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Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 25, 1 February 1879, Page 2

MIRARTLS DIdTU ! The Rangitikei Advocate has afc last delai-ed itself upon the E rilway question, but it doe 3so m such a lame and half-hearted manner, that it is easy t> see it has been supoenaed to give evidence Very much against its will. Ono cannot serve two masters, more particularly when their interests arc of a conflicfciiig nature, and although we give our contemporary credit for holding a noutral position for ho long, .we cannot congratulate it upon the value of its support now that it has made up its mind. Hitherto it ha 3 been sitting upon a rail, but although it has lost its equilibrium, it has not g-ma clean over to the other side. It has been ruuntng with the hare, and hunting with tlio hounds, but brought fco bay it declares itself as follows : — " It is rumored that certain representations, which are being made afc head-quarters anent the relative superiority of the Palmer, ton over the Foxton route for the projected inland railway line, are of a character th.it can scarcely be considered legitimate. Looking at the matter from a' broad point of view, it would appear that the. township i on the route of the preierit' existing railway would be actuated by feelings stronger than .mere ordinary . local jealously were they to. offer any' 'objection which would place obstructions m the way of-other places, less-favour-ably situated, being connected with the iron road. Other circumstances being equal, unquestionably the inland route should place the country which.it traverses m direct communication with a port. If the terminus is Foxton, which it appears by disinterested, authorities it sftould be, _• the, country between Paikakariki and Manawatu, and between Rangitikei and Manawatu, will be connected by rail with a port. But if Palmerston is the terminus, the port will be separated from all those' districts by an additional and entirely vmneoessary extra distance of twenty-four miles. Howthe proposed arrangement; can injuriously affect ■the' townships on the present main route, which now enjoy railway commuication, it puzzles me to understand. But there are wheels within .wheels, and we confess we are not behind the scenes, so cannot tell by whom the wires are being pulled, nor what secret; influences are at work. Nor, indeed, do we wish fco know. We would prefer fco think that -that the actions of each party m the matfcor are controlled by honest, upright, straightforward motives, and that no unworthy or discreditable influence? will be brought to bear. Lot the case bo decided on its honest merits, and tho bona Jide cl aima of each portion of the country considered by the' light of their respective special feature.?, position, and surroundings. Then, none need feel ashamed of the part tbey are taking, or may hereafter take, iti the present agitation." We liave givon fche article m its entirety, for two reasons : First, so that onr contemporary could not say we had unfairly dealt with it; and next, m order to show to what extent it is prepared fco commit itself. With regard to tbe first sentence, we can inform fche Advocate that rumor m this instance has proved hoivelf fco be a lying hog j that there is not a pari tkU of Mt itl ft? -fltfatobt > and wht^ i* '

more, tlut one of the greate it champions cjfc tho rival route, Mr. Goweb, haa repeatedlya borne testimony to the open, hpnorablet manrier 'with, which the Palmerston men have fought the battle. Passing on to the second sentence we confess it is too deep for our comprehension, as we are unable to determine whether, according to fche Advocate, " mere local jealousy " waa admissible or reprehensible. The third sentence, however, is a gem m ita way,, placing the whole matter m a nutshell, when- it asserts that " other circumstances being equal," &c. &c. Had the Adveate been published on Stewart's Island, instead of its modest claim to be the representative journal of the West Coast, we might understand its assumed innocence as evidenced by the " other circumstances being equal," or tho hotch-potch of suppositions which follow. It Lays great stress, upon the necessity of Rangitikei and Sandon being connected with a port, but it fails to realise the fact that by tue proposed District Railway to Carnarvon that would be accomplished. In order to solve the enigma which ,has been such a puzzle to it, we may stats that " the pi-oposed arrangement would injuriously affect the township on the present main route, inasmuch as it would for ever shut up hundreds of thousands of acres of fertile land, which .-svould supply homes for thousands of settlers. In connection with this matter, we might refer the Advocate to an item of intelligence m our news columns, which states that a large quantity of land has been ordered to be surveyed by the Government m the vicinity of Fitzherberfc, and that with the railroad it. would be worth some £4 per acre, while now, being totally roadless and practically worthless, could nofc.be sold" for five shillings. There i 3 an old saying, "Between two stools one may come to ground," and the Advocate, m its desire to please Sandon without offending Feilding, is likely to come to signal grief ; for while it has " damned the one with faint praise," it has opened the eyes of the other. to the "pocket policy" by which it i 3 aetuate-J. Well, Foilding or Palmerston need not regret the loaa pf such, an advocate, and all the ill we wish our Sandon friends i 3 that it had a champion whose heart was m the work. One volunteer is equal to three pressed men, and the duty being compulsory one, must needs be performed m a perfunctory manner.