The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1908. THAT DEVIATION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 432, 3 September 1908, Page 2

The Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 1908. THAT DEVIATION.

Under the above heading the Feilding Star discoursed on Monday : —Foxton and Marton are very actively raviving the old-time agitation for the deviation of the express railway route from Levin to Greatford, so that, primarily, Foxton may have direct communication with Wellington and Auckland. Consequently, Palmerston is becoming very, if not dreadfully, agitated. Both newspapers have taken up the subject, and for once are pulling together. Thus says the Standard on the matter : —One of the arguments used is that the line would shorten the through journey from Auckland to Wellington by 15 miles in distance, and by one hour in time. In reply, we say that the saving in distance would not warrant the expense of the undertaking, while in addition to] this, there is the unpleasant fact—for Levin and Foxton—that the Government would not be so foolish as to agree to a scheme which would take the Auckland - Wellington express trains through country miles distant from the thriving and progressive centres of Feilding and Palmerston, The thought of such an arrangement is too ludicrous to cotnem plate. It is quite possible that when the deputation waits upon the Government to urge the construction of the LevinGreatford railway, they will be sympathetically received—this is General Election year—but we have not the slightest doubt that

request will be duly filed with others that are held to be matters for consideration in the dim distant future.—When the Star tipped the coming of this agitation some mouths ago, at least one of the Palmerston papers scoffed the idea, and did its best to put stumblingblocks in the way of Feilding securing a place on the list of stopping-places for the Main-Trunk express trains. What Palmerston needs to do now is to take this Leviu-Foxton agitation seriously. It would be a terrible thing for the hub of the Manawatu if the deviation came off. Palmerston would be absolutely side-tracked. After all, the promoters of the agitation have already secured the sympathetic support of the Premier, and, with such political pressure as Levin and Foxton possess, it is hard to say what may happen in the near future, especially if Palmerston returns an Opposition member at the general elections.

The above comments are ot a purely parochial nature ; the opening up of rich agricultural and pastoral land, through which the line will sooner or later traverse, is also a secondary consideration. The cardinal point is the shortening of the distance between Wellington and Auckland, and reducing the run through by at least an hour or an hour and a quarter. Are the mails and passengers to be delayed for this time to suit the town pump whims of our big neighbour ? As is well-known to the Ministry and the majority ol members of the House, the looping up of the line is not fraught with engineering difficulties ; the cost is comparatively small, and the outlay would in a few years be more than recouped. The construction ot this line is recognised as of national importance, and the ridiculous protests and empty arguments from Palmerston are of little avail.