THE MOA FLAT GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 223, 9 May 1872, Page 8

THE MOA FLAT GRAND JUNCTION RAILWAY.

(To the Editor.)

i Sir, — Amongst the most prominent tion, Extension and General lick-all-Creation Line of Railway, I. notice one advocates of the Moa Flat Grand Juneindividual who should be the* last the Mount Bengerites or Manuherikiates should trust. I allude to the member of a firm which, in years gone by, managed to prevent the main Duustan and Lakes I road from coming up tne valley of the | Molyneux, fearing that with the increase of population a demand for land, necessitating the cancellation of thierrun, would i arise, The injury inflicted on the townships of Roxburgh and Alexandra and on the whole district, through the diversiou of the main goldfielcte "*road round by Palmerston, is plain to those ! interested. I .trust that none will be foolish enough to be deluded by the soft sawder of the individual I allude to in the belief that he ia Striving to benefit the district. He is working merely for his own selfish ends, and to secure them he will sacrifice the district again as he did before. • Nunquam Dormio. (To the Editor.) ■ Sir, — Never since the celebrated G-len Mutcbkin Valley Railway took an admiring world by surprise, has there been such a brilliant and promising speculation introduced to the notice of a discerning public, as that foreshadowed in a petition to His Excellency the Governor and his advisers, at present being circulated in the Mount Benger District. The petition may be briefly described, as having a two-fold object in view. — First, a modest request that the projected Tuapeka and Tokomairir© line, as being comparatively unimport- ' ant should be peremptorily stopped j second, that instead, there should be a line of railway connecting with the Mataura .line, proceeding along the Pomahaka Valley ; thence through the land recently purchased by Mr. Clarke, to a point (Ettrick) in Moa Flat. From this, a line .could be constructed to the rising townships of Roxburgh, Alexandra^ and Clyde, and' all- at a cost considerably less than will be required for the proposed line, connecting the insignificant townships of Tokomairiro and Lawrence. • To enforce the superior claims of the Moa *Flat Grand Junction Railway, six, weighty and cogent reasons are set forth, which, will .doubtless [ cause conviction to t!ie minds of His Excellency and his advisers, and will, I greatly fear, induce them to.postpoue . the claims of the expectant Tuapekans indefinitely. I refrain , from enumerating tfhe signal advantages that* are expected 1 to ensue, if the prayer of this eiogu-

larly modest petition is acceded to, but I would respectfully suggest that a seventh reason, most unaccountably omitted from the petition, should be added forthwith. It is this, That Mr. Clarke (poor man ! ) is at present subjected to the payment of most extortionate rates for the carriage bf his wool to the sea-board, and would be willing to give the large and increasing traffic accruing under this head to the Moa Flat Railway. There J can anything be more complete ! If the Hon. Julius Yogel does not see it in the same light,- why he must be as blind as a mole. • - Now, seriously the promoters of this scheme, who are well-known, could not have gone to the trouble to get a large number of copies of this petition printed, unless they had some grounds for expecting to obtain an ulterior advantage. Ido not for a moment believe ihat they at present ,expect what is obviously their wish, viz., that a railway following the course indicated should be constructed,' but I think it not improbable that the petition may be made an excuse of by the Grovernment to say that on account of the conflicting (?) claims, &c, of the various districts, they must defer the commencement of tke Tviapeka line for ; further deliberation. Their object in short is to- gain time after^the fashion pursued at the Island Block, and in- one or two other-transactions of a similar kind. If you have any doubt as to the quarter from whence the precious document emanates, it may be easily removed by reflecting that although known to be prepared some -time ago, it was not fired off until there was some reason to hope that the Moa Flat sale was finally effected. I will not further trespass on your valuable space, but leave this precious scheme for such consideration -as you may feel disposed to accord it. — I am, &c, ■ S. Mount Benger, May 4th, 1872.