MIDLAND RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Grey River Argus, Volume XXX, Issue 7057, 29 April 1891, Page 2

MIDL A ND RAILWAY DEVIATION.

(TO TIIE EDITOR.) . Sir,— lt was with feellnga of regret that I noticed in your telegraphlo columns of the 24th the result of an interview with the Hon Mr Seddoti arid Mr Wilson, engineer 16 the Midland Railway Com- j panyj that: the Minister for Public Works should have shown the hostility he has with reference to the additional concessions asked of the Company as a Bet-off for allowing them to deviate their line at Lake Brunner. To say the least, it appears to myself and others that the Minister la far , from consistent with the frivolous and injurious objections he holds against the Midland Company's request, and his own political views and creed as regards the settlement: of the land and the giving of employment tothe people of the coast, and colony, besides retaining the population in this county. If hie is going to run the show in his department on commercial line?, let. him also act on the same lines with the company, and do aa any other business man would, and having once made a contract abide by It as the previous Government assented to the deviation on condition" of a certain sum of money being given to construct a road to Lake Brunner, and therefore the' acts of the previous Government should be just as binding upon him as his own. I mentioned previously that his objections were frivolous and injurious, and I will briefly deal with them in proof of my assertion. The Minister complains of the grade being increased fromlin 60 to linso although this requires verification. Well, although, not an engineer, I would prefer a slightly steeper grade on a straight run than a leaser one of a continuous number of carves and z'gzigs. . And the difference in length of a couple of. miles more or less Is of very little importance. As regards the bridging of the.Hohonu,. I believe, that there is a passable bridge only needing some slight repairs, and in addition, after the tenders i werVreceived by : the county council they have an available balance of L4OO out of L 2700, sufficient to repair the bridge if it exists, or else erect one quite sufficient to meet the requirements for the enormous traffic that would ensue on the completion of the road. 'The. town; and county of Grey have been appealed to with reference to this deviation question and ihey have by their voices proclaimed in favor of it, and for a Minister of the Crown, and one of our own to boot, to quietly Ignore thta and set e eery. otstacle in the way, goes to prove that there are other interests than ouri of the Grey district and surroundings more dominant in his mind. There Is alao this phase of

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the question, and one that should command the attention of every business man, tradesman, artisan, and laborer in our midst. Here is a company ready to spend several thousands of pounds in railway works, buildings, &3, at once, that will occupy at least two yearß to construct, and out experience has been that they conform to the principles of the working claßaes of this coast by giving auoh prices for their work as the fixed rate of wages recognised here denundß, and are. even going thus" far in allowing the money to be epent by ourselves within ourselves. It would be a nice thing for any of us to say to the Minister— you must not buy your clothing off so and so ; you must call public tenders for who shall supply yon, in the same manner that he in one of his frivolous pretexts says you should contract for your works. Well, that miy be termed Liberalism in an advanced stage. I consider It thorough and complete autootaoy on his parr. Why, Mr Editor, the cry was against tho Company when they jast started that they imported their own contractors. Now, they are allowing the work to be done by capable men of the colony, knowing the nature of the country and the inclination and demands of the people for whom they wish to construct the line and from whom they expect to ensure- i's success hereafter, and they are told that that is not right. j Methinka the Company remindß one of the old fable taught of the old gentleman and hia asinine friend in trying to pleaae everyone. They will please nobody and lose thoir "cash" Into the bargain. No, let the people of Groymouth awake from their lethargy and invite the cooperation of the Mayor, County Chairman, and our member, .and let the Hon. Richard John be made aware of this fact, that after attracting capital to our midst, and at a time when it is greatly needed, we are not gong to have it ruthlessly taken from us because we have a West Coaat Minister, and therefore should be amenable for all and sundry acts that his capricious mind may embrace in the shape of a persistent hostility to a company that has taught the Government of this colony a useful lesson in the construction of public works. I must apologise for so far trespassing on your space, but as the importance of the sabject demands it, that must be my excuse. Thanking you in anticipation, —I am, Ac, Advance Gbeymouth.