The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1883. RAILWAY FESTIVITIES.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1071, 10 August 1883, Page 2

The Patea Mail. Established 1875. FRIDAY, AUGUST 10, 1883. RAILWAY FESTIVITIES.

In obedience to a requisition, His Worship the Mayor has declared a public holiday on Thursday, the 23rd instant, the day fixed for the opening of the Railway. A notice appears elsewhere calling a public meeting for to-morrow night to consider the best means of celebrating the opening day, for which we have waited so patiently. The occasion will be one of great importance to the district, and it is fitting that it should not be passed over in silence, therefore we hope to see a good attendance at the meeting, and the arrangements, whatever they may be, entered into with spirit. This railway will be a step towards permanent prosperity. It will connect ns with Waverley, the important trade of which district has hitherto been earned on through other than its natural channel, for such we hold Patea to be. Of course, so long as the line extended to Wanganui, and we were left in the cold, that was to bo expected ; but now that Patea is to-be placed on an equality as regards facility of communication’, we may fairly anticipate a re-adjustment ot trade scales, so to speak. With a port—almost, if not quite, as good as Wanganui—and with an advantage on our side of nearly three-fourths in the distance of railway haulage, our Waverley friends will not be long in discovering that it will be cheaper for them to import by way of Patea than by any other route. The same will be the case as regards the export of wool and grain, two very considerable items. On the northern side settlers as far as Manutahi will find great convenience from the line. The weary drag of heavily laden teams over bad roads will soon give place to the more expeditious and convenient means of transport, thus saving both lime and money. Wool and wheat and other produce will bare to undergo the minimum of handling, as once on board the trucks it will be taken to the steamer’s side at the Railway Wharf. Port charges and dues will be found to be reduced as low as possible, and we believe the Shipping Company, in anticipation of a largely increased trade, have under consideration the advisableness of reducing freights. The full benefit of the railway will not, however, be felt until it is through to Hawera. There is no reason why even this should not be accomplished before next winter, as the work if vigouronsly carried on, could, we hear, be finished in seven or eight months. It should be the business of Patea people to prick the Government up occasionally, as Governments are apt to be slow and sure if left alone. In the meantime it is matter for congratulation that a substantial length of line is ready for use, and that the trade of the port, as the centre of the surrounding country, is likely to be favourably affected thereby. Hence we think all will agree that the inauguration of railway traffic is an occasion of sufficient importance to warrant some festivity, and we doubt not that at to-morrow’s meeting a satisfactory arrangement in that direction will be agreed upon.