LEVIN-GREATFORD CONNECTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 895, 22 September 1910, Page 4

LEVIN-GREATFORD CONNECTION.

Writing to the Christchurch Press, Mr Jas. Grace, an erstwhile resident of Palmerston North, has the following to say regarding the proposed loop line between lyeviu and GrealfordWhen the Car-narvou-Sandon tramway first was conceived the idea was far-reach-ing and ambitious in its design. The Mauawatu County Council at that period was composed of men whose superiors for energy, ability, and thorough-going it would not be easy to hud. Their idea was to make a loop line connecting somewhere near Tevin with the Mauawatu railway, and join the Government service at Greatlord or Marton, so as to become the main line between Welling ton-Auckland and Wellington and Taranaki, thus throwing Palmerston, Feildiug and Halcombe on to a branch line. All the mails and fast trains would run, of course, with the more direct route to both Auckland and Taranaki. Palmerston North would then only have the Hawke's Bay district. The question of Foxton port was not under any serious consideration, the hope being that they would have the main line. Now the Government has purchased the Mauawatu railway, ot course, no Government would assist to make a competing line on purpose to injure Government railways. Perhaps some day, when the future develops, so that time is the main object, and money no object, when fast connections are wanted as in my loved fatherland, fast trains will run on a well-made line from Wellington via Teviu, Sandon and Greatford, Marton Junction to Auckland, but at present it would be suicidal for the Government to allow private enterprise to work against them in a district which, for the quality of its laud and its possibilities lor produce, has no superior in this colony. I believe most earnestly that where a district requires help to develop its resources, such help should be given or perfect freedom allowed to private enterprise. It this line is ever built, the Government must do it ; but I think that Palmerston North, the metropolis of the Mauawatu district, should make a tramline running both passenger cars and good? vans from Palmerston North to Rongotea, thence to Saudon, and on toAwaburi, where it would rejoin, going to Palmerston North again. Then there is a further inducement. A few miles from Rongotea there is a fine beach, where many people from the Manawatu and Rangitikei districts gather for sea benefits. I have seen really thousands of people on the beach. A tramline running there during the season must pay well, if run on sensible, terms, especially if some houses were erected. The port of Foxton is a convenience mainly to Palmerston North and Feilding, but large vessels will never go there. It will not become a Lyttelton, and with such traffic as it already obtains the Government railways gain considerably. I don’t think the Government will ever become an enemy to Foxton, and they never can bolster the port so as to injure their own railway. Speedy transit will ever be the ruling power to govern goods traffic between Palmerston North and Wellington.