TOWN EDITION. PUBLISHED AT 4.30. The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, The Morning News, and The Echo. SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1880.

Auckland Star, Volume X, Issue 3082, 6 March 1880, Page 2

TOWN EDITION. PUBLISHED AT 4.30. The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, The Morning News, and The Echo.

SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 1880.

For the canso that lacks assistance. For tho wrong that needs resistuc*, For the future in the dislanco,

And the eood that wo can do.

Wellington for many years past has boon a vampire living on the rest of New Zealand. It is rarely that anything in the shape of moderation or modesty has been found in the true Wcllingtonian, but during the last political campaign Mr Walter Johnston, ii leading merchant of the Empire City, was shamed by the unseemly clamours of the people into saying that consideration for the large colonial expenditure constantly maintained in the great central establishments should produce some modesty in the demands for an unfair share of public works. That, however, was uot the sort of doctrine to go down with Wellington people, and although when the return of public works expenditure in the several provincial districts came down last session it was proved that Wellington had received £537,899 in excess of its fair proportion on a population basis in which all the immigrants that have been poured into the city were unfairly allowed to count, while the Auckland expenditure was very largely under a fair proportion, the VVellingtonians were unabashed. Our own correspondent in a letter published to-day gives annccount of another agitation in which the pressure of deputations and public meetings is being brought to bear on

Ministers to drag them into more gigantic liabilities for the purpose of pacifying the vampire. There is no trouble in arousing Wellington enthusiasm on a topic like this. Suction from the public revenues comes to the true Wellingtonian like mother's milk, and he is ready on each and every occasion to shew that expenditure in Wellington is a blessing to the colony. So little is known away from Cook's Straits of what has been done, and what is proposed to satisfy the modest requirements of the " hub " of New Zealand, that we intend to throw a little light on the subject. First of all let us see what has been done. A main trunk line passing through the very centre of Wellington province is rapidly approaching a junction with the main trunk line from Napier, now completed sixty-four miles southward. On the west coast of the Wellington province a railway has been completed in one continuous line ninety-four miles from Fox ton through Wanganui to Kai-iwi. Other sections of this line are being pushed on to connect with New Plymouth. From Woodville, on the Wel-lington-Napier line, to Bunnythorpe, on the Foxton-New Plymouth line, the distance is a little over 14 miles, though over a rough country. A vote of £150,000 was proposed to make this connection, putting the Empire City in the happy position of tapping the whole country between Wellington and Napier on the one side, and Wellington and New Plymouth on the other. In the construction of the works necessary to focus all the trade of the southern half of the North Island on the Empire city, the best part of two millions sterling has already been spen* in the Wellington Provincial District alone,besides the £771,817 in Hawkes Bay, and £435,509 in Taranaki, all leading up to the same end. The actual expenditure and liabilities from loan in Wellington to the 30th September last, according to the official return before referred to, was the gigantic sum of £2,360,699 ; Protty good, one would think ! but not good enough, it seems, for Wellington. Our correspondent tells us that the latest thing on foot is a general agitation for the construction of the Wellington-Foxton line; and, further, that the agaitation is being carried on with such vigour that its chances of success are exceedingly good. In other words, that a trifle of £44-o,ooo—the estimated cost of the sixty-seven miles from Wellington to Foxton —is to be apportioned for the purpose of making a second trunk line from end to end of tho Provincial District of Wellington. We hope Mr Hall's reply to one deputation may be accepted as an assurance that in tho present condition of colonial finances the Government will not permit itself to be cajoled into com-

mencing this work. The presence of Ministers in Wellington, however, exposes them\ specially*;.'; to the local pressure, and ~ unless they; take a resolute ikand the! misdhief may be done before Parliament ndeets again. Considering the heavy obligations already incurred in that ptot of the colony Ministers will be highly culpable if they allow the local clamour to prevail. These agitations at the capital and extortionate demands upon the resident members of the Government are intolerable, and if they continue, an united effort should be made by members North and South to remove the capital to some place where the local wants are fewer, and the people have been less accustomed to look to a paternal Government for their means of subsistence.