PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, AUGUST, 10, 1880. WEST COAST WORKS.

Patea Mail, 10 August 1880, Page 2

PATEA COUNTY MAIL PUBLISHED Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. TUESDAY, AUGUST, 10, 1880. WEST COAST WORKS.

Tuk West Coast Hallway construction is to go on, but at a slower rate than appears reasonable for the completion of a through lino. The present contract to Wavorley is to be completed, leaving a hiatus of only 10 miles between that township ami the Patea harbor. The section in the Patea valley is to be finished, giving a landing stage and nearly five miles of railway formation, if we include the length to Kakaramca, on which about 100 Government laborers are to bo employed. Then comes another break in the connection from Kakaramca to Normnnby, about 20 miles, some of it heavy work. It will thus bo seen that in the whole length from New Plymouth to Poxton, only about 30 miles will be wanting to complete the trunk line. Experience shows that a main trunk lino is of little use until pieced up froml’cnd to end ; and we think there cannot be two opinions about the urgency of the claim which this coast has upon the earliest attention of the Government, whenever they are able to vote farther supplies for completing the most necessary works. It cannot bo overlooked that completion of this main line, lias a political importance, as being the surest, cheapest, and most peaceful agency for extinguishing the native difficulty.

STATE OF THE BAB. The late gales have silted up the bar to a greater extent than the outward scour could overcome. The damage is neither serious nor permanent; and a few days of moderate weather may remove the new impediment; but the public will observe, from this action of a storm, how important it is to protect the bar by a wall on the. north side, which would operate to stop the silting in the channel, creating smooth water inside the north breakwater, and raising the level on the bar by stilling the breakers. This projected wall on the north side becomes increasingly important, now that the practicability of deepening the bar by the tidal scour is demonstrated so successfully by the short breakwater at the south head. The Chairman of the Harbor Board has been endeavoring to raise funds in Wellington by bringing under the notice of the Government the facts of the ease ; and he has submitted plans of this north-side breakwater, as recommended by Sir John Coode. The degree of success he has met with had not been reported to the Harbor Board yesterday, but the Chairman is expected in Patea to-day, and the result of his mission will be made known to the Board. The bill proposing a land endowment for the harbor, as a means of raising a loan in the open market, was not accepted by the Government; but there was an alternative proposal for a Government loan, in addition to the £IO,OOO, and the public will be interested to know what prospect there is of continuing a work which has proved itself more successful than any navigation work of a like kind in this colony. NOVELS AND BOLL TICS. Novels form part of the parliamentary reference library at Wellington. Some members complain that “an immense proportion of the new books” ordered by the library committee arc not reference books at all, but novels. Dr Wallis goes so far as to say the novels arc trashy, and demoralising to members. Now here is a pretty pass ! While our M.H, R.’s arc cutting down expenses, stopping necessary public works, and discharging servants right and left, and all on the plea of economy, how do they apply this same economy in matters pertaining to their noble selves ? Do they out oil’ every luxury, with Spartan severity, setting a meet example to the colony of the noble duty of self-denial ? Do they begin with themselves by reducing the pay and the luxuries of M.H. B,’s ? Have they been doing to the colony what they would have the colony do to them ? And if not, pray tell us why not ? Stand on your defence, gentlemen, and explain the principle on which you manage the colony’s finances. Firstly, do you purchase novels with public money? Secondly, were you sent to Wellington and paid by the day lor reading novels ? Thirdly, what have novels to do with the polities of this colony ? Fourthly, what necessity can there be lor having a library connected with Parliament, unless for purposes of reference ? Fifthly, if you require these novels for reference, -what are the knotty points, what the constitutional questions, what the leading principles of government, that you want these novels for ? We may even add a sixth query, can the purchasing of novels—we do not say trashy novels—be considered an urgent public work ? Now, gentlemen politicians, when yon have answered these questions, and made a clean breast, your constituents will be better able to judge how you have exorcised the trust reposed in you. Let us hear: we arc all waiting to have novel lights on this subject.