The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1873.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 89, 14 April 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, APRIL 14, 1873.

The members of the deputation sent to Wellington by the Inland Communication Committee returned on Friday last and have brought with them news of a most cheering nature. Had they merely enlisted the sympathies of the Government in the work on which the people of Nelson have set tbeir hearts to such an extent as to render it secure from opposition at head quarters they would have done good service, but when, in addition to this, we find that they have obtained a promise from the Executive to render active assistance, we may indeed congratulate ourselves upon the success that has attended their recent visit to the seat of Government. One of the results of that visit has been tbat the scheme has assumed far larger and more important proportions than were originally contemplated by the Committee to whom it owes its birth. Their idea was merely to open up the country lying between here and Greymouth, and to connect Nelson with the West Coast, but it is now suggested by Mr Vogel, who has promised material aid towards carrying out his proposition, that the railway shall not be merely an isolated line between the capital of the province and its western extremities, but that it shall be extended to .the boundaries of tbe Canterbury province, thus ensuring to tbe town of Nelson the position which nature seems to have meant her to occupy of the northern terminus of the great trunk line which at no very distant date will run from one end of the island to the other. A prospect is thus opened up for our hitherto quiet little town, which, in the outset of the movement that has brought about the proposition how; before the.Committa . of eyenlbyHthqse ! who :were?mbst sanguihe; ofsuccefjs, ' It is^scaroe^neceßsary toen-; : .■^larjge 'CuppnYt^ ;-:. J- accrue^

such a scheme as that shadowed forth, by the Colonial Government, for they must be patent to all ; but we would once more remind those interested in the matter, and in that category may be included every*' resident in the eastern, middle, and western districts, of the province, that upon themselves depends the ultimate success of this undertaking. They must be prepared not only to say that they believe in it, but to give practical proof of their confidence; and the only way in which they can do this is by responding freely to the invitation that -will shortly be issued to them to take up shares in the Company that will now;, we presume, be found without delay. It will be of no use whatever to go to those outside our borders and ask them to invest their capital in such an undertaking if .we ourselves are shy of entering upon it. That we cannot in this province raise the necessary funds is quite clear, but if we subscribe to the fullest extent in qur power we shall convince foreign capitalists that those who are best able to form an opinion on the matter have full confidence that the speculation will prove remunerative. The position in which we are now placed is a most serious . one, more so perhaps than those who have not bestowed much thought upon tbe matter may be prepared to allow. An opportunity is afforded to us tbat has possibly taken some by surprise, but which, if once allowed to elude our grasp may never again be placed within our reach. If Nelson, from apathy, obstinacy, or over cautiousness, refuses now to avail herself of the chance of becoming the terminus of the Middle Island Railway, depend upon it Picton will not be slow in accepting the position. The men' of Marlborough, which, though a small, is undoubtedly a pushing province, will greedily seize that which is offered to us, if we decline to accept it, and Nelson will be for ever left out in the cold, while those who are to follow us here will never j cease to anathematise the timidity and carelessness of their predecessors who once had it in their power to make the town, the suburbs, and the province generally as prosperous as any portion of the colony. It may be interesting to our readers to know that two Melbourne contractors who happened to be in Wellington simultaneously with the deputation, have dis- { played considerable interest in, and a desire to enter upon, this railway scheme. One of them was compelled to start for Australia by the first steamer, but intends returning in about six weeks, the other purposes travelling at once over the country through which it is proposed to construct tbe line in company with Mr Dobson, and if a personal inspection of the district proves satisfactory, as we , have no doubt will be the case, we may reasonably calculate upon the co-operation of the Victorian capitalists whom this gentleman represents. ;