NORMANBY.

Patea Mail, Volume V, Issue 416, 12 April 1879, Page 2

NORMANBY.

(from our own correspondent.) The Hou Mr Macandrew, Minister of Public Works,- accompanied by Mr Blackett, Government Engineer, visited this place on Tuesday, and a numerous deputation waited on the hon gentleman to represent the views of the inhabitants with respect to the important subject of the Railway and Telegraph offices. The situation at present chosen by the Engineers was strongly condemned, not only on account of its distance from the township, but as being in a position to which the settlers have from the outset most strongly objected. The Minister, after hearing the deputation, proceeded to inspect the two other sites that have been offered, namely, Mr Brett’s and Messrs Nathan & Co.’s, and approved of the latter as fitting > should sufficient land be acquired there for that pux'pose; and said that if the Government had not pledged itself to the site on the Extension, that it should be altered. The necessity of pushing on the rail-way-works between this place and Stratford was strongly placed before him, and that the more rapid and easy the communication between Normanbyand New Plymouth, the more readily would any 1

native difficulty be dealt with. Also that sufficient funds should be placed at the disposal of the County Council for completing the gravelling of the Mountain Road to Stratford. The hon gentleman promised that the railway works should bo proceed with at once. Another very important subject brought before Mr Macandrow was that of immediately having open for sale the block of bush land between the Mountain Road, the Mangawhero stream, and the Waingougoro River, and so making the timber which abounds there available. The deputation were assured that only the scarcity of surveyors had prevented this being completed before, and that the matter should receive prompt attention. In briefly remarking on the subjects brought before the Ministers’ notice, the first and most important is that of the Railway and Telegraph offices, and the earnest and temperate manner in which, by every legitimate means, the settlers have endeavored to secure the fulfilment of their wishes, shows plainly how strongly they are convinced that the carrying oat of their wishes is essential to the prosperity of the place. It must not either be lost sight of that this is no contest between two bodies of the townspeople as to what part of the town these offices should be erected, but between the whole of the townspeople ou the one side, and an adverse clique at a distance on the other, who endeavor to usurp all control in these matters over us. The great delay ou the part of the Government in throwing open for sale the large extent of bush land in the immediate vicinity of Normanby has been a serious drawback, and the impossibility of acquiring land has been the means of keeping very many intending settlers away. I could mention many instances where men with capital from the other island have come here and lived for months in the holies of being able to settle, and have at last been obliged to go away without doing so, carrying their money elsewhere, and, of course, dissuading others from coming here. But when this land is at last brought into the market; particularly if, as was suggested to the Minister, part of it should be sold on the deferred payment system, there is no doubt that this place’will become the timber depot for the whole coast, and the more imperative our necessity for direct communication with other places.