The Waikato Times.

Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 713, 11 January 1877, Page 2

The Waikato Times.

Equal and exact justice to all men, 01' whatever state or persuasion, religious or political # # # # # [lere shall the Pres-j the People's right

maintain. Unawed by influence and unbribed by gain.

THURSDAY. JANUARY 11, 1877.

We cannot wonder that the people of Te Awamutu and the Upper W&ikato should exhibit impatience not so much at the slowness with which the construction of the Waikato railway proceeds, as with the apparent neglect by tbe Government to carry to the frontier the line already more or less finished as far as Ohaupo. It has been semi-officially caused to be understood that no time would be lost m extending the line from Ohaupo to the frontier, but as yet practically no commencement has been made towards this undertaking*. That it has not, is undoubtedly an official mistake. When the government of a country takes over to itself a monopoly, whether of railway 'construction and management, or anything else, the public have a right to expect that the work shall be done with at least an equal exercise of judgment and commercial acumen as would be evinced m the case of a public company of individual capitalists undertaking it- — that railways shall be constructed and maintained on the sound business principle of making them the greatest possible value and use to the public with the object ot securing the greatest return of profit. But New Zealand Railways, m this province at least, seem to be administered on exactly the converse principle. It lias been a crying scandal, from the very opening of the Auckland and Onehunga and Mercer lines, that the rules and managemement have been such as to reduce both passenger and goods traffic, and especially the. latteiy to the lowest possible minimum. So much so, indeed, that there have not been wanting those who laid it to the late Government that this was purposely done to make it aj - ppar that railways m the Auckland Province would not pay. We do not go this length, though we believe the charge has been made m all sincerity. We are, inclined to think, that the mismanagement of the working of the Auckland railways has been due rather to a want of official intelligence than to intention ; though even ,i dull intelligence might have been spurred to a clearer view of the

public requirements by the repeated complaints and expostulations made by the people and by the press, than has been the Case. And just as, m its working, the Auckland and Mercer Railway has beun made as •ittle useful to the pubic and as un remunerative as possible to the Government by imbecile manage ment, so does ifc seem that the Public Works Department are deterraihed to cripple its usefulness m the character of its construction. Why should it stop short at Ohaupo ? Why run nearly up to the most fertile and largest producing portion of the Waikato country and stop short there ? Whether looked at from a commercial or strategic point of view the action of the Government is a mistake, and now that tne head "quarters of the constabulary force m Waikato are to be fixed at Kihikilai, it is m the latter case a still greater mistake. The people of Te Awanmtu have called a meetfor Saturday afternoon next, and no doubtrthe matter will be thoroughly discussed. It is light that it should be so, and m outspoken terms. The matter is one which concerns not only themselves, but the entire district, for what is gain or loss to one district is gain or loss to all, Bye-and-bye, perhaps, we shall solidify into a united people, when Waikato shall, mean Waikato not merely m word but m fact, and when to touch one of our districts with neglect or injury will rouse a common "feeling and elicit a common agitation from one end of the district to the other. In sach case we should have heard not of a meeting merely atTe Awainutu, bub m every township m Waikato, and an agitation which no Govern oient could have ventured to ignore.