The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1885. A RAILWAY JOB.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1948, 25 March 1885, Page 2

The Wairarapa Daily. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25, 1885. A RAILWAY JOB.

The announcement is made that the Government has entered into negotiations with the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company for the purchase of the line which the Company is now constructing between Wellington and Palmerston North. It is stated that the Government proposes to resume the land granted to the Company on payment at the rate of 10s per acre, and to leave the Thorndon reclamation in the hands of the Company, The Government will also refund to the Company the amount of its actual expenditure on the railway line, without interest. The directors of the Company are said to have expressed their willingness to accept these terms, and apparently little more remains to he done except the arrangement of the details, and to obtain the sanction of Parliament. The history of this railway line is a somewhat remarkable one. Almost as soon as the Public Works policy was initiated pressure was brought to bear upon the Government by interested parties to undertake its construction, and the most capable officers of the Public Works Department wero from time to time instructed to report upon it. The reports presented were always 1 o the effect that for various reasons a railway betwoen Wellington and Manawatu would not pay because there would not be sufficient traffic to support it. Extreme pressure was at last brought to bear upon the late Government, and when neither they nor Parliament could see the necessity for expending public money upon it, a company was formed to undertake the work, Although the promoters of the scheme were very sanguine of its success, they, on the other hand did not scruple to use the opinion of the Government engineers already referred to, and with such good effect did they do it that the Government handed over, free of cost, the work? already constructed, and about 850,000 acres of land, the greater portion of which must bo classed with the very best in the colony. The contract was immediately denounced as a job, and the opinion was freely expressed that ifthelinewasa necessity it would pay for its construction out of traffic returns. But if the public estate was then wasted, what will the publjc thjnjk P f tlie P re " sent proposals? What the Government, proposes to do, simply amounts to, this, that the Company is to receive 10s an acre for land that has cost nothing, except a trifle expended in surveys, and that the line shall be taken gver at j|s actual crat, the payment for the land being no dgubt considered sufficient interest for the expenditure incurred, i valuable reckmation in the harbor of Wellington is also to remain in the hands of the Company, but whether the Government intends to pay the actual cost of the work or not we have yet to learn. It would be interesting to learn in what mariner the West Coast railway < line : has acquired its enhanced value inthe eyes of the Government, It cannot be that the Public Works Department has changed its opinion as to the resources of the country through which the line passes, or to the extent of the through traffic, nor can we imagine that a desire for the resumption of the land granted to the Company has exercised the slightest influence. All we know at present is chat in the first instance valuable concessions were made to a private company at the expense of the public purse, and that the

Government now proposes to cancel these concessions by making a further sacrifice of public money. It in stated that the payments, proposed to be~ made to the Company will do very little more than reimburse-it for the butlay made, makjng due allowance for inter-.. •)st, -Wliei'iit is remembered that'the land was granted for nothing, that the Company has a valuable, reclamation, and has further, on the strength of its position, purchased a considerable ai-oa of native land on very favorable terms,; it will probably bo found that the., f'liitle more tbfth" iljterest" means jQiuewliere about'so-per cent. Parliament will probably sift tlie matter, and- bring it to light in its proper colors. Tlie Government has already made arrangements for taking over several district railways which it was found would not pay,.and it may betaken for granted that they .did. not lose any ..political support on account of these transactions, Is the acquisition of tho Weßt Coast line, whichwill throw such enormous profits into the pockets of a large number of Wellington shareholders, to rank on the same level ? The stockjobbing propensity of Sir Julius Vooel is peculiarly illustrated by the fact that, in anticipation of the purchase being completed, tho Government has already bought up all the debentures of the Company that were available in tho London markot. That tlie adoption of this course may save money must be taken for granted, but it is nevertheless a new and curious spectacle for a Colonial Government to appear as a purchaser of debentures, while it has borrowed millions of money, There certainly appears to be room to doubt the legality of this transaction, In the event of Parliament refusing to ratify the agreement with the Company, the Govornmont will find itself in a very unique position, because it will have on its hands a large numbor of debentures on a work whioh it had refused tooonstruot on the ground that it would not pay,

A meeting of the Gas Committee of the Borough Council will be held to-morrow evening,

The various football clubs in Wellington are making preparations for opening the season,

The German residents of Wellington celebrated the eighty-eighth birthday of the Emperor of Germany with a very successful ball. Messrs Lowes & lorns announce a sale of produce, second-hand furniture, cutlery &c, for Saturday next. Defaulting ratepayers in the Masterton Road District will find a somewhat forcible reminder in another column, it being notified that proceedings will be taken after the 9th proximo,

Mr John Graham announces that he has taken over the Opaki saw mill, All accounts are to be paid to him, and he will discharge all liabilities in connection therewith.

A cricket match was played on Saturday between the newly formed Waihakeke Cricket Club and the hands from Stevens' mill, the club being, victorious by five wickets,

The southern flourmillers are at present successfully competing with our local mills on account of the cheapness of wheat in the southern market in comparison with pur own. " :

Jacob Frankel, a well-known pawnbroker in Wellington, has been committed for trial on a charge of having received three books, valued at 135,: stolen from the Government Buildings, and knowing the same to have been stolen, We have been asked whether there will be any coursing meetings during the ensuing winter. We have not heard that any steps have been taken in this direction, but those interested no doubt only need a reminder to tako the initiatory steps. The question of establishing a Hunt Club, which was mooted some time ago, might also bo advantageously considered at the present time, as we are on the eve of the hunting season, Constable Cullinane, well known in Wellington, and latterly stationed at Porirua, has been appointed as an additional constable in the Masterton district, and Inspector of Weights and Measures for the two Wairarapa Counties. He assumed his duties this morning.

The dissolution of the partnership hitherto existing between Messrs Graham & Duncan is notified in our advertising columns. Messrs Duncan & Sons also notify that the business will in future be carried on by them. The public are reminded that Messrs Foley and Berkley's weekly concert, postponed from Monday evening, takes place at the Theatre Royal this evening, the original and attractive programme being adhered to, and as many of our best ainafeurs will assist, a good house may be looked for,

The acoiilent which occurred a day or two ago, when a man was thrown frqin his horso through the animal shying at a procession of ,the Salvation Army, has induced the police to look into the matter, and Sergt McArdle has asked the assistance of the Borough Council in his efforts to put a stop to the proceedings. The Council is apparently not clear in its own mind as to the best means be be adopted under the circumstances, and enquiries are to bo made aB to what is done in other boroughs, In the meantime the Army is to be asked to abandon or modify its processions'volunjiarjjy.

At a meeting of the Works Committee of the Wairarapa East County Council, the following tenders were dealt with ; Contract No, W.-401 lineal feet Platform Bridging, with approaches, Alex. Reeae, £372 jdeclined.-J'Dawson, £4ll A. McLeod, £43B', "Contract No. 20 79 lfneal feet Platform Bridging, with approaches, qne culvert with embankment, Alex. Reese, £348; fyiwson, £3Bl, A. McLeod £402. Contract No. 21- 21 lineal feet Platform ing with approaches, two culverts, and repairs to Kopuaranga bridge, Alex Reese £194 ; declined ;-J Dawson £224, A, McLeod £262,

An aocount of £5 was brought up to be passed for payment at the meeting of the Borough Council yesterday, the amount having been voted by the Licensing Committee as salary for the year to its clerk, Mr J. J. Freetri. A motion in favor of passing the item was about to be put, whon Or Hessey enquired whether the Council could legally.make the "payment. ; Several Councillors seemed to be of opinion.: that, as the Licensing Committee had passed the account, the Council had no ohoice in the matter.. .Some time waß spent in looking Up tin) law on the. subject, but nothing satisfactory being discovered, the matter was' ordered to stand over till next mooting, the Town Clerk being instructed to ascertain the legal position in the interim,

Captain Edwin telegraphs: Indications very cold, or frost to-night. .'■• There was no Bitting of theR.M. Court at Carterton yesterday, owing to noi one being there to preside. : ,',*■■'.

It is notified'that our adjourned meeting in the estate of Patriot Cookery,livery stable-koopor, wilQm; held jat X p.m. tomorrow. \ . •■ •; «N>* r ' ' ' • • ■.•:.,*&• Mossrs Booth &00., of Carterton, have, started thoir saw mill again, andasthey: employ -a largo number of hands, it is hoped that it will boa long time before they have occasion to stop it again. The working; men of • GarteTtOW/ltaye', ■ no doubt, found tho t'empbrarjr ; .stoppage a. serious-loss. •■'*"'

Mr Samuel Capper will lecture in-Mas* ■torton on Thursday, April 2nd, the "subject being " Beware of the Dog!" Mr Capper is aiv enthusiastic advocate in the cause of temperance, and has secured large audiences in other.parts of the colony.

It was stated at yesterdays meeting of the Wairarapa East County Council that about £7OO of rates Btill remain unpaid. Mr F. H. Wood's salo of racing stock, etc., at Mr T. Ray's yards, Taratahi, yesterday afternoon, was largely attended. Buyers, however, did not feel inclined to aocept the prices asked by the owner of the horses offered, and they were consequently passed in.

Mr Hakuene, M.H.R., has visited the

Maori prophetess, and reports that everything is quiet. He could get no information relative to the human sacrifice, but disbelieves it himself. The Natives denied having any desire to alarm or injure Europeans. They are all unarmed, and desire to be left alone until the final day, when they are convinced a change will take place. Mr Hakuene does not anticipate any disturbance. At the meeting of the Wairarapa East County Council yesterday afternoon, .Cr Hawkins made the amusing and astonishin? statement that whenever a mile of rood was metalled, two miles were cut up in hauling the metal, and that most of the roads in the County cost more than would have paid for constructing the same length of tramway. As a well constructed tramway must necessarily be ballasted, a work whioh, as a matter of course, involves heavy expense, Cr Hawkins will probably admit, on reflection, that he made a miscalculation,

At the meeting of the Education Board this morning the Board appointed Mr Maokay to the Droyerfcon School, It was determined to advertise for a teacher for the second sohool at Masterton. Tenders are to be called for the erection of a teacher's residence at Waihaheke, .Regarding the floor of the Te White school, the Board determined not to depart from the original specifications. Tenders were ordered to be called for clearing at Dalefield, No action is to be taken re fencing. Nine guineas was voted for repairs to the residence at Olareville.' Tenders are to be called for fencing at Dreyerton. A request of the Kaitara School Committee for a tank and pump was not acceded to. The Napier Evening News thus chaffs the Herald :—"Our morning contemporary to-day published a remarkable supplement. We have oxamined this sideways, upside down, and right end up with the result that we have ascertained that it is a symbolical picture conveying the idea of a general European conflict. It has been executed on an incomplete chess board, tjie squares not being colored, and contains a dark'irregular stroke signifying the uncertainty of life. In the right hand corner is a well-executed design of ancient Babylon, teaching the lesson that great Empires perish, and near this is a very well-drawn diagram showing the system of the circulation of the blood. To the left hand top corner will be seen a, few addition sums, someof which, through neglectapparently, have not been added up. Throughout the picture are a lot of blobs of an oystery shape which either represent the smoke of cannons or have been caused byjies falling, in the ink-pot and then taking an excursion over the work. Running irregularly aoross the; work line, labelled " Hicks Paoha Expedition." This oonveys the idea that the dots represent the footprints of the ill-fated host; hence they went in Indian file for a great distance and then in columns .of threes. Possibly, however, the dots represent the meat tins thrown away on the journey. It is a very interesting production and does our contemporary great credit."

No doubt many readers of the Daily paper have read the piece about the two ships, and not only read, but made up their mind which ship they are by; also which they are in at the present time. I have been working as a deck hand for some time on the Gospel Ship, so I write now from experience, and I have to confess that since I shipped on Board the Gospel Ship as a deck hand, I have had some grand times, far before the rotten ship I left, Although I had some pleasures on the ship I left, I was never safe, not knowing a moment but that the ship would go down, when I should have been lost for ever. The ship I am now on will never sink, for 1 have a Divine Captain, and I can trust Him, no matter how rough it is, for in the past amid the raging of the storm He has Piloted me safely through, and I havo come off more than Conqueror. 1 mean to haveJe sub for my Captain all the way, for 1 am certain that I shall arrive safe into the Harbor, which is Heaven. All who wish to be on the Gospel Ship can do so by coming to the Salvation Army Barracks, where they can all get a free ticket, Come along! Many Sailors wanted.—Apply at once.

Don t die in the, hqusk,—'• Rough on Eats' clears out rats, mice, beetles, roaches, bedrbugs flics, ants, inßcotß, moles, jaok-rabbits, gophers 7Jd—N.Z. Drug Company