Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1902. Railway to Wellington.

Manawatu Herald, 6 May 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1902. Railway to Wellington.

Owing to the hesitancy shown by the Manawatu Railway to accept the offer made by the Government for the purchase of the line has led both the Government and the travelling public to consider other modes of reaching Wellington. Business is business whether conducted by private persons or by Government and it is unlikely that a private concern is to be benefited at the expense of the public. The questions the Manawatu shareholders bad to determine was whether the price offered by the Government was sufficient to pay them, and if they did not see fit to accept those terms would the private line pay if not fed by the Government lines. As the traffic is expected to progress by leaps and bounds, more especially when the Main Trunk Line is finished, we hold the Government were right in their endeavour to secure the line at its present value, but apparently the shareholders thought they ware entitled to more than that. The company has been prosperous owing to the weakness of the Government of the day fearing to make the line, and to relieve themselves of that anxiety they gave the company £60,000 worth of work ■lone on the line and a very large landed endowment. The value of the land given by the then Government has been shown by the fact that the lino has been made almost wholly on borrowed money for which the land went security. The Government have seized this view pretty accurately and are therefore prepared to purchase at a price less than that the company hoped to get. The shareholders w mid lose nothing by the offer, and the directors were prepared to make a little for themselves could they be assured of the company accepting the proposals, as they were willing, and were indeed recommended by the chairman, to purchase all the shares they could obtain at less than the sum they knew the Government would give. The shareholders are therefore better in trusting the Government than their own officials. However at present all negotiations are at an end. It is natural and, for the benefit of the colony, only right, that the Government should suppose that further dealings with the company are hopeless and that their delay is simply to try and raise the value of their property as being the most direct railway route to Wellington. Whether this is so or not remains a doubt and the company, by their dallying has been of much value to the colony. The Manawatu railway is not the direct route to Auckland, any glance at the railway map of New Zealand shows this. The main features of the country have not been altered since the idea of running a railway straight through the colony was first suggested. The works which the Government gave the company was the first start of a railway from Wellington to Foxton via Bulls to Greatford, and a look at the map will show that this route would bring the railway from Ohingaiti to Levin in a straight line. So assured where the residents in the Manawatu County of the value of the route that twenty years ago they borrowed money and made a light railway from Foxton (or Himatangi) to Sandon, which has now been completed to the Eangitikei river, and as soon as the bridge is finished on to Bulls. There will thus be a gap of only four miles, over level country between Bulls and Greatford. The other between' Foxton and Levin

needs making, some miles, and is through level and very easy country, What th» actual powers regarding railway running are in this country we are not quite clear, but wa know that in the old country there would be but little trcMble to take running rights on an opposition line, instances of which are many. Should the same law hold good here it would appear that by improving the Carnarvon and Sanson Tramway and making a line from Foston to Levin, the Government with running powers over the company’s line would have a direct and easy route as far as Waikanae, and- it would be a question as to further deviation from that point. As far as the Tramway is concerned wo feel sure the Government would be met in a most liberal manner on their giving the settlers the same conveniences they at present enjey. The advantages of this route is plain to everyone who knows the country. From Marton Junction to Foxton is practically level and open country and makes the distance to Levin less by eleven miles than the route from Marton via Halcombe, Palmerston and Levin. Between Marton and Palmerston frequent complaints have been made by those working the line (they were all made public during the discussion of shortening the time in running the trains from Wellington to New Plymouth), who complained of the numerous curves and the steep gradients. Any time-table shows the gradients, which, on that portion of the line referred, to gives a rise from Palmerston to Halcombe of 283 reet, and from the Junction to Halcombe of 45 feet. A lot of unnecessary rising and falling for the through traffic, would thus be saved, meaning a lessening of cost and an increase of speed. There would also be another gain by reaching Levin, the Kereru hill, some 94 feet rise, on the Company’s line would also be saved. The time is undoubtedly coming when the present West Coast line will require doubling. To do so on the present curves and gradients, so objected to, appears foolish, and the question whether a new line free from these inconveniences should not be made in preference, is a political matter, apart from the local wishes of residents, and becomes one of very much importance and worthy of the most serious consideration.