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Lyttelton Times, Volume LIX, Issue 6868, 5 March 1883, Page 4

We trust that as soon as Parliament meets the comedy o£ tho West Coast railway will bo pat an end to. The piablio of Canterbury and the public of Westland, the parties most interested, hare determined that the two coasts shall bo united by railway communion* tion, Everybody, that means, is do* oidedly of the opinion that the interests of population must take precedence of all other interests. A Itoyal Oommis* sion baa just decided that the East Coast and (ho inland lines are out of the question, and that when a line ia to bo mado it must be the West Coast lino. Wo have come back then to tho original determination of tho Public Works policy. Mr Eiobardeon will ba accepted as an authority on that question, and he has told us that the route always intended for tho Southern Main Trunk: line was by the Amur! and Roeftoii to Nelson and Pioton. Clearly whatever money has been voted for the Main Trunk extension can bo spent upon tho deflected lino vill Atnuri and Eeofton. Ono ' thing only stands In the way, -- That is tho opposition of the Government. As tho Premier put it, tho attempt to make one lino out of what ought to bo two, will spoil both; and tho Legislature has voted the money for tho Main Trunk extension only if it he kept on the eastern side of tho main range. This arrangement, he told ns,involves our faith to* tho public creditor. As to tho first P»rt of the argument, the idea that combination of tho two objects (communication with the West Coast, and Main Trank extea. sion) will spoil both, is on :the{

leco ot it', »l«ard. Sxtemfon ot tbi Mam Trculc along Iho East Uosat would W » ijwilt project, m would oxtookiofl ebfottgh thu iotonor of tbo jihad. To offload by Ileeftoa would W to proffcat oa* of two bad things. To that important service, the additional advantage ot joining the two coast* i« an iire«i*til»le aid. The ptiblio creditor will 1h» •alUfled, firstly beoanao the drflooted Iliac has been rgoommeadod by a Eoyui Ommktim, aad, secondly, liccatiso iho dafiectcd lino was understood to bo one of tbo three altoraalivci when tbo schedule was passed. The Government cannot, without loss of hoaonr, claim otherwise. There are Oaatsrhory members in their train who can bring home the fact to them with unwelcome clearness. Under the circumstances, we see nothing to prevent the application to the Beef ton line of the money allocated to the Main Tronic ostemiion. Tbo deduction is really the heat compromise for all parties. There are the advocates of a West Coast railway, pure and simple, on one side, and they are not agreed as to the route j on the other, there are the advocates of the Trask extension. The deflection serves both parties, and saves everybody a world of trouble. It also gains time, the most useful element in the development of the country’s resources.