The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1882.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1026, 18 March 1882, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 1882.

The," .Wellington Clmmber of Commerce in its' annual report refers to tho Wellingtori-Mamtwatu Railway in the following terms:— , ~,;.,* -. '- ; \

„. f* The formation of a private. Company for the construction of a line if railway liy the Weßt.iC.OMt to Manawatu'bad.its oiigin in thodisoußsionof this .Chamber', and members of the Chamber were its first promoter!', your; .Committee (Mreforo special pleasure iu noticiug tne Bucceßß that has bo •jar attended this undertaking,' Under the contract behvoen the Government and the ; Company, which is cornpleted, and only, now ■ requires printing nno) Company secures endowments blocks of Uudjnthe splendid tract'of country lying between Paikakariki and Paltnprston'jon the southern side'of tho Manawdtti Hiver." 1 Your

Committee congratulate the; Chamber upon the soar prospect of a commencement of operations, in a work which js'of Colonial importance,' as forirfiug; part' of the main trunk linc.from Wollington to Auckland. To this, disii ich and city the benefits, otthis line H mußt,ba yory as it will brintf tho city with the rich lands of ■the yTest.Goast, and connect with tho line of railway Already in operation and running from Foxton to and Taranaki, ,Your Committee look forward at no distant

datetoiseelthf Manawatu Kailway bringing in abundance of produce for exporQand the rcojoimodlindin consequenco fully occupied with business establishments a\iid;-'ware-' I VX'/-..

1 ■:'■ ''We' would point out that the para, 0 indicates that this, \jne, to form part of the main truflkjino' ' -from-Wellington to..^ucklanjis wither ; significant,; The Parliament of New th'efWeli' libgton and Masterton Railway isrtjarfci of theimain trunk 1ine. : ..1t ll is,„iijß,j'J» I ,' • 'Suppose ,th_ai'' ( 'jipj|li|--tne'jVw&raj! and' 1 ; tiinklino. [' When the colony, is pot in lke.it would be nonseli^'to'assime' malntainod. Tho proposal of is yii'tualjyfto wipe'oi(tf'tli«'Wellington'' 'llasteteV. railway as aisecttQ'n ;, bf ! 'the' : line.and substitute for it thi j

Wellington and Mumiwutu-wut.e;:Jrii». project is in oilKopjinQii Mjuribuf to district and the colon fs Wr||aVo lit do tp\ tor ii'.'nl'ii .rmif li«|icu|j ati'iicted, by % private ConipanyiljiiJ,; from tliia point of view We have'utf 1 objection to the West Coast railway, but tho promoters of it have, through political -influences, wrung concession" after concession; out; Ofj 'the/ Ministry, 'till at ladt 'thV colony .'is compromise! for its completion. ■'We li'ave alway? held the opinion that' this lino would be an unprofitable one, but this drawback is of no great public importance as. long: as, the private shareholders undertake the risk of loss or profit. We are afraid, however, that tho position of the lino at present is'som'ething like that of a racehorse trained- by'.'a' gentleman's steward. ■' If the 1 animal' , turned out well it would' be' his owii.;' if badly, liis master's.''' We venture 'to' prophecy that i.f the 1 Wellington-' Manawatu railway is a success, it will be retained as a private Company, and if it proves a failure it will become the property of the, colony; We believe that the line will be made and that then years hence it will be the property of the Colony. This line .will be,,for, many a year to come the price of Itlie, Wellington and West Coast' vote.. While all this is as plain as apikeslaif and all but inevitable, we. are hot/pre-', pared for the West Coast lo'sjiuiilJlie' Wairarapa nIT the main trunk line.' ' and we hope that some little will lie taken' in averting the spoliation! with which this district is/ plainly] threatened. ' .v, ?,;,, i