THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY. Turning ot the First Sod.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1992, 14 April 1885, Page 3

THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY. Turning ot the First Sod.

The event which takes place to-tnoi row on the south bank of tho Pimm River, near Te Awamutu, is one the importance of which cannot be oven.ited. It; h «im event tho significance of winch is maiked politically as well <is commeicially. But .1 few years ago tho idea, of running a railway line through tho centre of tho tenitoiy known as the King Country was looked upon as something for futui itv to realise, for to the minds of many, the idea th.it the undertaking would be accomplished bj the present geneiation, did not pie^ent itself. Three years ago the land of the King Country was pie eminently known as the land of the Maoris, and with the exception of a few adventurous spirits, who, spe< i.illy privileged, had made their way fiom one end to the other, to the people of this colony th»t wide waste of many million aei es was a terra incognita. Many successive attempts were made to deal with the natives for the opening up of the country, but Tawhiao and hi-, follow eis were thoroughly souied with wh.it little civilisation they had already tasted, and the bent of their minds was in the dnection of eternal isolation. They persistently ignored all overtiues refused all offers, turned a deaf eai to all representations, mid for a tune their case was thought altogether hopeless, and the idea of opening up their countiy to settlement impracticable at present. But other circumstances arose which woiked the desired change in theTiative mind Time, the greatest and most successful of all refonneis, removed nio.st obstacles, and the remainder passed away under tho patient and forbeaiiiig.ulniinistiation of successive (Jovernnient-i If '" needless to refer to the respectne policies of tho-e Mmi-teis who from tune to time endeavoured to cope with the persistent stubbornness of the King natives by making the uiteicsts of both races identical, and i.y holding out e\eiy inducement to Tawhiao and his followers to come within the law s and accept the institutions of their more advancing neighbour. One Minister started where the other lvf t ofT, and the woik oncj commenced c ntinned with fair progiestt, to the satisf.ictoi y lesuit which we now leahse. Politically the commencement of the rulw.iy through the King country opens a new chapter in the hustoiy of both colonists and Maori*. The individuality which the natives as a people havehitneito enjoyed tlnough their isolation within the confines of what in a gieat measure has been recognised a« a distinct teintory, has been destroyed, and if any proof were wanting of the complete and un conditional abandonment of all kingly pietensions on the pait of Tawhiao, none stronger could be afforded. Commercially, the great significance of the work cannot be over-rated. The impetus which through railway communication will give to the commercial piospenty of the island n.ust be evident to all. Its advantages must piove incalculable, and the benefits which arc confidently expected from it will be for tbe immediate future to recognise.