The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1876.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 161, 29 June 1876, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1876.

Thr reply given by the Minister for Public Works to Mr Sharp's question regarding the extension of the railway to the Port was unsatisfactory, although justlsuch as might have been expected. This extension, it may be remembered, was jpositively promised last session, but no itiove was made until, some two or three months ago, Mr Curtis wrote to Mr Richardson expressing his surprise that the work had not been commenced. The leisurely proceeding that marked the construction bf the remainder of the railway was extended to this much needed portion, and it was some time before the survey was completed, and the plans were drawn. Meantime the Provincial Government had let contracts for the wharf and reclamation works, and now it appears that the Miaister for Public Works wants to interfere with them, and to have them altered, which cannot be done without considerable expense, which might have been easily avoided had the survey been made earlier, and the Government made up their minds that they would abide by their promise .of last year. Our members will have to be 'ceaseless in their importunities if this 'necessary work is to be carried out at all, as the Government will now, in all probability, plead as a further excuse for delay the additional expense that has been entailed by their own dilatoriness. With regard to the extension to Foxhill, that, it will be seen, is positively refused on the ground that the calculations that have been made as to the probable amount of traffic show that t will riot pay working expenses. If this really be the case we can only say that the estimates forwarded to the Government must be very different from those which we have seen, and which had every appearance of having been carefully prepared.