THE STRATFORD ROUTE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1757, 18 October 1887, Page 2

THE STRATFORD ROUTE.

The Taranaki Herald doe's not want a railway to Auckland, it prefers a road. If the junction were likely to be at New Plymouth instead of at Ngaire it might be different. It says :—": — " What we would suggest, and which would be more likely to meet with the support of the House, is that all work on the North Island trunk line of railway be for the present stopped. Let us get more population into the jolony, and the land in the centre of this island more settled, before we talk of a railway through it. ... Why should the Auckland Star wish to divert " trade which now gives employment to several steamers?" Auckland has the trade with thir coast all in i:s own hands, and as a railway, is made, would only compete with the steamers, we can see no wisdom in the change. A good metalled road would not interfere in that way, although, no doubt, cattle dealers would prefer driving their herds to market overland to the risk of sending them by sea. Even if there was a railway, a road would have to be made, and the settlers would use it for sending their live stock along in preference to the train. When the price of cattle is low, the cost of sending by railway has to be saved, and the animals are then driven to the nearest port for shipment. The conveyance of cattle on the Manawatu Railway, we notice, has been abandoued owing to the cost, and cattle are now sent by road to the Welhbgton market. According to Mr. Skeet's estimate, the road from Stratford to Taumaranui could be made acd gravelled for £75,000, and this sum would soon be recouped to the colony by the land it would open up for settlement.

The Wellington Post gives the Wellington view of the matter. It carefully leaves th« probable saving by the Stratford-route of £200,000 to £400,000 out of sight :—lt there is one thing more than another which the country bas affirmed in the late elections, it is that no new railways are to be sanctioned at present, and that the completion of lines in progress is the full extent to which public works should be carried under existing financial conditions. Yet Auckland not only wants a new line to be sanctioned, but one already partly constructed to be abandoned, and tbe money specifically raised for it diverted; to the new line. Such a proceeding would be a serious blow to ' the credit of tbe colony, and whatever their private inclinations may be, we do not believe that Major Atkinson, Mr. Mitchelson, or the Auckland members generally would dare to lend themselves to a proceeding of the kind.. It is one which we are confident the House would indigmantly reject if it were proposed. New Plymouth is already within a few hours' steam communication of Auckland, and it is connected by rail with Wellington. It has all necessary facilities of approach, and even if the colony were rolling in wealth there would be many more legitimate claims for railway communication than that of New Plymouth for direct connection with Auckland. What is asked is that the colouy should spend a large amount of money, and commit an act of flagrant bad faith, in order to divert to Auckland such of the New Plymouth trade as is at present done with Wellington.