THE RAILWAY.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 8, 23 February 1867, Page 3

THE RAILWAY.

The “ Wanganui Times” of the lOfli instant, in referring- to our article. puhlished on the flth, devotes some space to show that macadamized and not iron roads are what thinly populated districts require. The writer appears to think that a railway cannot be made for much less than £15,000 per mile. Our opinion is that a railway that would answer our purpose need not cost one-third that amount. In our article, however, we did not ask for a vote for the construction of a railway, but for a vote of £'2,000 for the survey of a line which when completed would enable the Government to ascertain what a railway would he likely to cost, and which in the meantime would open up a considerable quantity of land for purchase and settlement. We have already mentioned that the Nelson Provincial Council had voted £IOOO for the services of Mr. Ogulvie, a gentleman now at Auckland, and the reason why he was engaged is thus set forth in the openingspeech of the Nelson Superintendent. He says;—

After having expended an almost incredible sum, and yet having entirely failed to complete even the five or six miles of railway required to connect Auckland with Onehunga, across a narrow neck of land in which no rivers, mountains, or any other engineering difficulties arc apparent, Mr. Russell had been authorised by the Superintenndent to consult with Mr. Brassey, a well known English engineer, on the subject, and the result of that consultation was, that at Mr. Russell's urgent request, Mr. Brassey “agreed that Mr. Ogilve should pay a visit to the Province for the purpose of inspecting the line an 1 - ;porling to him upon he nature of the security which the Pmvinc

could give. Mr. Russell is also reported as having stated to the Auckland Provincial Council that “he was sure that Mr. Og'iive was in Mr. Brassey’s closest confidence, and he was “ a man of great ability. His actural salary was £2OO per month and Mr. Brassey had consented that the amount to he paid should not exceed what he himself paid him.” 1 cannot of course say that Mr. Ogilve could be induced to visit this Province or to report on the Nclsommd Cobden Railway; but it does appear to me that if the ques ion of that railway is to be entertained at all, an effort should be made to obtain the opinion of such an authority, an authority that would be respected amongst foreign capatalists, as weil as being placed above suspicion in this province. This comparatively small outlay would probably be the means of saving this province from those great and expensive Railway mistakes which have impoverished, and destro}'ccl the steady progress of several sister Provinces and injured the credit and added to the burdens of the whole Colon}'. Should Mr. Ogilvie come to Nelson, there is no reason why he should not also be invited to visit this Province. Without waiting' for a meeting 1 of the Council, the Government were it ‘awake and not asleep would at once engage an exploring party to traverse the country which Capt Smith’s line would open up. Payment for this service might be made out of the vote for contingencies, or, if this vote is

exhausted, payment could bo deferred until a vote of the Council was passed for the purpose. The excuse of want of funds will not answer as the sale of 100 acres of the land which the line would open up would realize more than such an exploration would cost. In our next we intend to publish some extract- wo n a small work of AV. Chambers ou wi,ways which will, we trust, convince the editor of the “ AVang'inmi Times” that lie holds very erroneous views both as to the relative value and relative cost of iron and metalled roads. In the meantime v. r c call upon the Provincial Executive to devote some of their attention to this district.