NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS.

Patea Mail, Volume IV, Issue 375, 20 November 1878, Page 2

NORTH ISLAND RAILWAYS.

The Napier Telegraph, of the sth instant, referring to a speech delivered by Captain Russell on the Railways Bill on the 24th October, says: .-"M Tn speaking to the second reading Bill, Captain Russell made one of the best speeches he has this session delivered. It was short and incisive, and closely to the point. After a brief announcement that he did not intend to vote for the . second reading of the measure, Captain Russell proceeded to state that he had come to this determination, because he firmly believed that under the Bill the North Island would be “ done.” The whole measure was one great electioneering, advertisement. The. people of the ■; North Island were led to suppose that very shortly £2,775,000 were to be spent there out of the loan, whereas said Captain Russell, “ if we take the figures to pieces, we shall find that in the whole of the Nortli Island, and in the North part of the Middle Island, not a quarter of that sum is likely to be expended "if this Act passes. The Colonial Treasurer in speaking just now, said, ‘ We do not reckon on the Land Fund for the nexttwo years.’ What does that mean ? jt means exactly tins ; that the Minister’ for Public Works proposes to make railways in Otago out of the loan ; ami he proposes to make the railways out of the Land Fund, in the North, two years hence, if he is sufficiently fortunate to get the money to do it.” Capt. Russell then set to work and picked the figures to pieces. He showed that, the expenditure of the first item of £440,000, Wellington to Foxtou line, was con- -> tingent upon the acquisition of the land > from the natives, and its resale to cololonists. The line Waitolara river to - Upper Patea Crossing, £375,000, was . to ho 'provided by taking 15 per cent.out of the 20 per cent, of the land fund' of the county. .Vith regard to the New Plymouth Te Avvamulu Waikato) line, £1,115,000, Captain Russell was of opinion that the Government might just as well contemplate making a railway to the moon. The Public Works Act, 1876, authorised the continuance of the Napier line, so the Bill contained nothing new, but with respect to the connecting link to join Napier with Wellington, Mr Macandrew had himself said there was no hurry for the survey of the line from Mcsterton to Eketahuna, as the railway was not likely to get to Masterton until 1880. Captain Russell then continued, —“ This all goes to' show that the Bill is a piece of nonsense, meant only to be an election : ring ad tisement.” After summarising what he believed would be the true position of the money to be devoted to the North Island, daring the next five or six years, he concluded by saying,—“ It is the most iniquitous Bill which it has ever been my misfortune to read in this House. I believe it is an attempt to construct railways out of loan in Otago, and to construct railways in the North Island out ot Lund Fund, if we are forInnate enough to get any. If we cannot get a Land Fund, we must go without railways.”