The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAT, OCTOBER 11, 1882.

Thames Star, Volume XIII, Issue 4299, 11 October 1882, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. WEDNESDAT, OCTOBER 11, 1882.

The future of the railway scheme is | looking much brighter. It is said that j the origin of toe matter taking its present j shape is as follows i—Mr-Sheehan was lying in bed |wr seTferal days, sick and feverish, «nabl«3so. sleep and yet unfit to J more about." Various subjects occupied ( his thoughts, one of tbett v JtejjDg^the , Thames "Railway. He had used" erety] effort to hay* tbe'lia«, iDUude* in the 1 sebeanle^of public wotks, but witboUt: success—the Government was inexorable. A happy thought struck him; could the capitalists whom he had heard of be induced to undertake the work, or could sufficient land be obtained as an endows ment to enable a company to be floated to construct the railway. Soon regaining his health be "put in a dig," and the first shovel disclosed the color. Following up the indications, the ' show ' became better and better, and he is confident of striking a patch as rich as the Thames Valley Railway. Mr Sheeban found the Minister for Public Works desirous of rendering all assistance possible, and as an earnest at once placed all the information which Government possessed relative to the length and probable cost,, of the line at his disposal: he was furnished with their engineers'plans and calculations. /The great question was, is there sufficient land obtainable to induce capitalists to enter upon the scheme? Government likewise had this information supplied, and it proved exceedingly satisfactory. It was found that half a. million acres, a large portion of which is tit present under negotiation, will be available, and sufficient is situated near to or along the line of the proposed route, to answer all requirements. The capitalists are now known not to be the will o'-the-wisps that some persons injudiciously tried to make them appear—a creation of Mr Sheehan's brain for the purpose of gaining some ephemeral popularity, and supposing him bo shallow as not^to see that any such paltry device would? recoil upon himself— but an English syndicate commanding five millions sterling. The attempt to bring discredit on oar member proved a signal failure. The representative of the syndi- ! eate, Mr Rjstoi, is an engineer, and is himself reputed to be a man of some means. He has, on behalf of his principals, agreed.io^onstruct the Manawatu railway, and Weit'Caaat line, Middle Island. But the moat importast consideration at tb« prment moment ia, tore the people of this .district any duty to perform ? It should be borne in mind that we through our member are the movers in the matter: we \ go to the capitalists, and ask them, to j undertake the construction of the railway; j they do not tone to us and offer to make I it. It follows, then, that they are dealing .■iot with Government, but with us. It is out intwest to make the best, bargain potaible with the Government, io it to be in a position to offer those with whom we hope to make term every inducement. Having •o excellent prospect before us, it is now our duty to initiate the scheme, and steps should at once be taken if Mr Sheehan's documents'are considered satisfactory, to foria a company. '. Mr Sfeeebaß thinks thai altogether apart from the English syndicate a. colonial company could b«t^tadto| supply tM; necessary means. A great deal will depend upon the terms offered^ and the duty that falls to the lot of tb}i community to enlist the sympathy

of the powers 4hat be in order to obtain such concessions as will induce capitalists to embark in the enterprise.