Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 11. 1899. A Railway to tho Sea.

Manawatu Herald, 11 April 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, APRIL 11. 1899. A Railway to tho Sea.

The excursions run by the railway, in conjunction with the river steamers, have not been the decided success that was anticipated by the proposers, but this has not been from any fault on the part of the railway authorities. The steamers now plying on the river are hardly large enough for the large passenger trade, and possibly, at the present moment the outlook hardly justifies the present owners from taking other steps. We have all along urged the placing of a good steamer on the river, but it seems evident that only a suitable boat can be obtained by having one built to order. The excursions have shown that many people are only too pleased to leave the inland country for a refreshing breeze from the ocean when opportunity ofters. What has worked against the success of the excursions has been the fact that the railway has no connection with them, and thus there are two distinct fares to pay, the rail and the steamer. A father of a large family finds this to be a tax, and therefore is unable to take frequent advantage of the trips. Of course this could be altered if there _-as a railway to the sea, and we do not see why there should not be one. The distance from Foxton to the ocean beach is a little over three miles, and taking the cost of construction of the Sandon Tramway as a guide, the permanent way should not cost more than £1000 per mile. If the Government could be induced to make this line they could do so at a much cheaper rate than any company as the lighter rails they are replacing by heavy rails on the main lines, would do well for the traffic on this branch. Need it be considered such an absurd idea as to suggest sucb a small outlay on tbe part q.

the Government which would be a boon to the great population residing inland ? The grade is a dead level, therefore haulage would be cheap, and the fact that travell.rs were placed right out of the train upon a beautiful beach would prove an enormous attraction. The line need not be used during the winter months. That the woiking expenses would be met by the traffic is not to be doubted, and therefore the doubt is minimised as to whether interest at £3 per cent, would also be earned on *be /3000 of cf>st. <">r £90 a year ! We cannot go into the whole "details at this time, but having been closely connected with the Sandon Tramway we feel sure our estimate is fair. If we ask nothing, we shall get nothing, and the reverse has been satisfactorily proved by the Wirokino Bridge success, and we think our public men should think over this suggestion and see whether the matter cannot be so presented to the Government as to secure their favourable consideration. It should be possible to have an estimate of the cost prepared by one of their engineers, as well as suggestions as to the working into it of their rejected rails, and then we should have only the interest on capital to fight about. This difficulty is so small that the landowners and the business people might arrange a five-year's subsidy, on the basis to pay any balance needed to make up the three per cent. — of course it must be a mean over the five years, as the first year a loss must be looked for. If this plan, which however at present we think is the best, is not to the general liking, there are other ways to attain the same end.