THE THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY. (From the D.S. Cross)

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 116, 1 February 1873, Page 2

THE THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY. (From the D.S. Cross )

Ox Monday, at a meeting held at Grahamstown, a deputation was appointed to wait upon the lion Mr Richardson, Minister of Public Works in Auckland. The members of the deputation were— Mr C. F. Mitchell, Ml'C ; Mr. A. Deveridge, M.P.C ; Mr W. Swan. M PC ; Captam Souter, and MrMacdonild. solicitor. The deputation arrived in Auckland per Golden Crown on Tuesday evening, and waited upon Mr Richardson yesterday morning They read a petition generally advocating the project, and winch contained 1900 signature*, nnd it is to bo presented to his Excellency through the Superintendent The two subjects which tho deputation brought imdes Mr Richardson's notice were tho Thames voter supply question, a,nd the railway from tho lhamos Valley to the Waikato. Respecting tlie w ater supply the deputation thought the Government had practically shehed the matter. Some fuss had Ucon made about it sometime ago, hut now it win fotgottcn. Mr Richardson explained that the Governmenmcnt had not forgotten the question Survey* had been m.idei rough estimates of the eo"»t had been formed, and the material which would be required had been cent for ft'om London. Last month a cable message had been received from the Agent-General, stating that UquWs had bcon expressed as to the siiitnblpneH* of the plant, ordered. The Government however had sent ft reply to Dr Featherston requesting that the plant bo transmitted to the colony as originally ordered The Government expected to rocehea'n intimation shoitly that tho plant had been shipped, and as bqou tv the\ r. cciv ed that intimation, tenders for the construction °f 'he Thames waterworks would be at once (Milled for. It would be of no use calling for tenders until such time us tho Government were in possession of tho fact that tho plant was on its w.ij' to t lie colony. In regard to the railway from the Thames to the WuAnto, the deputation repeated the arguments which have often been urged Wore, that the Thames was puivlv a mining district, with a large population, and that, the Waikato, on the otlionhqud, was equally an ngrieultui al district, and rcqi.rcd i-omc ready outlet fon its produce. The deputation sliowed that railway from tho Thames to tho Watkato would open up a Aery large district of country i ow not available for nettlumcnt, and stated that for a eonsideablo portion of the ili-tnncc tlie line would go through an nuriforoi's country, 1 ami L'ic wcill'i tbns opened would be ponsidfrablo.

Mr Richardson inquired to whtf. pa»t of tlio Waikato district the deputation wished tho line to bo taken The deputation repliod that it had boon considered that N^aruawnhift and Hamiton would bo consulonnl equally suitable nlaces to mike tho Waikato terming. Tho terminus at the W.ukato oud could bo selected by tho 0-ovornniout >Sur\eu>r, by choosing the mo*t suitable nite. Mr Kichardson mquu c 1 w haher any native difficulty would bi in the way of making the survej. Mr C F* Mitchell replied tli.it ho lvlieml wore tho mitter loft in the hands of Mi James Mackay it could bo managed. Tho natives had a fooling anUgmistio to roals and railways. But that feeling was not by any means now so strong as it had been. The most influential of tho natnes had now come round to the pakrha view of thoquosti in— that it was better the country shoul Ibo opened. So recently as Saturday last Mere Kuril had expressed herself di-satisficd that alfthe Europeans were going to Ilikutlua. Mr Richardson stated that tbo Government would have no objection whatever to cause a flying survey of the line to be made, so that a rough estimate of tho cost could be submitted to the nc\t session of the General Assembly, but they would n>t cau-e a survey to be male if there wore the loast chance of danger to the men who would be engaged upon tho survey. lie was not quite sure that there would be no opposition offered, as the deputation should remember the late case respecting the burning of a bridge. Before the survey was proceeded with the Government would require to be informed bv the Native Department respecting the chances of peace or opposition from the nativei. The ohief objection which could be urged against j the proposod scheme lay in the fact that tho jwlioy of tho country favoured ono trunk line rea •lung through the length j of tho'oolony, and not a number of unconnected short lines. A large amount of general conversation was engaged in by the membora of tho deputation with Mr Richardson respecting tho solicited survey. A map was on the table upon which was described the general route for tho line which the deputation suagc>tcd. Tho deputation believed that no engineering difficulty would be encountered on the line of route as pointed out. The deputation t'uvnked Mr Richardson for thoir courteous reception and w ithdrew.