FIFTY YEARS AGO

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 124, 21 November 1931, Page 11

FIFTY YEARS AGO

ITEMS FROM " THE POST "

MANAWATU RAILWAY

"Seldom has it been our pleasing duty- to place before our Wellington readers more gratifying news than that contained in the report that appears in another column relative to the Wcl-lington-Manawatu Railway," remarks a. "Post" editorial of this date fifty years ago. "The contract between the directors of the Wellington and Mauawatu Eailway Company and the Government for the construction of the railway has been completed. . . . We may therefore assume that this great work, so vital to the welfare and progress of Wellington—of the city and province alike —is. now in a most promising way to become an accomplished fact. The great drawback to Wellington's prosperity has always been the want of communication with the fine back country of which this city and port are the natural outlet. This longstanding want will be supplied and the drawback removed by the construction of the Wellington-Manawatu railway, and it can then no longer be cast In Wellington's teeth that this place is wholly dependent upon Government expenditure and on its being the seat of Government. . . The company is now in an excellent position in respect to floating its shares in the London market, and will be able to show such attractive prospects that we entertain no doubt of the requisite money being speedily raised. The cordial thanks of the public are due to those gentlemen who have laboured so hard and so well in pushing on this important matter, but we are sure that they will find their best reward in the success which has already attended their efforts, and in that which seems to promise so brightly in the future. It will indeed be the most fortunate day in Wellington's history when the railway is opened through from Wellington to the rich lands of the West Coast, and it must not be forgotten that the Wel-lington-Manawatu line is one of the most important links in the main trunk line from Wellington to Taranaki, Napier, and Auckland. The whole Colony, therefore, is interested in its success, and it is no small thing to have such a large section of the trunk line constructed by private enterprise without imposing public liabilities on the Colony. We feel certain that the news which we are able to give to-day will be hailed with genuine pleasure in all parts of New Zealand."

COLLAPSE OF NATIVES.

"A very important piece of news is telegraphed by Mr. Bryce this afternoon. A number of the Natives have at length submitted voluntarily and come out of Parihaka on the order being given, without, as usual, requiring to be moved. Moreover, Te Whiti's chief officer, or constable, has spontaneously come to Mr. Bryce and placed in his hands his insignia of authority. This appears to indicate the final collapse of the Native difficulty at Parihaka, and is one of the most satisfactory pieces of intelligence yet received."

THE PENGUIN ASHORE.

"A good deal of excitement was caused in town this morning on receipt of intelligence to the effect that the Union Steam Shipping Company's s.s. Penguin had gone ashore in the French Pass. The particulars of the occurrence are of a very meagre description. . . .

The Penguin forms one of the more recent additions to the Union Company's fleet, and in proportion to her size is one of the most powerful boats the company possesses. She has very iine lines, and is noted for her speed. Among many other performances she made the run from Wellington to Picton ia three hours and throe-quartors, the fastest time' on -record. Her gross tonnage is 749 tons." News the next day indicated that the Penguin's mishap on this occasion was not a serious one. "The news of the safety of the Penguin will be received with general satisfaction. She got off last evening without apparently having sustained any damage Captain Malcolm states that on approaching the French Pass the night was very dark, rendering it very difficult to pick up the beacon, and when he did so he found he was to the northward of it, and the only chance he had was to take the middle channel, which ha missed by about ten feet. He did not deem it advisable to reverse the engines, because by doing so the vessel would have gone broadside on to the reef. The vessel struck at 8.25 p.m., and remained there until 6 o'clock the following evening, when she floated off, apparently undamaged."

A RAILWAY ABSURDITY,

"It is evidently the intention of the railway authorities to perpetuate that obstructive absurdity, the retention of a station at Pipitea on tho site of the old temporary terminus. A new platform has just been constructed there at great expense by a sort of reclamation process, only the line of " rails farthest from the old wooden platform being left, and tho intervening spaces being filled up with, earth and gravel as far as a low breastwork erected by the side of the rails. The uso of this unnecessary stopping-place within half a mile of the terminus means constant expense in extra fuel and wear and tear, because of the waste of power involved in stopping and starting heavy trains, while there isa loss of quite fiveminutes in time. It would be interesting to know why this needless outlay, present and prospective, should have been incurred. Thorndon now has two railway stations within half a mile of one another. Is it intended ultimately to build stations at each half-mile, or to stop the trains at every man's door? We should voiy much .like to know at whose instance this littlo Pipitea job was perpetrated."

A NEW INDUSTRY.

Fifty years ago there was considerable, activity in some quarters over the establishment in New Zealand of the silk industry, it being held that the country was an ideal oi<*. in which to raise silkworms. "Some type ago we announced that the Govertunent had gent to Japan for a consigvuient of mulberry treca and silkwom eggs, in order to encourage the development of the industry of silk culture in the Colony. Wo are glad to hear that by tho last mail from San Francisco the Government received one card of the best green kind of silkworms' eggs from' the Oshin district, and one card of the best green kind from tho Sinschin district, the two best silk districts in Japan. These eggs have arrived in excellent condition. Further supplies will come to hand later, including orange and white cocoons annuals, as well as some biennial or bivoltini cocoons. A supply of mulberry trees is to be shipped from Yokohama as soon as the trees are in a condition to bear removal.''

THE MAKING OP ROTORUA,

"With a view to utilising the powers conferred by the Thermal Springs Act of last session, the Government are about to issuo a pamphlet containing full information as to nature, chemical composition, and therapeutic properties of the thermal springs in the vicinity of Botorua. Extracts from tho ■writings of Dr. Hochstetter, Sir W. Fox, Dr. Hector, and others, reports of analyses of tho waters, descriptions of the scenery, etc., will be given, ami tho little book will be rendered as much as possible a compendium of useful and interesting information on the subject. A topographical map or jtUKC&i'.y. will also be published."