LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16266, 27 June 1916, Page 10

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE HAETON LEVIN DEVIATION. Sir.— referring to the proposed deviation of the Mam Trunk line between Morton and Levin, the Herald says that the only part of the district lacking iu railway communication' is on the navigable Lower Rangitikei. Tlvo Rangitikei ceased to bo navigable in the; year 1897. As to t lie country on "''the seaward side of. the Koxton-Sauson tramway.., being largely sandhill, some of that very country has lately changed bauds at £56 per acre, and land within three miles of the coast has fetched £28. As to the good land being nowhere half-a-dozen miles from the Main Trunk line, Rongotea is 13 miles from I'almerston North and three miles from '.he Foxton-Sanson tramway, and £80 per aero ts considered a common price for land in Rongotea. The present FoxtonSanson pays although connected with a' Government branch line at ono end only. About £17,000 built the Bulls traffic bridge, and therefore I fail to see how £100,000 could be spent upon two bridges similar to it. Mr. Fulton, late eugineer i.ir the Wellingtnn-Manavratu Railway Company, reported that the proposed route of deviation presented no engineering difficulties, so evidently it would be a cheap line to construct. Moreover the late Surveyor-General reported that the route ran through some of the finest land in the colon as undoubtedly it does. & Jv. i :, ~ D. NjMcKkszik. Th- Ma«seV Paf&rangi, Waikato, June* 1V1926. ' "*«*'

: tir.—At-i-lus morning's meeting of the I executive committee, a report in the press of the general committee of the Farmers' Union, Auckland, attitude read with regret? 'geejngthat the Farmers' Union are sending' but a circular to their branches in which"they try to 'justify their action, the Navy League Naval Relief Fund Executive Committee felt that it was only fair to the farmers .of the province, have the following^facts? laid- before .#iem. Brieflv,the gerMßral- cbawiitifc©- of- the r Anekiand Farmers' Union claim that we should depend upon the Government to relieve the necessities of the dependants of our sailor heroes, and, despite-- the fact that their president has been f. invited to ; take a seat upon our executive, to which he was elected, ho-has refused to do so. Fortunately a number of the branches of the Farmers' Union do not associate the "do-nothing" attitude of the general committee, Auckland, but like worthy descendants ?$ wp hard-working '"pioneers of the are- ready to manfoßy take their place m'jST' generous spirit 'amongst that large body of citizens of the Auckland Province, who thankfully realise the enormous benefits they have received from the safQ-ffqasding by our navy of "'our ocean routes, and are determined to release "at any rate a portion of their increased earnings as a thank offering for the noble self-sacrifice on their behalf. The committee extremely regrets that the general committee, Auckland, ~of the Farmers* Union should have given such a false- lead to the farmers of the province. i Ebex. J. Thomas. .Time 26, 1916.