THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1878.

Thames Star, Volume IX, Issue 3047, 20 November 1878, Page 2

THE Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR O'CLOCK P.M. Resurrexi.` WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1878.

At a meeting of the heads of local governing bodies held yesterday, con* Tened apparently for the purpose of taking steps to urge upon the Government the desirability of commencing the Thames and Waikato Railway at once, it was stated by Mr Brodie that "the Hon. Mr Sheehan had distinctly promised that the line should be commenced a* soon as the session was over." It is not to be conceived that Mr Sheehan would make such a promise as this unless he had very good grounds for doing so; nor is it likely thatthe County Chairman would have repeated it if he had been under the impression that the promise was in any way conditional. Arguing from .these premises, it does not appear that the local bodies can be charged with importunity in taking action to urge the fulfilment of this promise. Tbe pledge of a Minister on a matter of this kind could not have been lightly given, or without some knowledge of the minds of hit colleagues, especially of that one*most particularly interested, the Minister for Public Works. We have built so much upon the commencement of this xailway and the opening of the land, and our expectations have beea so liberally encouraged by Ministers, that a long delay in carrying out these schemes will be temporarily disastrous. The telegrams sent have not elicited any re* plies except from Sir George Grey, who advises the local bodies to communicate with the Minister for Public Works. The Premier informs the gentlemen communicating with him that he is leaving for the ' Kawau for a few weeks' of much-needed rest; and it will be only ordinary consideration to leave Sir George alone during that time, and refrain from bothering him with correspondence or deputations. This will not apply. to the Minister for Publ:c Works or the Hon. Mr Sheehan, both of whom can be communicated with—-the one as to his intentions, the other as to his promise; and in this way the matter of commencing the Thames and Waikato Railway at this end can be brought before Ministers.'