THE "FEARFUL GAP."

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1029, 2 May 1883, Page 2

THE "FEARFUL GAP."

The Mayor of Hawera gave Fatea people a nasty mb at the last meeting of the Borough Council. He said that if we wanted the Northern trade, we should bestir ourselves, and not ask other people to do the work. He thought Hawera could. be as well, or even better, served by Waitara, and it was not Hawera’s place to give Patea a lead in the matter. To some extent the Mayor of Hawera was justified in his remarks. Appearances are decidedly against us. For some years we have been aware that the railway gap has existed, and that the efforts made to bridge it have been of a very leisurely character. No particular attention appears to have been paid to the slow rate at which the works were progressing, and the first grumble is hoard from Wellington. A deputation ‘ from the Chamber of Commerce there waited upon the Minister for Public Works to lay before him the feeling of the Chamber, which was that the line might have been finished if energy in construction bad been shown. After a conversation with the Minister, a promise was elicited that a vote would be asked for, next session, to finish the work. This we regard as very satisfactory. But in making his remarks the Mayor of Hawera, no doubt, had in his mind the fact that the subject of the delay had been first broached in Wellington, and next by a letter to his council asking them to call a public meeting, Patea people all the while remaining inactive. We believe that none of the public bodies of Patea had held a meeting since jthe resolution of the Harbour Board was passed so that the matter had not come before them officially. Nevertheless we think. Initiative steps to hold a meeting ought to have been taken here. The occasion was of sufficient importance to have warranted the setting aside of red tape forms and going into the subject in a business-like and patriotic spirit. As

that has not been done we suppose we must put up with the unfavourable comments of'our neighbours. After the very broad hints we have received it is to be hoped that there will be no further delay in taking our share of the work. Whati does our Mayor think about it ?