THE WAVERLEY-HAWERA RAILWAY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1016, 2 April 1883, Page 3

THE WAVERLEY-HAWERA RAILWAY.

[per PRESS ASSOCIATION.I

WELLINGTON, March 30. Allusion , was made in the annual report of the Chamber-of Commerce to the construction of the length of railway between Manntahi and Hawera as of great importance to Wellington. It was pointed out that, although the vote for this work had been placed on the estimates last session, no real progress Lad been made up to the present time. The delay in this matter had been productive of considerable loss to the mercantile community of Wellington, and the committee trusted that pressure would be brought to bear upon the Government, so that the contracts might be put in hand forthwith and actual progress made with the work. An animated discussion ensued. Mr T. K. Macdonald stated that the stream of trade which existed between this' cityr; arid ; the! district known as the Waimate Plains had been, to a large extent, diverted to Auckland; in consequence of the failure to go on with the. lino of railway from Wavcrley to Hawera; Ho trusted the Chamber -would pass ; the resolution, with a view-of expediting the work. Unfortunately too many people considered that business and politics were entirely different, forgetting that they ran on two parallel lines. The members for the district as a whole had not displayed .that, earnestness in seeing that the Government did their duty by this

railway question thatfihey should have done Mr. Levin said, regarding the in - question, that tenders had just been invited for the heaviest portion of the unfinished link, and tenders would be invited for the remaining link so soon as the surveys .were, completed. From the first, day that he enjoyed the position he now did, ho had made it his business to urge upon Government the importance; of that connection; and had been aided in-liis task by 'the'uther members .in the; district. He fully beleiyed that before the chamber niet tliat time, next year "the line Wjonld bo as close^uppn~being ; opened:ias it could contradicted Mr/ Macdonald’s statement about the trade of the Waimate Plains going to Auckland, and demurred to the assertion that the trade of Wellington was in any single quarter decreasing. On the - contrary, Wellington, had extended its borders of trade enormously during the piast few years. Mr J. Duthie dissented fi-om Dr Newman on this point, and knew for a fact t hat-two-thirds of the tradq inddife;district refeKeddoiwaS'being done by.Auckland, through the delay in the construction 'of the railway. He mentioned this without any reflection on Mr Levin, who he knew had interviewed the Government on the subject frequently.