THE PREMIER AND RAILWAY GUARANTEES.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 455, 1 May 1909, Page 2

THE PREMIER AND RAILWAY GUARANTEES.

Thk Premier has enunciated a new principle, at least, so far as New Zealand is concerned, in railway construction. The time has evidently come when something more than mere political influence can secure the building of a new line. The commercial query is evidently going to be presented to every new demand for a railway, Will it pay? It is not too soon to bring this principle into practical operation, and we hope that it will be the Government’s determination to make no exception in relation to it, unless under the conditions laid down by Sir Joseph Ward in his reply to the deputation which waited on him the other day urging the completion of the Roxburg-Eawerence Railway, In the course of his reply on April 28th, to the deputation that urged the prosecution of the Roxburgh railway, the Prime Minister said ‘‘that the present Government were not going to be tied down by promises made by members of the present Ministry, or other Ministries, to carry out works which would injure the country. There was another misapprehension which he would clear at once. He had never stated it as a principle that all railways at the outset must pay 3 per cent., and he had never set that down as part of the policy for carrying on the railways of the country. On the contrary, he could put his finger on speech after speech of his opponents, in which he had been blamed for going to the other extreme, for he did believe that in a young country it was the duty of the Government to help those who were least able to help themselves. If the people here were sincere, let them join together and pay any deficiency on the rate of interest. That was a perfectly reasonable proposal. The Government had done it twice. They gave the Waikaka people money to carry on that railway, and they treated Waihi in a similar way. It was better to carry it out under the public works policy, and to borrow money at the lowest possible rate, and spend it on railways that were going to give a reasonable return. It they believed that they were going to get a revenue of ,£16,579 the Government advice was that it was about a fourteenth part of that—then let a proper system of legislation throw the responsibility upon the people concerned to make up the deficiency so far as interest was concerned. If they liked to carry it out at their own risk, the Government would give them the facilities for doing so. The Government, added the was ■TStiwayit the people of the district were prepared, to guarantee the difference between the interest on cost of construction and the revenue returns.” Now there is an old saying that “what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.” If the Roxburgh-Lawrence people can have a railway, (which the Government knows well will not pay interest on the money expended), constructed, on condition that they guarantee the interest on that money so expended, surely that piinoiple can be made of wider application than the particular case staled. In fact we see in this the solution of the difficulty in the way of the construction of the Levin-Marton railway. The district of Horowhenua, Manawatu and Rangitikei are languishing for want 0! railway connection. Immense inconvenience is being experienced among the settlers in these districts in the marketing of their produce, while the travelling public are put to unnecessary loss in time and money in the circuitous journey that has to be made between Martbn and Levin, and the railway department itself to unnecessary wear and tear in permanent way and rolling stock. The route of the proposed railway is more closely settled, and wealth producing than any other similar district, in either the South or North Islands. In the face of the Premier’s statement that “ If theyliked to carry it out at their own risk the Government would give them the facilities for doing so ” there should no longer be any serious difficulty to the construction of the Levin-Marton line. We hope to see the promoters of the proposed line taking the matter in hand in the light of the new proposal, and get every one of the local bodies interested in the proposed construction to guarantee the interest on the cost of construction if the line proves itself unable to earn sufficient to do so. All who have studied the matter and recognise the importance of this line, and the excellent results that would immediately follow its construction, can readily recognise , that the responsibility would not be a serious one. We recommend the foregoing to our worthy member, Mr Newman.

When the Wellington Trades and Labour Council were discussing the question of organising labour in the country districts on Thursday evening, Mr McLaren, M.P., said that he had arranged to go to Foxton to organise the wharf labourers there.

The prospects for the proposed Farmers’ freezing works has been prepared, and now awaits the signatures of the directors before being printed. When printed, it will be circulated and the canvass in connection with the flotation of the compauy will be taken in hand in earnest.

When such reform is urgently ueeded in our dealings with drunkards, the greatest need is to stop the manufacture of them. And an ever-increasing portion of the inhabitants of our country are becoming convicted that the Nolicense system is the best means available of attaining this end. — Clutha Leader.

It will be quite nine mouths before the Manawatu Line can be properly equipped ■to cope with the heavy traffic which will follow the contemplated diversion of traffic from the Wairarapa line north of Masterton. The appliances, rolling stock, station organisation, and siding lines have to be thoroughly revised and very much extended.

Mr Geo. Fowler of the Red Bird Depot, has landed a varied assortment of gramaphone records by Melba, Caruso, Telrazini, and all the best singers and instrumentalists in the world, including Kubilik the world’s greatest violinist. Mr Fowler handles the machines under exclusive agency, you can hear them nowhere else in Foxton. Until you hear these machines yon do not know what a talking machine really is, they are absolutely perfect.* The other night a young lady of Roxburgh was awakened by something running over her. bed, and a sharp palu in her face. Upon getting up she found a weasel had climbed up the wall of the house and entered at the window, the bottom sash of which had been left open. Blood streamed from the young lady’s face, and it w&s discovered that the weasel had made two bites. Steps were at once taken to prevent any evil results, and the wounds have now healed up, though the marks are still plainlv to be seen.

At Thursday night’s meeting of the Wellington Trades and Labour Council, a telegram was received from the secretary of the Manawatu Flaxmills Employees’ Union advising that the local Labour Inspector had stated that he had received no instructions from the head office in regard to the alleged lock-out. The union, therefore, requested the council to stir up the Labour Department, The matter was referred to a committee.

The unknown man who is content to sit in his shop waiting for customers belongs to the class referred to by Mark Twain on one occasion. A correspondent had written stating that he had found a spider crawling across the pages of his newspaper, and he wished to know whether it was an omen of good or bad luck, Mark Twain’s reply was characteristic of the great humourist. He stated that the spider’s presence on the paper was ueither good luck nor bad luck. It was merely scanning the columns of the paper to find out the business njail,-W-IIU ~W3S ■advertislng, so that it could weave a web over his door and live undisturbed afterwards.

Writes a Wellington correspondent to a contemporary: —" I had a glimpse of tragedy this morning. A child, apparently about four years old, was being conveyed in a tramcar by a kindly constable in plain clothes, to some approved shelter. It had been rescued from the charge of some person who had undertaken to ‘ care ’ for it, and this individual had chained it up under the house by a dogchain, and otherwise ill-treated it. The poor little mite could not stand, and looked emaciated aud apathetic. It was a poor waif without name or known parentage. Probably more will be heard of the case shortly.” That the knowledge of how to use one’s fists for the purpose of defence aud not aggression is a very useful asset was exemplified on board a ferry steamer on the way from Auckland to Northcote. A Maori passenger was inoffensively taking a trip across the harbour when a tall, athletic man endeavoured to strike up a conversation in the Maori language. The native jocularly informed his interviewer that he could not talk Maori, and that he was only " making a fool of it,” Upon this the tall fellow became abusive, aud eventually assaulted the Maori. As it was a very one-sided contest, owing to the long reach of the taller man and his persistency in continuing the attack, several passengers vainly tried to interfere. Seeing their fruitless endeavours, a young man of light build aud short stature stepped into the breach, and notwithstanding the odds against him on these points, was so well posted in the art of using his fists that he settled the big fellow in a couple of seconds, much to the delight of the deck passengers, who were afraid of some serious injury resulting from the attack on the native. It’s most consoling, when you’re ill, To think about the doctor's bill,' Aud add unto the time you’re lost, The money his attendance cost; Aud realise ’tvras lack of sense That caused yon all the great expense, Because when first your chest got wheezy. Woods’ Peppermint Cure would hifve made things easy. 2.

‘ ‘ The whole Arbitration system is highly arbitrary.”—Mr Justice Sim at the Arbitration Court. The vital statistics for Foxton for the mouth ot April were: — Births, 8 ; marriages, 2 ; deaths, 2.

More music for the citizens of Foxton. We observed four donkeys grazing on a vacant section in Main Street this morning.

At the Presbyterian Church tomorrow the services will be conducted in the morning by the Rev Mr Aitken, and in the evening by Mr Hornblow. In the evening the subject of address will be ‘‘Formalism in Religion.” The directors of the Kaitawa butter factory have decided to go in for cheese making in the future, and the necessary plant is to be installed as soon as operations for the present season cease. It is stated that the black swans introduced in the Chatham Islands about fifteen years ago are now present in countless numbers. A report says that last year 20,000 swans’ eggs were expo: ted from the Chathauis to New Zealand,

It is staled that Mr Goldfinch, who was appointed caretaker of the bird sanctuary at Resolution Island last year, has been recalled, and that no successor will be appointed. ■ It is believed th.it this is part of the scheme of n Ueucbiuent in connection with the Tourist Department.

By insert with this issue Messrs C. M. Russ and Co., of The Bon Marche, Palmerston North, announce a great sale of ladies jackets and paletots, affording an exceptional opportunity for buyers, which they are not likely to miss. Full particulars will be found in the inset.

The duck shooting season opened this morning. Sportsmen have arrived from other districts and have taken up their quarters in favourable localities. The majority of property owners where ducks abound are not prosecuting trespassers, so that good sport should be obtained.

Mr F. Louden, of Wellington, a former resident of Foxton, will conduct the services to-morrow, in the Methodist Church. Sankey hymns will be used at evening service. Himitangi Sunday School Anniversary, the service at 7 p,m. will be taken by Rev P. J, Mairs, there will be special singing by the children. Social on Monday evening, recitations and singing during the evening.* It is a curious fact that perfect health is not consistent with high muscular development. Professional athletes and all men who acquire phenomenal strength seem to lose in length of life and activity what they 'gain for a few years of record-breaking powers. Take, for instance, Louis Cyr, the Canadian giant, who broke all weightlifting records. He weighed 3201 b, and was all solid bone and muscle. He could hold his wife out at arm’s length with one hand, and raise a 3001 b barrel from thfe floor to his shoulder, using only one hand and arm. Yet this remarkable man was muscle-bound and crippled at 37, when he should have been at the height of his wonderful powers. Kennedy, who won a diamond belt for lifting with his hands from the floor, absolutely without apparatus, a rooolb weight, was used up and crippled before he was 40.