WAIRARAPA DEPUTATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1840, 15 November 1884, Page 2

WAIRARAPA DEPUTATION.

A deputation consisting of Messrs Beetham.M.H.R., andW. W. McCardie waited on the Minister for Public Works at noon yesterday for-the purpose of presenting a petition from the Pahiatua Road Board, protesting against the stoppage -of the "railway line, as urged by Mr Hawkins and others at a recent deputation, Mr McCardle as chairman of ,the PaMatua Road Board, ( explained that the petition had been brought .about by the action of. Mr Hawkins, the settlers in the Forty Mile Bush, though not objecting to money being spent on . roads, feeling wronged at the intention to stop the railway at Masterton, con'trary to the representations of the previous Government, which had proraised to push it on to Woodville. The settlers were afraid Mr Hawkins 1 representations would prevent this, and he wished to say that Mr Hawkins only represented a small portion of the public interested, as was shown by an attendance of only 150 at the meeting, whereas had the people felt great importance in his views, there would have been 600. The Masterton people as a whole were in favor of the railway extension. The line would open up a large tract of valuable land, well adapted fov settlement, and it was essential that it should be pushed to Woodville, From a colonial point of view it would bo a paying work, and fully recoup the Government the cost of construction, He did not believe the work would cost £300,000 as alleged. (The Minister: The actual estimate is £295,000). There was no better land of the same extent and quality in the colony available for settlement than that which would be opened up. fie was aware that money was also wanted to open up roads, and if Government would supply the means to the local bodies, he was sure that they would do their best to carry it out satisfactorily. Mr Beetham corroborated Mr MoCardie's statements, but wished to record his objection to that part of the petition which took it ior granted that roads through private lands were included bylMessrs Hawkins and Manusell in their representations, Nothing of the sort had been done, the roads only referring to the waste lands. The line should be gone on with, as he knew men had been induced to take up land on that understanding. The Hon Mr Richardson, in reply, said the petition was founded on a wrong supposition. I Nothing had taken place to lead to the idea that, the line would be stopped. It would be proceeded with as authorised but it was a question of time, and in the meantime the country might be benefited by expending the money in other ways. But all reasonable expedition would be used to push the line to Eketabuna. That done then came the question whether the Mangaone and Mangahao Blocks would not be more readily opened up from the other end. The deputation then withdrew, after thanking the Minister for his attention.—Wellington Evening Press.