THE WARARAPA RAILWAY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 48, 23 December 1871, Page 8

THE WARARAPA RAILWAY.

_ [to THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND MAIL J SlEj—l regret very much the action taken by the Greytown settlers in memorialising the Government with regard to altering the trunk line of railway, as laid off by Mr Rochforr, a gentleman who could have had no other motive than the general good, being a total stranger to us. I trust the Government will only consider it a small section of the people, and not the settlers generally who complain. Now the Hult people seem to me to be suffering to some extent, having to cross a river to get to the station, but they are not making a noise about it not passing all their doors. The stations in England were, as a rule, made at, a little distance from the towns and large cities. I never heard any out cry against it; and in many cases, immediately it was known the bill had passed the Legislature, the event was celebrated by public rejoicings. How different, in Greytown. The letter signed “Tramway which appeared in your last week’s issue is, in tny opinion, a very good one, and is deserving of attention. For my own part, if a station were two or three miles from my dwelling I should'bo satisfied —it might be better if closer to me, but I cannot expect to bs considered an individual before a community, and I shall use it to some extent, very much more than many whose names are attached to the petition. I think the names should be all published. Now with regard to the amount of carriage from Woodside Mills with the carriage of goods from Greytown proper, I believe Woodside sends more than double the number of waggons to Wellington, and with a railway would send ten times the present quantity ; but Greytown proper would send no more, because what produce they would have (if any) would be required for the extra population., Would it be wise to cause the bulk to be carried to the centre of Greytown, or the centre of Grojtown to carry the smaller quantity to the station ? If the people wish a railway to look at, it would be an expensive luxury. I should fancy it would be ridiculous to consider the small passenger trade of a small village, considering it is proposed to have another station at three miles distance, viz , Carterton; it really seems to me fortunate that the lino is laid out through the timbered districts, as wo shall see at least a dozen more saw mills in our district, which will add greatly to the income of the railway, and the timber is our greatest source of wealth. Wool lias no comparison to it. Look at the number of hands kept at each mill—quite a village. I consider a railway running through the whole length of a town would be moro a nuisance than otherwise. It is bad enough to have it cross it. Most people that have seen railways would look at it in the same light, but perhaps the people of Greytown consider folks will desert their present habitations and go to the neighborhood of the railway station to live. If so, 1 will tell them that is a sad mistake. Vested interest is too strong for that. A railway station has never done this in England. Begin at the Land’s End in England, and take all the stations on the lino to London, and see if what I state is not correct. Exeter, the fashionable watering place of Torquay, &c. All the hands that will be kept in a small country village like any in this district will simply be a porter, and perhaps a station master, still I live in hopes of seeing Greytown reach to the site of the intended railway station from natural growth, even if we have no railway.—l am, &c , G.