THE Wairarapa Mercury. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1867, THE TRAMWAY QUESTION.

Wairarapa Standard, Volume I, Issue 45, 11 November 1867, Page 2

THE Wairarapa Mercury. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 1867, THE TRAMWAY QUESTION.

The necessity which exists for Opening a better system of communication between the Wairarapa and Wellington than that which we have at-present is now generally; acknowledged ; And it is hard to say Which of the two places Would he most benefitted by the practical development ofsome scheme by which this object would he effected. Being without a seaport, the Wairarapa must depend upon Wellington for those supplies which cannot be produced oh the • spot,- While the latter must continue to be themarket and outlet of that produce Which is not required for home consumption. Intimately connected therefore With this question is .that of Provincialism) for if the Provincial system should be abolished, and the Wairarapa be politically separated from Wellington, we do not see how a scheme of the kind could he successfully carried out. It could not. at all events be so easily accomplished after, as before, such a separation is effected; and if this latter event is, as many suppose, inevitable, the necessity of prompt action on the subject is at once, -rendered apparent. A minimum rate of interest, which, in our opinion should not be less than 10 per cent, .ought to be guaranteed by an Act of the Provincial Council; for as the Province, and not the shareholders would, in Any case, receive the greatest benefit from the undertaking, the former and not'the latter ought to bear the loss, if any, which if might involve. If this yiew be the-correct one it is obvious that no time be-lost, by public meetings and otherwise, in the endeavour to secure - the scherpe.tlm and tbe>!?p-9p6?flUqn'. of the; of the ProvinciatCouncil) in ordetf that if may become the prominent [question for discussion and"decision during the ensuing Session.. It fortunately happens that at this moment,, both here and ai-Welling-ton I ,the public mind/ usually so quiescent, is alive tO'the importance of the qneistibri] anfr on-the prmci'ple.of, “ striking the iron while it .is hot” we hope immediate action will be taken in. this direction.

, .In the “ Evening Post” of the Ist inst., hn article appears on the subject of tramways for ..the Province of Wellington, and though we do not place much faith iu any paper plan for their construction—not made on any reliable data, and which ■appears to have been drawn without a sufficient knowledge of, or reference to the natural features of the country, it must be admitted that the advantages which would be conferred on Wellington and the Wairarapa by the construction of a tramway, are very fairly and fully set forth in the following extract:—

There cannot be a doubt but tramways would be of the highest advantage to Wellington and all the outlying districts ; indeed, we have only to consider for a moment the heavy expense of goods-carrying from Wellington to the interior, to at once conclude that some change must take place, and that immediately. The freight just now from Wellington to Wairarapa is more than double the freight from England toNevr Zealand. Cheap transit would encourage settlers to grow crops of all kinds in a land which nature lias formed so availing for industry. Wheat and oats, barley, turnips, potatoes, &c., could. be grown with.the greatest advantage to the producer, who.would find, ready markets, both in the Northern and Southern Islands, especially on the West Coast, in which market also cheese, and butter, would find ready purchasers. By tramwaysJlgreat facilities would be given for the carrying of timber, which 1 is so abundant in the interior. Cheap carriage would prevent the necessity of importing timber from Nelson or other places. Our miles of forests of noble totaras and pines would be able to supply timber for any part of the colony. Wool would be easily and' cheaply conveyed down to the Home-bound, ship, while cattle, sheep, horses, &c., would be transported jfrom fofe interior to the sea board towns speedily and safely. The settlers, on the whole, would derive immense benefits. Goods from Wellington could be sold in the country towns at a much cheaperjate with equal profits; at the sales would be, perhaps, quadrupled Wellington merchants, again, would secure the advantage of a greater demand for goods. Thus the accumulation of material benefits would tend to, send more population into the interior, whereby profitable cultivation would be extended largely year by year, and tracts of country now dull and barren would be turned into rich fields smiling with abundant ■crops. Wo have looked ill vain through the Provincial Blue Books for a copy of Mr Parks’report of his survey of the Seventymile Bush, iu which the question of tramways is mooted—because, if our memory serves us, ho there states the line from Masterton to and through that important is nearly level,, and presents no engineering difficulties whatever; and because, if wo are not mistaken, he thferere shows that a tramway on that line would prove in the long run less costly than a metalled road, in which opinion we are disposed to coincide. The question of opening tho Lake to steam communication, to which a correspondent directs attention in our present issue, need Hot conflict wffh that relating to the construction of a tramway, as they are in fact both kindred subjects; hut judging from the reception the latter met with when mooted by Mr Wakelin some three years ago in an address to the electors, and tho way it was pooh-poohed by the then representative men of the district, we are forced to tho conclusion that there are more difficulties in the way than either we or our correspondent imagines. As regards this point, however, and also as regards that of the best line for a tramway over the Rimutaka—whether by the valley of the Tauherenikau, or whether over the lowest part of the hill—that opposite to Wainuiomata,’ years ago, so - ably advocated by 'the late Mr Swanson—a survey, which need cost hut a trifle of either time or money would afford a satisfactory solution. Let us determine first on having a tramway through the Wairarapa, and the company ymild soon decide which would he the best, and cheapest way of connecting it with Wellington, or rather with Port ; Nicholson, for with water communication; from Petone or Lowry Bay thei'e is no absolute necessity for the tramway to extend beyond one of these places. Notwithstanding the wet blanket thrown on the project by Mr Bunny and others, the tramway question will become the question of the day as the necessity of a closer commercial connection between Wellington and the Waira‘rapa then nowexists is at this moment more strongly felt by the former than by the latter.