The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1878.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5267, 9 February 1878, Page 2

The New Zealand Times (PUBLISHED DAILY.) SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1878.

It is not easy to account for tho apathy which has been displayed by the people of this ,city in, reference to tho proposed line of railway from the Hutt to Palmei’ston, via Pahautanui and Waikanae. Under similar circumstances, in other large, centres, there would' be no l end to tho ‘ deputations which would wait upon the (Government; but hero a work which would have a permanent beneficial, effect both upon the' town' and country only attracts passing notice. Wo supppso most people rest content with tlio assurance that tho work is certain to be carried out,; and, iy> doubt they are right.dn ,thi* view, for sooner or later tho line will be recognised as of such pressing necessity that

its construction will be undertaken. But there are good and substantial reasons why provision should be made for the construction of the • line at’ the earliest period. Amongst those reasons not-the least important is the danger of a large portion of the public estate adjacent to‘ the proposed line being grasped by speculators, who, knowing that to a certainty the line will he made at some future day, will buy up all land available, trusting to its being enormously enhanced in value by railway communication., A gentleman residing close to the route of the proposed railway informs us that land in his neighborhood increased; considerably in value from the fact of a Bill being introduced into Parliament with the object of setting apart land for the construction of the line. It is highly undesirable that the public estate should be parted with before it can be profitably occupied. The State invariably obtains a low price for the land, whilst the bona fide settler has to pay very dearly for the land when the country is opened up by roads. Indeed in many cases the value put upon the land by the original purchaser is so high as to preclude settlement. Of course, it may be said in reference to the particular subject under notice that there is little or no land in the market at present; but the exigencies of the Government may compel them before long to part with a large portion of the public estate, simply for revenue purposes. Even in the most liberal and prosperous of the Australasian colonies this means of raising the wind has been resorted to largely. Everyone knows the result of selling land before the surrounding circumstances render it fit for occupation. Where there are not sufficient means of conveying produce to the port of shipment, no immediate profit can be derived from the land, and the result is that when sold it falls into the hands of men who can afford to hold it for years without in the meantime deriving a single penny of interest on their outlay, but who reap, an enormous benefit in enhanced value when the country is opened up' by roads and railways, that is, when the land is’rendered a vailable foractual occupation. For this reason, amongst others, it is desirable that a Bill setting apart land for the construction of the line now under notice should pass into law next session. If; behoves the people of Wellington to take active steps in ..the matter. „ It is of as much importance as any work which has.ever been undertaken or projected in this city. It is of infinitely more importance both to the colony and to the city than dozens of other works grouped together which have been agitated by citizens. We fear that through a narrow spirit of local jealousy there is likely to be opposition to the construction of the lino from a person: who is ■ at present in a position of some importance. But let county and town exert themselves actively in the matter, and we are satisfied that the opposition will avail nothing. In a previous issue we pointed, out that not one farthing of colonial money will be required for the undertaking. The land proposed to be set apart will be ample for the construction of the line. But it may be urged that the Land Fund now having become general property, the setting apart of a portion of the public estate for the purpose named would be equivalent to voting a sum of money for the construction .of the line! This is true in a certain sense ; but then many a man makes a road to improve his property, and that is the position of the colony in reference to the Hutt-Waikanaa and Palmerston railway. A committee was appointed'lasr session to take evidence'on the subject, and it' was fully proved that the colony would be recouped for any outlay or setting apart of a necessary portion of the. public estate : by the ' increased value which would be given to the land* remaining in the hands of the Crown. No engineering difficulties are to be met with in the construction of the lino, which will be about seventy-seven miles in length. Mr. Bbeke, civil engineer, made a careful survey of the route,! and he estimates that the cost would not exceed £7OOO per mile for the hill sections, and £SOOO for the more level portions of the line. Taking the estimates of Mr. Bbeub as substantially accurate, the sum of £450,000 should be ample for the construction of the railway. It was stated by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, giving evidence before the committee, that there were above 419,000 acres of unsold land between Paikakariki and Palmerston. About 250,000 acres of this was first-class agricultural land, and the remainder, including the slopes of the Tararu Ranges, was good pasture land. Tho Commissioner stated that he believed all the land would readily sell if ■ tho country were opened up by road or railway. There was plenty of evidence to show that if means of communication wero established with the port of Wellington a high price could be obtained for the land. Mr, Holdswoiitii states that none need be parted with below £1 per acre, whilst much would fetch from £2 to £6. It was also elicited in evidence that the land was covered with Valuable timber, which in many instances would fully recoup the settler tho money he paid for the land. Outside the timbered blocks there are large areas of open pastoral lands, which one witness stated would fetch over £2 10s. per acre. All that country is now lying waste and unprofitable at our very doors, and it will be a reflection upon the people of Wellington if it remains so any length of time through their supineness. The people of this city have been more delicate than their neighbors about asking favors from the Government. We believe all Ministers during the last seven or eight years will bear testimony to the truth of that observation. . However, with regard to the proposed railway, they will be asking for that which will cost the colony nothing, and will confer a vast benefit upon the city and province, while at the same time it will open up for profitable settlement one of the finest districts in the colony.