The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume VIII, Issue 489, 8 July 1875, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men. Ot whatever st ite or persuasion, religious or political ; # # # # * Here shall the Press the People's right maintain, Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

THURSDAY, JULY 8, 1875.

A3 there was some errors in a description of the operations of the Waikato Swamp Company which recently appeared in these columns we may recur tothe subject. It was stated that the Company have now under contract twenty-five miles of roads, at an average of £25 par mile, whereas the actual cost will be about £400 per mile. The distance over the new road to the Piako was stated to be about 35 .piles, but that is the distance to the Thames, the Piako being only distant 15 or 16 miles by this rou to from Hamilton. The expenditure by the Company on roads alone will amount to about £10,000, but this only comprises one itemot the outlay. Besides this, the Company is now expending capital at the rrtto or about £101)0 per month,°and employing labor and mateiial largely in improving their properly. Wo uotice that, at a meeting recently held at the Thames, a committee

was appointed, a part of whose duty will be to urge on the Government the advantages of immediately constructing a railway from the Waikato to open the immense tract of splendid country in the U pper Thames district. The line would be of incalculable benefit to both the Waikato and Thames districts. It would open up a lar^e timber trade, provide a ready cuarket for the settlers, and cheapen produce for the thousands of miners located on the goldfields. We feel confident that if the Colonial CtOVernment do not authorise the construction oi the railway during the forthcoming session of the Assembly, the work will be undertaken by a private Company. There can be no doubt as to such a railway speedily returning handsome profits upon the outlay. The level character of the country, and the ease with which the line could be laid down would render the cost trifling compared with many railways which have been constructed m lav less promising districts, containing not a tithe ot the maoniticentresources possessed bythaUhrough which a railway from the Waikato to the Thames would pass. It was stated by the Mayor of Grahamstowr at a recent meeting, that the population of the Thames district was about 15,000. That of the Waikato, by the last census was shewn to beuearly 5000, and it has since considerably increased, .between tIW two important and rapidly growing dS^plO*b»y>fc absolutely necessary, in order toSAn^ qilSofecUeap communication between tlieptoluBfersin^"mikalo,aDd the large body of constttnersat the Thames. Thescarcity ot Umber m the Waikato has seriously retarded farming operations, fencing, and settlement generally, whilst ihe distance, high freights, and delays incidental to forwarding produce to market have prevented agricultural pursuits on any considerable scale. With a railway between Hamilton and the Thames, openina up the magnificent forests in the upper i names, th?se obstacles to progress would disappear, and a stimulus would be afforded to progress which would speedily place the province of Auckland m a foremost position, provide homes for thousands of prosperous settlers, and largely increase the general revenue of the colony. The one thing needful is cheap and rapid transit. With these and the vast extent of magnificent agricultural and forest land, there is room for thousands of settlers, and for an immense profitable commerce. We trust that, should the Government not see their way at present to construct t^elr^, tter^iU be prepared to meet in a li^^^i^y^W 6 company which may be prepa\^cct6. undeVtaH^tlre work.