LEVIN-MARTON RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 462, 19 June 1909, Page 3

LEVIN-MARTON RAILWAY.

[To the Editor.] Sir, —Convincing evidence that Palmerston at last sees that the Xevin to Marton Railway must eventually come, is displayed in the extreme nervousness apparent in both Palmerston journals on this question. In your Palmerston morning contemporary of the 17th inst., under the very appropriate heading “Public Opinion,” I read such statements as follow: “There is little chance of this question being answered this session. . -. is well . . . ‘time is given’ to

Palmerston to consider the effect of this project (to Palmerston, of course, —not to the Dominion)Again I I presume business people see the effect such line will have on trade here (again Palmerston), and lose no time in taking such action as is deemed necessary “while the time is lelt to act.” Surely, sir, admissions of weakness- Under the same title “Public Opinion,” I read such logical statements as: That because some other places in some other part of the country have not got a railway this one is not needed. . . Ac-

live opposition should be shown to every step of the promoters who ‘want to side - track Palmerston.” . . “ Petition

should be circulated for signatures laying stress upon the fact that this deviation not pressing . .

and direct set back to “important Palmerston.” These logical arguments against thi§ line are backed up by the very next statements where we are kindly informed that such level-headed public men as Messrs Newman, Field and Guthrie “are all its avowed advocates.” I would strongly advise the Palmerston people on no account whatever to let this petition get any further away than within a radius of half a mile from “the Square.” And now, sir, the most noticeable thing in both ot your Palmerston contemporaries, is the extreme alarm displayed over their own member’s attitude in this question. They appear to be very nervous, but he cannot much longer hold out against the weighty evidence in support of this line. Your Palmerston evening coutem-, porary says: “The anonymous writer does not always receive attention”; but 'evidently the slightest idea that perhaps their member is beginning to see eye to eye with Messrs Newman, Field and Guthrie, and the whole travelling public, in regard to the matter is sufficiently alarming to prove an exception to the rule. They are beginning to see that what your Palmerston morning contemporary of this morning calls a “Freak Project,” has to be dealt with as a stern reality, and that the people of the Dominion do not consider it an “economical policy” to drag passengers and produce 20 or 30 miles out of their course, when on what should be the direct route between Auckland and Wellington. I would venture to point out sir, that “Palmerston opinion” and “public opinion” are two totally different things. I am, sir, etc., Himatangi. June 18th, 1909.