The Railway Link.

Patea Mail, 28 June 1882, Page 3

The Railway Link.

A memorial from Wellington merchants has been plesented through the Chamber of Commerce as follows

“ We,, the undersigned merchants of Wellington, interested in the trade of Patea, Hawera, and Waimate Plains, desire to respectfully urge on the attention of the Government, through the Hon the Minister for Public Works, the necessity and importance of completing the short link of railway not yet let for construction between Manutahi and Hawera, about ten miles in length, thereby connecting in one railway system the whole coast, between Foxton and New Plymouth . Your memorialists would respectfully urge that this short link of ten miles not yet scheduled for construction is a serious drawback to the usefulness and the earning capacity of the whole railway system already constructed between Poxton and New Plymouth, and they would therefore ask that a vote should be taken in this session of Parliament for this short link of ten miles to complete the coast railway through the Patea district. Your memorialists understand that the portion of railway between Waverley and Manutahi will in a few months be opened for traffic ; the further section of ten miles will connect Wanganui and Patea seaports with the extensive new settlements on Waimate Plains, and promote commercial operations. Your memorialists ask you to give effect to these representations, by securing the earliest possible completion of the coast railway through the Patea district. And your memorialists will ever pray,” &c.

The N.Z. Times says the document was signed by most of the leading commercial men of Wellington ; and that the Minister of Public Works replied in effect that the surveys were in a forward state, and would

have been completed but for the ex-' ceptionally wet weather lately prevailing. He further stated that the prayer of the memorial would receive every consideration Erpra the Government.,