SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1900. NORTH ISLAND RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 196, 18 August 1900, Page 4

SATURDAY, AUGUST 18, 1900. NORTH ISLAND RAILWAY.

The volume and importance of the Financial Statement delivered to the House of Representatives by the Colonial Treasurer last night preclude, the consideration in these columns to-day of all, or even its leading points; so we propose to deal with one only. That point treats of a subject which more than any other in the range of practical politics has engaged the attention of this part of the colony for some time past. We refer, of course, to the question of the North. Island Main Trunk Railway. We have been looking- forward to the announcement of the Government's decision, regarding that work with, more interest than we could pretend to feel in any other matter likely to be touched on in. the Budget; and now it is before us, we shall give it the same place in our criticism that it has hitherto occupied in our thoughts. After all that has been written in these columns in favour of the Stratford Toute, it is perhaps hardly necesisary for us to express our regret that the Government should have chosen the, Central route. We do so, however, to emphasize! the fact that, notwithstanding the action of the Government, we consider a mistake has been made; and we are persuaded that ch'cumstances will abundantly prove the correctness of that statement, and of the views we have all along held in this connection.

The speedy completion of railway communication between Auckland and Wellington has been, so far as we could discover, the chief advantage tbe friends of the Central route hoped to gain by their advocacy of the same. But we do not find anything in the Budget that can be taken as a definite assurance that the work will be done with the expedition desired. Not only is there no such assurance, but Mr. Seddon's statements to Mr Napier showed clearly enough that the Government has no intention of pressing forward the work at the rate the member for Auckland suggested, when speaking for the Northern advocates of the Central rozite. No blame can reasonably attach to the Government for this. Every sane man knows that to complete the railway in three years would practically be an impossibility. It would mean that,the part of the line yet remaining to be done would hsGvejto'be constructed at tluirate of nearly a mile a week; and competent engineers assure us that the material could not be put upon the ground at that rate. We, venture to prophesy that not in less than seven to eight years, and most probably not before ten years, will the train be running between -Auckland and Wellington, via 'the Central route. Even, if the money is voted ait a rate that would pay for the works being carried on. more rapidly, we do not for a moment anticipate'it will be'spent.

On the other hand, the Budget proposals hold out a much more definite hope of Auckland's being soon connected with Taranaki—-a much more important matter for us than the connection with Wellington. The Colonial Treasurer admits the necessity lor having the country between Kawakawa and Stratford opened up b$ railway. He adduces as reasons for the work —and they are the best of reasons — the suitability of the land for settlement,' the coal deposits, and the timber. , He speaks of the il^agnincent dairying districts of; the West Coast, and suggests a narrow gauge railway which, he considers, "would pay and fully justify the experiment." Indeed, it appears to us that Mr Seddon in his remarks marshals the very arguments which tell in favour of the Stratford route' and make his adoption of the other route less justifiable. Their'appearance is to us but another proof that in making a choice of routes the Premier has had to sacrifice his own convictions to the pressure brought to bear on him by the Wellington folks— a pressure to which a section of Aucklanders yery foolishly contributed. After this declaration of his we shall expect to see some substantial provision made in the Public Works votes for the Kawakawa-Stratford railroad. In committing itself to the Central route as the line for the North Island Main Trunk railway the Administration must keep faith by pushing that line on as vigorously as possible; but it will be none the less the duty of those in authority to provide railway communication, in every distinct where the march of settlement, the opportunities for settlement, and the resources of the country demand it- If they do that we have 'little doubt that Taranaki will soon be connected with Auckland along the route we have always advocated.