THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1912. EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10682, 31 July 1912, Page 4

THE Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1912. EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Jf the people in Wellington are in. earnest in tho deaire- they.have expressed to improve their trade- with (the country districts, they cannot do (better than, support the movement haw 'being madie in the Wairarapa for a railway dine along the East Coast from Waipukuirau to Masterton., and a deviation of the jviimitaka line from Woodeide to the Hutt. This would open tho rich East Coast lands, a»nd give a great impetus to the trade between Wellington and Wairarapa. Tho ip-rotpoail put ibc-iffeu-e tho Minister for 'Rtailways to deviate or duplicate the Manawatu Hue is nothing like of the same importance to Wellington as is an East Coast line, together with a deviation of the Riimaataka. Eight ■maJea cairn be saved, and a "better grade secured by taking a lino through Tauherenikau from Wood side to the Upper Hutt. The distance between. [Napier and Wellington can also bo considerably shortened by an. East Coast lino. When the Gishomo line I i's opened up themo will be eonteidarab'le congestion on the Napier section through the increased, traffic, and the position should be immediately faced. When the lion. R. Mackenzie whs in; officio ho objected to the Government constructing a railway "through lauds held in large areas, on the ground that it would be putting money into the pockets of tho squatter. That reason was a very weak 6m>. Tho Government wauiifc closer 'settlement, and it would' ho cheaper and a more busin.e'fcis-like proposition to construct a .railway and induce the landowners to tsA\ than to seize their 'lands l Hinder the Act and sub-divide them for settlement. The experience of the Fongaroa settlers, who were induced to go upon the land, under tho distinct pledge that tlicy would, ho given, access to tho markets, should be enough to convince the people that railways should precede rather than follow okxso settlement. The 'meeting to be held in M'astfort'on to-night fcfiiould resolve ur.on a titrong deputation to the Prime Minister and Miu'.lstor of Public Works in refcrenco to tho construction of the East Coast t:*§in»&- Th» demand for the dupli-

cation, cf the West CV«st' line-, the in creased traffic which will bo provide* wlien tiho Xap:or-'GiV:honio railway « completed; the thcuamde of acros oi good laud which are awiiting dlofc?< settlement alaiifi tlio East Coast t< the south of Napier; the appeal ol the.settlers in tV country between AlfrtVdton and' Wobc.r for access tc markets ; the of opening this bad by road in consequence cf th:» e«m-:ity. c.F motfal; nJI of thcK point lshould. be urged upon the Ministers of the Crown, 'and a demand made that the Ktvst Coast railway fhoiild be among tlie ifcst buthorizatcoas of thn Owom-mont. The co-operation of -Napier,, Wollkfiton, and intervening townships should be sought, and the appeal should be made from a national rither than a parochial standpoint. Then may we hope that justice wr.il! be done to the lower 'portion (if thio Wellington provincial district.