THE Marlborough Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1888.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume X, Issue 314, 17 July 1888, Page 2

THE Marlborough Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING TUESDAY, JULY 17, 1888.

It is no secret that one of the objects—if not the principal object of tho promoters of the “Parliamentary ” excursion, was tho extension of the railway to the Awatcre Valley and with the view of enlisting tho assistance of members not acquainted with the grand tract of land that would be brought within reasonable distmee of a profitable outlet in the passing of the vote of £2OOO promised by the Government sometime ago. Borne of the visitors, however, who are credited with being pretty long in the head, scouted the idea of maxing a road.” There’s over £30,000

voted and ear-maked for the railway, and why don’t you go in for getting that money expended ? The Government will be only too glad to vote a couple of thousands for a road, because it means knocking the railway on the head, and they would save a substantial sum by the exchange.” In sporting phraseology, that is the “correct tip,” and in view thereof doubts are raised as to the wisdom of the proposed action of the Ornaka Eoad Board to send a deputation to Wellington to urge the Government to carry out their promise to vote £2OOO for a road. Kailway communication to the Awatere means tho breaking up of the large estates there and settling a hundred for one family that at present occupies that large and fertile tract of country. Of course the old ghost will be raised that the land is in the hands of a few private individuals and that they alone will reap the benefit of railway communication. There is a certain amount of truth in that statement, but it also contains a great deal of error. We have evidence that the owners will he only too glad to sell the land in areas suitable for settlement, and at fair prices. Tho placing of two or three hundred families on the Awatere valley means a great increase in the wealth of and would give an impulse to the trade of tho district. Tho increased productive power which would be developed would tend to the establishment of other industries. Direct shipping would he consolidated and from being a loss to the country, the railway to the chief port of the province would return a profit. The thousands of pounds at present lying unproductive in the portion of the lino already completed would also return interest on the outlay. In short, the completion of tho railway to the A water o is a work upon which hinges in a great measure the future prosperity of the district and in viow of its importance it is incomprehensible thatit has been allowed to lie so long in aboyance. We aro not sufficiently in tho confidence of the two members for the district to know what steps, if any, they aro taking in the matter. Taking a purely commercial view of their worth, suroly two sure votes for Government have a value that should ensure the early completion of the line.