TARANAKI-AUCKLAND RAILWAY. (Hawera Star )

Waikato Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2252, 14 December 1886, Page 2

TARANAKI-AUCKLAND RAILWAY. (Hawera Star )

) We hope the Ministers are not forgetting that Taranaki wants railway connection with Auckland, and that Auckland wants the connection with Taranaki. There was a promise made last session that surveys should bo pushed on so that fuller information should be obtained in relation to the best route. It may be that the surveys are progressing, but we have not heard of it, and, as the season for this sort of work is rapidly advancing it is time something was heard on the subject. The railway to Wellington is already proving a very great convenience to this distiict, and the impetus which it has given to the trade with Wellington is just what was expected. The Wellington membeis and people were wise in their generation when they schemed, and lobbied, and worried —with too much success, we are sorry to say—to induce Parliament to throw over the Western route for the Trunk Railway. Wellington hoped, and still hopes, by this means to secure practically a monopoly of the trade of Taranaki, and there is good reason for entertaining the hope. If Auckland does not secure railway connection with Taranaki pretty soon, she will find that a trade which she has been cultivating for years will rapidly slip out of her grasp. So fai Taranaki is very pleased to have closer connection with the glowing city of Wellington, but it prefers two strings to its bow ; and, so far as this part of the district is conj cerned, there is very small hope of Taranaki .shipping facilities ever being sufficient for the accommodation of the trade with Auckland which is desired and expected. This trade can only be developed and served by a railway, and to be of the greatest use the railway must make not for a port, but for that part of the provincial district which produces most, which will have most to send on the railway, and wdl require mo&L to be sent to it by railway. This coast has been " diddled once, and we do not want the operation repeated. Leaving out of consideration f.-r a moment the influence of self-interest in Wellington, Taranaki may be caid to have been sacrificed to an idea, the stupid idea that a " central" line must be had, though the precious central line runs through a country alternating in heavy timber, which for many years cannot be useful, and putnioe, whiuh must ever be worse than useless. Let us hope that when the route of the Taranaki branch comes to be decided upon, common sense w ill prevail, and that the main consideiation will be that of serving the country which most needs to be served, and which will pay best for the service. We hope that Major Atkinson will keep his eye on this matter, and, if he finds that the people are a little slow, stir them up to the performance of their duty, and the fulfilment of the promises he obtained from them last session.

"Isn't your hat steeply ':" inquired a little urchin of a man with <i shocking bad un.eun. "Ko; why?"' inquired the gentleman] "Why because it looks a> if it was a lung time snico it had a nap." Thk Power ot Mi sic— The power of music has always been looked on as very great, but a new use has been found in it A Spanish recruit in Havana was stricken dorm by fever and completely paraly^d. All effoits. to arouse him were in vain The doctors pinched him, stuck pins in him, tned a battery on him, but he paid BU tftention to the ten tuien which Usually brim? .1 man to ii M s sense*. When all other mean! had failed music was tiied as a la*t resort. A county iiMin was engaged to play him a few old tunes eveiy day un a striuged instrument (iiadually ht- recovered oom.maud of his muscles, and. before uianv dava was able to throw a stool at fhe head of the musician. £ week saw him fully restored^