The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1875.

Patea Mail, Volume I, Issue 55, 20 October 1875, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Published Wednesdays and Saturdays WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1875.

\Yk cordially congratulate our Ivnv Plymouth tellow-colonists on the completion of the first link, of railway communication in the line irom that town to Waitara, which will, before many years are over, unite in one bond ad tends of vl.ij i-dnnf, hi the !i<lvan-cement of the colony as a whole, and the good oi its people. As a matter ot course, the opening of tho railway for even that short length, was reasonably made an occasion of high holiday, and the amount of gushing, usual at such ceremonies duly took place at this one. Whilst, however, rejoicing at the start thus made in the Province, and wishing tho New Plymouthians all good fortune, the neglect with which this part of the colony has been treated is rendered more apparent, and the thought arises as to when any portion of the Patea district will have equal grounds for similar festival. That it must be many years is clear, for the working surveys of the line to connect us with New Plymouth will take at least, if wo arc correctly informed, Irom twelve to eighteen month's. When these are finished they will have to go through various red tape processes before the works are recommended lor construction, and after this stage is passed, they have to be submitted to parliament and the necessary funds voted. Then will come some delay before tenders are called for, and more before they arc accepted, after which the line will bo proceeded with, and some year or two at least will elapse before completion. We say year or two, presuming that energy is exhibited in construction, but it must be energy of a different kind to that at present displayed in tho line now being made out of Wanganui, where the contract pace is a contract snail’s gallop. As yet, though it is true the lino to connect New Plymouth with Patea is recommended, there has been no appropriation made'for it, and wo question whether, when the works already in hand are completed, there will he any surplus to dovoio to this or any other new lino, out of the loans so far obtained,'the last special Vogel loan included. In that case tho projected lines must wait till those formed have become so far reproductive as to justify further borrowing, or have accumulated a fund out of which tho oxpmsca can be met. Neither of these solutions of the difficulty are likely to arise at very short notice, and, altogether, the out-look, as far as railways in this district go, is anything but favourable to the early realisation of such means of communication. There is hardly a district in the colony to which less money has been allotted lor public works or necessities of any description, during the present session, and, we venture to say, there is no part of tho colony in which more steady and substantial progress is being made, or where a reasonable outlay of the public money would earlier bear reproductive fruit. It is true that wc have a good main road, but there are no branch roads to speak of, worthy of the name of roads, whilst land in all directions is being daily taken up for cultivation, and thousands on

thousands are being periodically pai into the Government exchequer as th results of land sales in the i'hc purchasers of such binds have a||jcrl(‘ct righD’to claim access to, and ingress from their holdings, hut the Government so far lias paid but little hoed io this righteous demand, and the hinds of the Rond .Boards are too limited to do a tithe of what is wauling. Possibly, if it be true that the (Joverament intend to give early and increased subsidies to Road Boards and other governing bodies, ia anticipation of abolition, this complaint may be in some measure rectified; if they do not, they at least should, in equity, expend such moneys as are needed. Returning, however, to the ra’lw.uy subject, it must he abundantly evident that a number of years, not pi aisant to calculate on, must elapse before, by any good forinne whatever, the shriek of the engine or the rumble of the trains in its wake, will he heard m this district, it is also clear that ii the district is to progress in proportion to its resources some temporary substitute must lie provided, and that, cheaper and more convenient, modes of import and export, must he had recourse to than are altorded by laud carriage from Wanganui, or the capricious and uncertain trips of tne steamers at present trading to this port-. This has already been projected in a locally owned steamer that will trade, not only to WTuiguuui, hut to Wellington Nelson, or elsewhere, wherever ireignt may oiler to or from, and thereby do away with the double freights now paid, through all goods, us at present, necessarily going to Wanganui prior to being transhipped hero. There will he little or no difficulty in floating the company proposed, provided the Government will allow a small subsidy of JRSUU a year to such a boat, and, in prelerring a request for so paltry a sum, this community have been unusually moderate. Even if no special vote is given, the Government can very easily p-iy _ i; o small an amount out of contingencies, and, on an explanation being a altorded in the House, no exception would he taken to their action. if it i-s retasea the public will know who lo blame. Gut off to a great degree as Patea is, the boon is one that we cannot suppose lor a moment will he withheld, it is generally supposed that it is an advantage lo have a minister for a member, but, il it he so in some oases, the Egmont constituency, so far has not discovered any benefits aiising from this cause. That however, is a matter for the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer to set right, should he, as is most probable, nay almost certain, seek re-election. The grant of a snl sidy lo a local steam service is only just, and but a drop in the ocean of our needs, with which however we must fain lie content if given, in the meantime Patea must look through the large end .a- (t... of time and through the vista of years when they may discern a dim probability of railway communication being ultimately achieved. In the meantime it is only just that both tne subsidy above mentioned should he unhesitatingly granted, ami that river works referred to recently, by which access to the port may be facilitated, ho carried out without delay. The outlay is a trlllc— the advantages enormous, and such expenditure is fairly duo to a district, so left out in the cold, as far a ready communication goes, as Patea is at the present time.