Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1884. THE CENTRAL RAILWAY ROUTE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IV, Issue 95, 18 March 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) Suivant la verite TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 1884. THE CENTRAL RAILWAY ROUTE.

The WellingtoiKPostQof last has a sfinsaible. v a)-tic|jp^n tmJWellirlg-ton-Auckl^nd wa^qupst jpp,,, /)ur conteniporarv points out with considerable force that the combined influence of Auckland and Taranaki has hitherto been strained to the utmost m support of the route which all the competohtror unbiassed authorities agree-in characterising as immeasurably Tnferfoj ; to the ;i&th6r,; iC riojb ) asbsdlui ely inlpr^ctjcabje. This routo, via Mokaujs stated to have been described as folloi|s by'Mrv Cabkeek, one of the surveyors engaged on its exploration : — "A good deal of the i country consij^sr of cliffs 70O|Tfiet/blght mixed up witliji lot pi. streafns ai.iJie bottoms of ravines, with cliffs running up from them 2pofand 300^'eel; ; ' To.; make a railway "wdiila require a succes »ion of tunnels through the hills, _.and bridges and viaducts across the creeks. The cpjy^^d vwthi /black birch, a wood almost useless. 1 only saw seven toiara trees all* il.ia* h was out." The arti6&QA>m-l*nic-^ *equote proceeds to ilomonstriito that a Hue through such coutrtry must neccs sarijy ibeiniO'ler-rtbly .^tly, 1 -' te ! did*>s '$6 makp, expensive to work and maintain, and permanently iiietiicient' for anything like rapid transit. On the otherliand, the route known as the " Central" one^ southward' fibni A\vanuitu, but not curving westward to New Plymouth, proceeding instead-al-most due south through the very centre of the island,to MaiHon ($r tlJdrekbdiit^, is pronounced Ly Mr, Eochefoht, who surveyed, it, . pne of-, t.he r b^st line^ Au[> Me SMpWioii^ to any other possible route, while opening up a vast area of splendid co'unlry eminently • ior-f r! se^|erneut. Now it is p^tyi (iojQ(c3^siiy.y|ce£i'(;a'iuc,tl ' that this central line, though involving '25 miles more of actual construction, djftip. wji.uldHie, needed foV,the deviiU'iou ' from Awamulu to New., .Plynioutl^; would nevertheless undoub^traly cost a ' to the much easier nature of the country, and would have the enbrintms advan- ; lage of reducing the total rail distance f roni iWellingtoii to Auckland by nbt;lcss than 80 miles, as compared with the Mokau-Taranaki rate. To ohi* niindthi's' is or should be the main and decidingpoint on which the quMldii"^ tljei'ival roules .should be decided. Sneakftn*" jiersonally, we may say we are devoid of local prejudice m the matter. really a feature of<- insignificStifc6/ ntr* our opinion, whether ;it|ic.lipe connects with Marlon, with Fdildiug, or. with Th,e grpit qugstipns (or, "cousid'eratlp.njSJaoiiild ,be ,the jojost. direct, aiid least expensive iiij c^U'ncti^n and , working expenses, wbi}§ the, feature of, opening up country must not be^ lost sight of. Manawain needs additio.nal outiefs for its product?, and a'apid und^ easy couirauniciition with "tlt'o" k&sports ' m tlie Noi'lh icrJt'iws/.ijo>y;.

llilClf ■ iUV'.'- 1 - ■•. m \S*M Mi^.i II 'H Ull'i l''(?,'«l01i ( ami •-Vitliiu n vn ipli- i>f VCiur. al«n pn.Jisi'rtH an ii"t,)!i lii.;li\V;iy t«i .\ii|ii,-r and Wdlinglou^by tho (i >i - ge Lim: mi the (>ne. .Bub\ -Mid the 'West C« "ftst : H»i the (♦thcr. -Butiit is also most: inipol!- I taut that; it shiiulil be ahle tojiftolude A-uckland m its Hist, of outlets..'; Therdfore, to us, tlie- s -question, of point of Connection" is of no great aignifinance so long :\s it \a within the limits of ilangitikel or Mana'vatu. If If it is to be w'(i_M.qlcau, at might ...as,; well 6e| 4froi';-i $ri'tJ-inJvi^i(Ujicy. nipuu--"tain-5 o? Tndia's" coral strand," for all tl»o benefit it will bu-.,to~thw-- distriot.We say it \yill baa mqust&>,tV9,-ii)iquitr oii>< and almost £ncdiiceiva'fale''* fl jbb, if the Moktui lino-gains the day.— Thprer have been enough railway blunders pe'rpotrated m theNorth island wi ; h- --, oat' t '.a«tdiDg^ to! tTieiV dumber. The i_J\leijibeW foi'^WaJUgririui, Eangitikei, ■ t Mauawat'.i, Fq^tjonPand *Wellingtf>n ; shrtiild unite' in' "their efforts to. prevent ial.-Jill Hazavdfi the possibility oT sCicli an atrocious proposal being earridd by the} Hfiu.se as to take the Central Line by way of "Mpkau. ' The Post m concluding its article remarks :—^" /t^ie'tiniejis coming when Wellingip^ri'A'ill'bejforced to take up a delfinltle atdtude'-orittKia' question... So ( far every effort has been straitted] ; to^'a)-d finding!^ome : p'OHsible i-wny Viii"; Molcau, instead of toward ascertaining whioh was lhe -better route." - Yet, the only result as yet has been, to show that to ift&fs'fc ii]Votf* c l;h'e'M»kaiu route means to ooatpone^ tjie coinole- ,. tiom qf _thvAuc|sind- Wellington rail- ' waytb sbme indej^nitelijv-veoijato period oi the future." ' Tin's is just what it means. ' In a wordj<ithe-©entr,tl R^butie . is^liYiffosUnipoilant political question prospects of all tJ)gse v: dis ( tiJLC.ts.., .-jWle say agaia, that virtually, it is a question of minor^ iu^prtvtnce.uaaA-'to'llio c#acii '"'.poiut A of, connection,. < whether Palmer^to^'^iwiagiip^^^^^ .the ..di«tript.!j t .tliereiprs east aaidfedocal :prejudiceH, and combine ?to BfcCtfre the : best interests « of the West 'Obast'a's a