A CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5559, 22 January 1879, Page 3

A CENTRAL RAILWAY STATION.

TO THE EDITOR OP THE NEW ZEALAND TIMM. SIR, —A very short time ago a moat enthusiastic and crowded meeting of the citizens of Wellington resolved that a deputation should be sent to the Government, asking for a central railway station. At the interview between that deputation and the Public Works Minister, the latter only yielded the point, “if necessary,” and then as regards a passenger station only. Almost immediately afterwards it was announced that Mr. Macandrow had not found it “ necessary,” had not withdrawn the required laud from sale, —that the passenger station would be placed opposite the Government Buildings, and the goods station on some land to be reclaimed near the Pipitea baths.

Sir, I ask you is it right that our wishes should bo so utterly ignored ? Mr. Macandrew told ua that we, the citizens of Wellington, did not know what was good for us, but that he, a stranger, was the best judge ; that he, out of the fulness of his infinite wisdom, should do what he thought was best for us, while we poor ignorant creatures must humbly submit.

Sir, I am astonished at what followed. Instead of the citizens indignantly clamoring for their rights ; instead of using their really great political power, they calmly sat still. They hove held no public meetings, have not signed petitions, have not shown fight. Could anything he more miserable, more utterly unworthy of this city ? Are we to be ruled by a man from Dunedin ? Are our dearest wishes to he thwarted, our best interests damaged, and we say nothing! I hold with many others that Wellington has long been too apathetic. During all the time that Sir Julius was lavishly scattering millions, we were very good, we scarcely clamored for money, and since then we have done little. Sir, the present Ministry and their party have literally robbed ns of half-a-million of money, and now that they see we have tamely submitted to that, they g» further, and tell us we don’t know what is best for ourselves, and insist on opposing our wishes. Though we nil know that a central station is the one thing now needed by us, they refuse it. I do trust that all our manliness has not gone ; that the citizens will yet take action ; that having humbly asked and been contemptuously spurned, they will now boldly ask—demand, a central station. Let the paople in the Wairarapa, in Wanganni, Eangitikei, and Manawatu join us, and through their members in the House insist on a central railway station. In a few days another public meeting will be called to discuss the question. It is to be hoped that the meeting will bo even more largely attended than its predecessor, and will adopt a bolder policy.—l am, &c., A LirRED K. Newman.