The Nelson Evening Mails. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1880.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XV, Issue 203, 26 August 1880, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mails. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1880.

Since it appears thafc, for the present at least, we shall havo to make up our minds to be satisfied witb a coach road inst eai of a railway to the West Coast, ifc will be as well that we should endeavor to make the most of such small favors as it'is proposed to confer upon us, and that our members should, before they leave Wellington, secure from Ministers some sort of guarantee thafc the money voted shall not only be spent during the recess, but spent to the greatest advantage. Hitherto we have been too easily put off with bogus votes. Nelson has figured to a far greater extent on tbe estimates than she has donejon the actual expenditure lisfcj and this has had tbe effect of injuring us considerably, as members who are disposed to cavil at any vote.for this district— and there are many such in tbe House— have made a point of referring to, and complaining of, the frequency with. which "Nelson " appears on the Public Works Estimates, ignoring the fact that while thousands are placed on paper not a halfpenny of the amount finds its way on to the roads where it is supposed to be expended We hope, therefore, thafc our representatives will take care that the money voted for the Wesfc Coast road will, every penny of ifc, be laid oufc on the work during the recess, and we are glad to find from the Inangahua papers that they too are stirring in the matter, and urging on the completion of tbis much-needed work. Among the other advantages to be gained from this mode of communication, the Times refers to that which will result from the speedy and regular conveyance of the mails. In an article on the subject on the 20th inst., our contemporary says : — "There is also another importaut reason why atttention should be given to this matter by tbe local body. Immediately that coach traffic is made possible between Reefton and Nelson, an effort will no doubt be made to get a twice or thrice a week mail service between the two places. Strong reasons could be advanced iv support of such a service. Ifc would take in the postal contracts at present running between Foxhill and Hampden, between that place and Lyell, and thence to Inangahua Junction and Reefton. The cost of these services together would go a considerable way towards the expense of a through contract. More than this, however, the whole of the mails for the northern portion of the West Coast could be forwarded by this line, thns dispensing with the necessity of forwarding mail's by ship-board. In addition to this, much of the passenger traffic to and from the West Coast; which now passes by sea, would no doubt flow this way, as with all the rivers on the route bridged, communication with the West Coast would then be independent of floods and bad bars." The establishment of a mail service with the great mining centre of the district would, in the event of a good cart road being made, be speedily followed by commercial relations between Nelson and Reefton that could not ] fail to prove profitable to both.