TELEGRAPH STATION TO NORTHENRN WAIROA.

Auckland Star, Volume IX, Issue 2565, 27 June 1878, Page 3

TELEGRAPH STATION TO NORTHENRN WAIROA.

We stated a day or two ago that Mr Dargaville had waited on the Minister of Public Works to urge the immediate extension of the telegraph to Dargaville, Northern Wairoa, m accordance with the vote of last session. The understanding wa* that Mr Dargaville should allow all totara required for posts to be taken free from his land. Mr Macandrew agreed to the expedience of the work, and promised to telegraph immediately to the Hon. Telegragh Commissioner, Mr Fisher, recommending it. This was done, and Mr Fisher replied, expressing the opinion that the line would be costly and unremuuerative and tenders could only be called if Mr Dargaville would guarantee a revenue of £250 a-year. The reply was commuui. cated to that gentleman, who again waited on Mr Macandrew to-day, and explained that when the application was made to Parliament a guarantee of £359 a-year had been offered. The question was referred to a Parliamentary Committee with the guarantee, and after careful investigation the committee reported to the House that they considered the work of such great importance to the large timber and shipping interests en the Wairoa river that it would be unfair to insist upon a guarantee. They recommended that the £5,000 required be voted without the proposed condition, a recommendation which was acted upon by Parliament, the amount being placed on the estimates and carried. Mr Dargaville represented that it was very unfair for the Government to demaud a bond in opposition to the expressed opinion of Parliament. Not one sixpence of Government money had ever been spent in that part of the North, although a very large amount of private capital was lent out there in erectin" wharves and other works of public utility. 0 Nevertheless, he was prepared to enter'into the required bond, on the condition that if any station was established at any other settlement on the river than Dargaville he would be relieved of his liability to a proportionate extent. On this understanding the work will be immediately remedied.