The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1855.

Thames Star, Volume XVII, Issue 5213, 1 October 1885, Page 2

The Evening Star. PUBLISHED DAILY AT FOUR P.M. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1855.

One of the most important works tending to the advancement of this district is the carrying out of the railway between here and Te Aroha, and, it might be added, that the construction of a branch line from Paeroa in the direction of Karangahake, Waitekauri, and the surrounding district would also aid in the development of the known valuable mineral resources of this part of the country- Putting I aside the fact that a line constructed would open up the land from an agricultural and pastoral point of view; even forgetting the advantages gained by the utilisation of the gifts of nature so bounteously bestowed on the district in its forestry and gumfields; placing at naught settlement on the land with its accompanying advantages ; we have before us a long avenue to wealth and prosperity in the rapidly developing goldfields almost at oar doors. The treatment of minerals by a smelting process has rapidly grown in favor throughout the mining world, and as a rule wherever a smelting centre has arisen, there has been formed a thriving community. In our , case the area from Te Aroha to the sea on every side in our direction has bean proved to possess vast mineral wealth, and to the profitable treatment of such treasures it is necessary for the colonial welfare that every facility should be given. A smelting furnace is erected here—and this has been done at no inconsiderable cost; another has been put up at J£arangabake, and these things in them* selves sre likely to be prolific in argu* menls for the immediate carrying out of the lines we refer to. The cost of carriago is a serious item in connection with the treatment of the material won from the various mines in outlying districts, and we have here a most decided advantage attached to our proposals, even looking at the running of a railway on purely commercial principles. A railway manager looks for up and down traffic, and empty trains are naturally repulsive to him. In the case of the lines we advocate, fuel, machinery, and the otherrequi lite* for uuearthjug the known to be

existent wealth; the supplies necessary for the subsistence of those engaged in such occupation, and the carriage of passengers, would form a large business one way, while the conveyance of material requiring treatment, return produce of different kinds, and the necessary carriage of matter affecting an interchange of oomtnerce, with the passenger traffic also attached to going and coming, would make such lines throughly remunerative. The business of the whole district would be stimulated by the outlay of what might be considered a paltry sum when the derivable benefits are considered; not only the immediate advantages and incoming results of a financial character would be affectev, but the port would be very materially assisted by the water necessarily attendant on the increase of mercantile demands. The want of other industries would not be so noticeable as they now are, were the mining one fully worked, and the employment of all kinds of labor—not only those connected with mining, but the many other methods of using it—would be brought into use. Our member, Mr W. Eraser, deserves every credit for his perseverance in obtaining for us the line as far as it is at present authorised, and we must sincerely hope that ere long he will successfully see to the authorization of the works we now refer to being carried out.