The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1878.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 352, 31 August 1878, Page 2

The Patea Mail. (Published Wednesdays and Saturdays) SATURDAY, AUGUST 31, 1878.

<> In the condensed report given in present issue, of the Public Works Statement, delivered by the Hon Mr Macandrew on Tuesday evening last, will bo found all of special interest to the North Island. It was, however, in his remarks on the Middle Island Railways, that the Hon. the Minister for Public Works showed himself most at home. He has immense faith in what railways will do for particular districts, and tor the Colony as a whole. Referring to the Otago Central, he said:—“ Honorable members will recollect that this House last session, both by resolution and by Act, affirmed that 100 miles of this line through Strath Tiaeri to Clyde, should bo proceeded with, and the House also passed a reso--3u ion, in compliance with which 396,000 acres of Crown lands have been reserved Irom sale, with the view of devoting the proceeds, when they are sold, to the construction ot this portion of the line. It is now proposed to extend the line from Clyde to Lake Wanaka, a distance of 60 miles —for some 50 miles of which, the count!y is as level as a howling green, the whole of it being in the hands of the Crown, and available for settlement. Mv belief is that no other of the lines

now proposed, will promote, settlement and increase the productive power of the Colony, to tiio same extent as the Otago Central, and I venture to predict that many j'cars will not pass without this lino being extended to Hokitika via the Hanst Pass. The length of that extensi on from Albert-town, the now contemplated termination of the lino, is only 190 miles, and the highest point of the range to ho crossed is only 1,700 loot as against feet in the next line we propose to undertake, that, namely, from Amberlny (m i’rnnncrton. a distance or 110 mih's. Although it does not appear that this A mho; h-y-Bni iumrton hoc —in proportion to its length an 1 cost of construction —will open up a very large extent of country suitable for settlement, vet the area of such land that will be

opened up is by no means inconsiderable, and the proceeds of its sale will go far

towards defraying the cost of the work. There can be no room for doubt that the traffic between the East and West Coast will be developed enormously. It is estimated that oven now were the lino at work, there would be at the least 1,000 tons of coal alone brought across weekly, and if, as I believe, this coal, which is quite equal to the best Newcastle, can bo jmt into ships holds at Lyttelton lor somewhere about £1 per ton, it is difficult to place any other limit than that of the carrying capacity of the line,

upon the traffic that would be developed

Tin ■re is also an almost unlimited quantity of timber which would find its way to market by this railway.” And so the lion gentleman continued. Otago and Canterbury he intends to push ahead. He advocated the construction of an interior main lino of 85 miles in length, through Canterbury—Oxford to Teinnka, which with lines already sanctioned, would open up 200,000 acres o( land, and largely increase the exports. To those who might object that ton much was being asked for Canterbury, he said, “ Government was only intending to confer on the people of Canterbury, benefits derivable from applying to a colonial purpose, their own money, only proposing to expend a portion of land l-cvovmo, for Hie bo no fit oftllOSO Upon the.

laud from which that revenue has been derived, by devoting it to purposes to which not only is it legitimately applicable, but far which it ought always to'have boon hold sacred. The same remarks wili apply to the other railways, which are to depend for their construction upon the proceeds of the sale of lands to be rendered valuable by them.” it would appear from the above that Mr Macau drew favors the making of railways where the value of unsold Crown lands will be enhanced, and thereby not only pay cost of construction, but add to the general revenue. He favors the reservation of land where there is a reasonable prospect, after construction of line, of the proceeds recouping cost of

construction. He quoted the case of a branch line from Heriot to Tapani, which the House decided last session should be constructed. Ho money was voted, but it was resolved that the cost of construction should be paid out of 40,000 acres of land to be set aside for the purpose. Tenders for the work wore called, the conditions being that payment for the line was to bo made in three equal instalments at two, four, and six months after the line was completed. Five tenders were received, the lowest being £2,000 under the, engineer’s estimate. The work is now under weigh, and the land, owing to the construction of the railway, is likely to realise from £2 to £3 and upwards per acre, and yield double the amount of the contract price for construction. Remarking on this, Mr Macandrow says— i£ This fact is worth any number of arguments to show 7 how we might, to a great extent, construct our railways without increasing the amount of our public debt or adding to the annual burden in respect thereof, [t is now proposed to extend the line ten miles further. By so doing, the growth of cereals will be very largely increased, and one of the most productive districts in the colony fully developed.” Seeing that Mr Macandrow is so strongly in favor of constructing linos where value will be given to unsold Crown lands, wo think he only requires

to be well posted as to the position of this coast, to lend the weight of his influence to the immediate lotting of contracts to complete connection between Inglewood on the Taranaki side to Waitotara on the Wanganui side. It has been calculated that the increased value which would be given to Wairaatc Plains land and unsold land on the Mountain

Road, would alone more than pay the whole cost of construction. Mr Macandrew himself calculates on three-quarters of a. million being received from sale of the Waimate Plains. This would, indeed, be a fine opportunity of constructing a railway without increasing the amount of the public debt. If tackled at once such progress might be made ere next session, and such handsome addition might be made to the revenue from sale of land, as to afford another and more striking illustration of the value of the principle to winch the lion gentleman is already so thoroughly wedded. Seriously, we think no effort should be spared to bring under the attention of the Engineer for the North island, the importance of the line on this coast being immediately constructed. Mr Macandrew is well enough acquainted with the Middle Island, and is bent on doi.ig much for it. As he appears to trust much to the Engineer-in-Charge, all who are in a position to do so should use their best endeavors to furnish information to that gentleman, at the same time pointing

out the necessity for tapping Carlyle as a convenient, and in fact, the only available port for a largo area of land, which is ont of payable roach of cither Now Plymouth or Wanganui for shipping purposes. Seeing that it is the intention of Government to make the County pay fully for the railway, by deducting so largely from revenue properly belonging to Paten, we chink, if such intention cannot be upset, there should bo no hesitation in setting aside a block of land, to bo afterwards sold to pay cost of construction of the line, and in calling for tenders within the next three months on conditions similar to those imposed in the case of the Tapanui line. The roads throughout the County all the winter have been simply frightful. If the County is to be deprived of 15 per cent, of its revenue, over and above the 25 per cent, taken for New Plymouth Harbor, tlie roads will have to look after themselves, and unless the railway is constructed Mr M-.icnndrew will have to whistle loud and long before the expected three-quarters of a million will be forthcoming from the sale of the Wat mate Plains. Wo regret very much that the Public Works Minister, while talking so fairly, should so liberally aid the strong —as Otago and Canterbury—and be so unmercifully harsh to the weak, as is shown l.y iis action to Patea. He cannot be fully acquainted with the circumstances of the case, for he appears to consider the 25 per cent, given to New Plymouth as a favor granted to this County. There arc Pa to,ms who call it robbery. No time should bo lost in representing this matter fairly, and urging on construction of railway, with Carlyle in the lino of call.