Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, AUG. 6, 1895. Still Pegging Away.

Manawatu Herald, 6 August 1895, Page 2

Manawatu Herald TUESDAY, AUG. 6, 1895. Still Pegging Away.

Of what good stuff our settlers are made of is shown in their persistence in pegging away, through good reports and bad reports to get that which they have set their hearts upon. "Faint heart ne'er won fair lady " is an adage well laid to mind and acted upon. The connection of Greatford and Bulls with the railway from Wellington is no sudden thought as a means to secure present expenditure, but on the contrary the; scheme has been advocated for the last twenty years. That the object has not been accomplished may not be a credit to the movers is an open question, but when all the circums stances of the opposing influences brought to bear on the proposal are remembered we are unable to lay any blame upon them. The simple tacts are these : When the Sandon and Gardistricts were settled, and large prices were obtainable for agricultural produce, it was found that owing to the want of means of communication with fche local port the efforts of the farmtri w«re seriously handicapped, Juifc

about this period the Government of the day had opened up the bush district of Palmerston with the p"drfc of Foxton by a wooden tramway, and the Sartdoti settlers naturally believed they were entitled to some similar assistance. " Kissing goes by favour (> in years past as at present, and the Sandon people found no favour. Instead of simply bewailing their lot they met together, and* with the Foxton settlers proposed to make a district railway* the question of rating caused much diversion of opinion and delay, and when the application was made to the County Council, it was discovered, by an opponent, that the plans &c. had been deposited too latei Thus the efforts of the promoters were thrown back, but the exposure of these proceedings are useful at the present iuncture as a proof that at that time, so many years back, the settlers had shown their desire for this communication in the practical manner of putting their hands into their pockets to obtain it, as plans and other formalties cost money.

We have before us an interesting report of &■ meeting' held in Foxton on the 6th February, 1879, regarding the proposed Wellington railway. This was at the tittle when the Government contemplated making ib. The meeting was held to urge the Government to make the connection at Foxton, as Mr Sanson, the Chairman, said "it affected the present and future interests of a large district, . , , and because he felt in advocating their claims, he was depriving no one else ot their rights. The Upper District would have a line to Wellington, whether it went by Foxton or not, but if it went to Palmerston, a large portion of the County would be shut out. 1 * A state of affairs existing to this day. The proposed railway of the settlers was mentioned by Colonel Gorton who moved a resolution urging the connection at Foxton as it would " on the completion of the district railway between Carnarvon Junction and Grealford, make this line the real direct route to Wanganui and the districts north of it." He concluded his speech by saying " he considered they were, every one, bound to support the line to Foxton, and through Sandon to Greatford.' 1 It may here be recorded that on January the 2nd, 1879, the Government had written a letter stating that it was absolutely decided to make the connection at Foxton.

Mr Gower, who was then a resident in Carnarvon, also spoke at the meeting and supported the resolution. He remarked that "it had been said Foxton would be hurt by having three lines of railway, instead of one. Out upon such stuff 1 No instance was on record of that having been done, and he was willing to be ruined at once if three lines of railways would do it." Messrs Thynne, Davies, and Fagan of Bulls, also spoke in favour of the motion, and at the conclusion of the meeting £10 was subscribed to pay incidental expenses.

Matters were not successful at that time as the Government failed to make the railway and when the company took it over they naturally made the line to open up the land given them. The question as to the best route for the travelling public waa not considered in the face of the interests of the company. The case in all its features remains to-day as it was pointed out itt 18*79, the direct line to the north is given an awkward twist of twenty-two miles to suit the convenience of one public company, and settlers desiring to visit: Wellington from this coast are handicapped by the cost of this unnecessary travelling.

In the beginning of the year 1888 the Manawatu County Council undertook the construction of the line from Greatford to Levin, and Mr Rockstrow the then chairman let the first contract from Carnarvon junction to Campbelltown. After the contract was signed a change took place in the occupancy of the chair, and Mr Thynne succeeded Mr Rockstrow, and the former supervised, with Mr J. Wright Stewart the completion of the contract, owing to the contractors failing to carry out the work. It was found that ■ the line stopping at Campbelltown was very unsatisfactory and the County Council requested Mr Thynne to make financial arrangement* to carry the line on to Sandon, and this was accomplished and the line opened on the 17th November 1885. Mr Thynne as chairman of the County made a speech prior to the line being declared open by Mrs J. G. Wilson, in which he said "he looked upon the tramway as a link in the main line going north to Greatford, which latter affected the interests of all — both north and south, and remarked that the completion of the line so far was a monument of the unity and co operation of the people of the district." In replying to the toast of his health, at the banquet following the opening of the line Mr Thynne again emphasized the desire of the settlers by saying the tramway " was intended to form part of the line connecting Horowhenua with Greatford."

A meeting is to be held to-night to consider what further steps it is practical to take to confirm the statements so frequently made that a connection between Levin and Greatford by railway is desired by the

public. We hold an assiiran3e from the oldest established firm of Solicitors in Wellington that the capital needed to construct a railway between these two points is available directly it is known that the Government are prepared to place no obstacles in the way of its being made. We have thus arrived at another stage in the proceedings which are more promising than any hitherto, and yet there is the doubt as to the action of the Government 1 We have recapitulated the proceedings of the past to freshen the memories of all interested in this railway* as it so thoroughly endorses the steps which have been taken as being only the means to an end — the connection between Horowhenua and Greatford. Every settler of standing in the districts interested have given the matter their heartiest and strongest support} and the outlay by the ratepayers of the Manawatu County on the tramway was incurred simply on the same ground, a step in the right direction. Now that capital is available, and the line could be finished within a year, for any question as to its desirability being raised seems to us most monstrous, and if the meeting tonight can suggest how the Government can best be made acquainted With these views, it will be well to do so, and do so promptly. We venture to assert that every settler in the district would willingly sign a petition praying the Government to accede to the desire of the promoters, and we cannot see one reason why they should hesitate to do so.

On Sunday next at 8 and 11 a.m. there will be mass at St. Mary's Church; Foxton, and an evening service at 0.80.

Mr Gus Walsh returned to Poxton on Saturday, after a twelve month's prospecting in Golden Coolgardie and West Australia. We are glad to find his health has not suffered from the privations and experiences he has experienced.

On Sunday morning Mr and Mrs W. Stewart when driving in a sulky had the unfortunate experience of a capsize. The horse, a youngish one, exhibited a strong desire to make down a road to a paddock he knew, unlooked for by the driver, with the result of a too sharp turn which terminated in a turn-over. The occupants though thus rudely shot out were fortunately not seriously hurt) though the sulky will need some repairs.

Next Tuesday the members of All Saints' Church hold a tea and social meeting in the Public Hall.

Mr Mayo spent Thursday afternoon and all day Friday in visiting the orchards in this district.

The Bill which passed the Lower House for payment of Coroner's juries has been thrown out by the Legislative Council. One Liberal newspaper refers to the proposal to pay juries as " useless, almost reckless sxpenditure of public funds."

An expert on sheep diseases from Australia, now in Palmerston, strongly urged upon owners the desirability of cooking all meat given to their dogs, as dogs were a fertile host of several parasites that affect sheep.

It is probable that the Stock Act will be amended this session so that one month will be fixed for sheep dipping.

The Truck Act gives an immense power to dishonest persons, as was clearly shown in the case we published in our last issue. The danger run by employers thus cause 3 them to behave harder to their employees than they would desire <o do, and thus the employees must thank the Liberal Govern' ment for. any shortcomings in assistance they desire. The Ministerial Wellington organ is just waking up lo the state of things it was assured would come to pass when the Bill was introducid. It now thinks "if he pleads the Act to evade his just debts, contracted of his own free will, he ought to be made to suffer the penalty that usually attaches to getting goods by false pretences 1" Too late.

The courtesy of the Government Wellington organ is shown in the commencement of a paragraph in its supplement of Saturday :—" The Wellington ' Daily Sewer ' —I beg pardon, Evening Post." It is a pity but apparently it cannot be helped.

Last year 1,383,000 persons were relieved by the voluntary hospitals and medical charities in London.

At Benmore station in the South Island the frost was so intense that everything that held water was broken. Even iron buckets were burst asunder by the ice.

Mr E. Tregear correcting a mistake in a report writes to the Post — " It is almost needless to say that I did not (as reported) criticise the present Ministry. I did not allude to the Ministers in any way. I am not that particular kind of fool."

Return tickets on Government railways are to be issued after August sth, available from one to ten miles for a month and over, and 200 miles for two months. Fresh regulations are also gazetted for excursion tickets, freights on fruits, and vegetables, and other branches of traffic.

One of the sights ol Wellington, at any time is undoubtedly the magnificent establishment known as Te Aro House, and now that every department within its walla is filled to overflowing, with a bewildering variety ol the season's novelties in millinery, mantles, dresses, etc., it is more than ever a pleasure and profit to visit the whole* sale family drapery warehouse, Te Aro House.