The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, MARCH, 10, 1891. The Napier-Palmerston Railway

Feilding Star, Volume XII, Issue 110, 10 March 1891, Page 2

The Feilding Star. TUESDAY, MARCH, 10, 1891. The Napier-Palmerston Railway

«- The opening yesterday of that section of railway which now connects New Plymouth with Napier may be looked upon as a very important event in the history of the progress of the colony. The East and West Coasts of the North Island are thereby connected, and the consequent facility pf communication must prove a great factor in promoting the interests of settlement and commerce on both sides of the dividing range. It has long been known that the humidity of the climate on this the weather side of the Island, allows the growth of abundant supplies of food for sheep and cattle, while on the East, or lee side, the aridity of the climate at a certain season of the year, makes the food for stock scarce and, what there is, poor in quality except in a few very favored localities. This circumstance, which has hitherto been looked upon as a misfortune, will now, by the means of ready transit afforded by the connected line of railway, be changed into a blessing, and means of profit, to stockowners. The surplus of the flocks in Napier- during the dry season can be sent over to the farmers here who, for their part, will always be only too glad to purchase in order that they may supply the continually increased demand for " freezers " and at the same time get rid of their superabundance of feed. The only , obstacle that can be created is that of overcharging by the railway, for if the Oommissioners put on a prohibi : ture tariff the prospective trade in sheep will be smothered, but we hope that contingency may not happen. The other advantages of passenger and mail traffic require no special comment from us because they are patent to every one. We again iterate the opinion we have long held and expressed, that the connection now made with the large tract's of settled country on the East Goast and Wair-arap&.-will mate it absolutely necessary for the colony to acquire the Wellington- Manawatu Company's Hue in order that the whole of the lines running into the Empire City may be under one control.