CORRESPONDENCE.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XVII, Issue 2955, 19 October 1891, Page 2

CORRESPONDENCE.

AUOKLAND.TAKANAKI RAILWAY.

To the Editor of the Star.

Sir,— l see that the New Plymouth meeting practically declared in favor of a road or roads, as against a railway. This is getting interesting, and I most ask the attention of my friends and neigboars to a calm consideration of the'question. Now, let me begin by saying that the 'estimate of the department for a coaqh rjbad from Stratford to the Central railway, line is that is £70,000 for .the road formation, and £130,000 for metalling. I have never given th'eee figures for publication before, and I only do so now with great unwillingness, because the time has come when the matter must be sifted out. That is the estimate then for the' Stratford ooaoh road. But the New Plymouth people, you will observe,, also want a coach road vi& Mimi, and the Inglewood folks also want one by way of Junction road. Both requests are perfectly natural and reasonable. Now. then, if. these three road claims are set up, is East road going to get any priority? If so, on what ground, and who is going to obtain it ? Please answer, somebody. If East road is not going to get any priority, and and all three roads are made concurrently, what will be the total oos't of this, road work on the £200,000 basis, how long will it take to complete, and ,bqw many years will the other roads be' finished before the East road ? I should like an answer. Now, for another question: Do- the two or three Taranaki members fondly hope that they* are going to extract fromjfcJhe Colonial Treasury such a sum as tblrone in question by their ownunaided?ex»rtions, or are they reckoning upon help from

Auckland to obtain these >o»da ? If the latterKl venture to tell them that they will 'be completely migtaKea; Auckland will 'not help them to ■' such a large road expenditure; and unaided, they will be divided and powerless. I will go a little - further and tell Mr. McGaire, M,H.K,JL that Auckland did not deserve the attack^ that he made on her on Monday night* She never deceived us over tbe railway question. She was foolishly blind to her 'own interests seven or eight years ago, " and was not well treated by Mr. Mitchelson, who ought especially to have guarded her welfare ; but Auoklantf is fully alive to tbe position now, and has been for some years past. Does anyone think that that second railway earvey would have been accomplished three years ago if it bad not been by tbe goodwill of the Auckland members, who were earnestly desirous about the matter ? Certainly not. And now that a thoronghly good railway route has been revealed, we are to turn our backs upon those who helped to get our • -inland country explored, and, making terms with the enemy, oapitulate for a " coach road !" . Sir, let me say briefly and earnestly that if we are true to ourselves and to our children we shall work most heartily with Auokland in this matter, insist upon the railway connection by way of Stratford (and get it), and at the same time all join bands to get the Inglewood and Mimi road connections made with what will then in reality be the North Island Main Trunk Railway. "He either fears hit fate too much, or his deserts are small, Who dare not put it to the test, to win or lose it all." 31 , —I am, &0., . , , G. A. Marohant. October Iff. t ,