The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1878.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 70, 12 June 1878, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 12, 1878.

Although we have no idea o£ the programme to be submitted at the meeting convened by his "Worship the Mayor for this evening, there are too many matters of vital importance affecting the interest of the Manawatu, which can be most materially ( benefitted by ventilation, for us to view the proposed meeting with other than extreme satisfaction. The time is most opportune, inasmuch as there are several, urgent wants, to meet which had the Government been asked to take steps, shelter could be sought behind the excuse that there were no funds for the outlay. Now, however, such an answer could not be returned, and with the successful floating of the loan, it becomes incumbent upon the district to follow up the promises made" by the present Ministry, and by continuous, persistent, but legitimate agitation compel their fulfilment. If proof were wanting of the power of agitation it would be found m the recent action with regard to the Feilding Court-house. Granted that the erection of such a miserable, sentry-box would, not only be the veriest farce, but a flagrant waste, of the publio money ; still, were it not for the ridicule cast upon it, and the pressure brought to bear upon the matter, as. sure as the day follows ; night, farce as it was, it would have been gone through. The first matter which should be brought before the meeting, and occupy its attention;, is the. proposed extension of the, Foxton Wharf, "We believe we are correct m stating that plans are at present m the Publio Works Ofßoe, Wellington, for the extension, and other necessary harbor works to

the extent of £15,000. In the face I of that fact, other plans are sub- [ mitted, and tenders called for a wharf for Foxton, which are about as adequate to meet the requirements of that port, as the Feilding Court-house was to answer the ends for which it was intended, It has never been for a moment sought to be denied that the outlay of large sums on the port of Foxtbn was a most necessary work; the only drawback to its execution being funds for the purpose. Now, as we have said before, that excuse no longer remains, andnot only the Foxton, but the Palmerston, the Feilding and the Halcombe people should all unite with one voice, and demand that the original and permanent plan should be forthwith put into the hands of tenderers, and the little one-horse affair proposed consigned to oblivion. The next matter to be dealt with should be the filfulment of the promise made by the Government with regard to the Taonui-Karere, and similar blocks. The subject is one fraught with such importance to the community at large, but more especially to new settlements, that it is somewhat strange the Government should seek by a kind of side-wind to ignore the very strong recommendation of the Waste Lands Board ; and one would be led to think that by not lending every possible aid to the scheme, it was their design to retard rather than promote legitimate settlement. By refusing to make the roads before offering then for sale, not only is discouragement offered to hona Jlde occupation, but the land deteriorates m value, and is bought up by grasping speculators who can afford to let it remain idle until the legitimate and struggling settler, after years of toil, and much expenditure enhanoes its value. A third matter whioh, no doubt, will be touohed upon, is the necessity for the immediate survey for the best route for the West Coast line. So much can be said, and no doubt will be said on the matter, that we will leave the merits or demerits of the respective routes to the speakers to expatiate upon, but as the immediate construction of the line, — no matter where the proposed junction may be — is of the greatest import to residents of all portions of the County, we sincerely hope that the men of Feilding and Foxton will muster strong at the meeting to swell the general chorus.