THE PREMIER AND THE RAILWAY QUESTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5662, 23 May 1879, Page 7

THE PREMIER AND THE RAILWAY QUESTION.

Ngaruawahia, May 2,

The following was Sir George Grey’s speech at the turning of the first sod of the railway yesterday, after the presenting of the address : I return you my sincere thanks for the address you have been so; good as to present to me. I can assure you that it is to me probably as great a pleasure as to yourself that so great a work has been inaugurated to-day by myself and my colleagues, one of whom stands by rue here, a New Zealander, himself, and whom it must delight you all to see serving his country at so young an age, giving promise of what the New Zealander race will be. I say for myself and for my colleagues, we are determined to do Our utmost by all means to aid the prosperity and advancement of New Zealand. That publio : works can pay will now no longer be doubted. I suppose you are all aware that some railways in the Middle Island are already paying what in England would he regarded as. a sufficient rate of interest upon the capital invested in their construction. There, therefore, can no longer be any doubt that railroads in this country will find sufficient returns to pay interest on the money expended on their* construction. ; The .first railroads made were .necessarily constructed where population was abundant. Population had the largest number of votes, and clearly the first great expenditure on works of this kind must be made where the greatest number would be benefited by their construction. But now the railway system has been so largely extended in all parts of the colony where the population is large, that we come to a totally different state of things, and are now constructing railways through the country to open up districts where the young men are now growing up,* and might speedily fill them, and I have no doubt whatever that greater profits will be realised from these railways than from those constructed m the thickly populated districts, as in these districts the public have large tracts of land to sell, to which groat value will be given by the

railways now being made. X think you will all agree with me that a policy which has been so productive of great benefit to the country Bhould 'be zealously followed up, and that who have not yet experienced the benefit of the public moneys, to which they have largely contributed, should now in their turn have the country which they occupy filled with works of the same character which have been constructed in all parts of New Zealand. It is a very wet day, and X could not say more if I were to occupy your time for an hour, and I only repeat for myself and colleagues that we are determined to give effect to what we believe to be for the welfare of the people, aud that the country should be opened up as speedily as possible, Heat assured that so far as it rests upon us we will spare no single effort to push New Zealand ahead in the great career upon.which she has undoubtedly entered, and I say further to you that having seen what one New Zealander can do in office, train as many of your young men as you can to come forward, and let them aid in carrying on to’ the highest pitch that country which has given them birth.