened right through. It certainly is x h|gh time that the unconstructed sectSHirof the West Coast Hue were taken in hand in right down earnest.