The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1884.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIV, Issue 4324, 25 March 1884, Page 2

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 1884.

For tho cmifiothat lads assistance. For the wrong that needs resistance, For the future In tho distance, And the good that Wo can do.

'■ A telegram from New Plymouth this after- • noon announced that Mountfort's party i engaged on the North Island trunk railway ! survey havo got through from where Mr | Carkeek left off at Tongaparatu, and have 1 reached Ohurn, finding a passablo route i across the Mnkau country,making the third i practicable lino between Auckland and ] Taranaki, aud opening up good agricultural country. We are probably indebted to Air Mitchelaon's assumption of the Public Works portfolio for the nowly-found vigour with which the survey on this side has been prosecuted, and it is worthy of notice that by a singular coincidence the native obstruction disappeared at the sumo moment. The intelligence is of importance, because, although we do not anticipate that it will make much difference in the opposition of those- Who, from interested motives, tfie alleged impracticability of tho Taraxaki route, and it ensures a fair representation of the interests of that line in the reports to be submitted to Parliament during the coming session. Tho Wellington papers, however, steadily continue their agitation for the West Taupo route— Marton, North Palmerston, Fielding, and every other little township south of Wanganui declaring that nature has predetestinated it for tho point of junction with the constructed line. In a rooent article the Wellington "Post" said: " Hitherto tho pooplo of Wellington have been reluctant to press too urgently .the sudorior claims of the central route, because"as the gap to be filled in is at the Auckland end, they have felt that Auckland interests ■ had to some extent a prior claim to be consulted. But they have always looked for the good sense of Auckland people to recognise the inferiority, if not impracticableness, of the route to which their first preference has been given. Now, however, tho time is coming when Wellington will bs forced to take up a definite attitude on this question." There are two admissions in this paragraph from which the Southern opponents of the Auckland-Xaranaki route should not be allowed to recede—namely, that "the gap to be filled is at the Auckland end," and " Auckland interests have to some extent a prior claim." These confessions are a vague sort of admission that by clever and persistent log-rolling Wellington has managed to set its connection with Taranaki and the West Coast settlements pushed on under one pretext and another until the line is in a fair way of completion, and has simultaneously worked the railway eastward towards Napier. If it can only force the trunk line along the central route, it will add another valuable feeder to the Manuwatu private joint stock line, and shut Auckland out from connection with any other settled district in the colony for ten years years at least. No one believes that the colony in its present circumstances would push on a railway of the length required to cover the distance between Marton and Te Awamutu, the whole intervening country being unpopulated, mountainous, and in large part barren, and unfit for settlement. Still there are signs that the Auckland members may be hoodwinked into accepting it, and giving Wellington her way. Only the other day our morning contemporary was found advocating such a compromise. It means nothing short of a complete surrender of Auckland and Taranaki interests, which even Wellington advocates of the West Taupo line uke the "Post" admit to be most deeply affected. If our members yield one inch on this question, or show any ' vacillation, they will only repeat the old story of Northern feebleness when brought into conflict with Southern intrigues. The true course is retaliation, not compromise. If Wellington persists in meddling with Auckland business, let our members return the compliment, and, by combination with the South, rid the colony of tho improper pressure which' Wellington local influence has always exercised over tho government of the colony. Until the survey reports are submitted to Parliament, it is, perhaps, premature to lay down hard and fast lines binding the action of our representatives, but it is also very much too soon to talk of compromises with an intrigue which is conceived in a spirit of pure anitnuH to everything that will benefit the trade of Auckland. Our answer to Wellington would be not compromise but war. *