The Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1886. THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1703, 8 May 1886, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1886. THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY.

In our last reference: m these columns to the rumoured formation of a syndicate to construct the Esat and West Coast Railway, we expressed our grave doubts of the ultimate consummation m the direction indicated. We find that other sections of the press have misgivings of a similar kind. The Wellington Evening ■ Press, whose editor accurately knows public ieeling m Canterbury on the subject, remarks the coldness and half-disguised credulity with which the news of the formation of the syndicate for the purpose mentioned had been received m all parts of the colony. Even m Canterbury, writes the Press, there is a most noticeable absence of enthusiasm about it. People shrug their shoulders and say they hope it is all right this time, but it seems too good to be true; and all the efforts of the special promoters of the scheme ;to get up a. flush of excitement about it have failed to produce any very startling results. Of course, everybody is praying that the news may be true, that no hitch may occur, that the subsequent arrangements yiet heeding to be made may prove, to be of '"the formal character that has been talked of. Everybody says it will make a vast difference to Canterbury, and so .forth. Yet with it all, there is not a tenth part of the jubilation that there was last year over tlie obviously fallacious Meigcs telegrams ; and we doubt very much, whether the news has yet made the slightest difference m the speculative value of any sort of property. We are now told that the work actually has been undertaken by a powerful association of capitalists, on terms more favorable to the colony than any previously proposed. Yet there is none of that blind credence or ebullient joy which : we witnessed last year on the strength ■of far less .assuring intelligence. And what is the real cause of public misgiving on the subject? Simply this, public confidence m Sir Julius Yogel is seriously shaken, and people are always looking out for some development of an unforeseen character taking place — some hitch occurring that will prove fatal to the fcheme. The shyness manifested by the public at large to take for gospel the news, of \ the "formation of the syndicate isjth us to be accounted for ; and as the Evening Press observes t-r-" The, Colonial Treasurer, f singularly enough', has gone out of his way to increase this shyness by refusing to ' ttiake; pujblic \the points m which!' the; new contract' differs from the old. He says the; differences are either favourable to the colony or are immaterial ; but the question that 'suggests itself to everyone's mind is, 'If that is so, why should there be any concealment about the matter ?*■ The fact is, that one announcement of Sir Julius Yogel, intimating that it is still desirable to keep the details of the new contract from the knowledge of the public, has thrown more cold water on the public enthusiasm on the subject, than anything else could have done. There is an all but universal misgiving that the affair is not bpna fide^ that it is a modified Mkigus affair." The plain fact is, as we said before, the Colony mistrusts the Colonial Trea-

surer, and every movement with which he is connected. They know there is no stability about him, that he has no stake m ths country, and that whenever it suits him he can pack up his carpet-bag and travel. This Middle Island Railway scheme has been always supposed to be a special idra of Sir Julius Voxel's, closely connected with a substantial bonus to himself, when success attends the project; and holding this opinion, it is not to be wondered at that universal doubt and misgiving attach themselves to every new report m connection with the scheme. Our candid opinion is that the construction of the work by the syndicate will not come to pass. We cannot help thinking so, when we consider the past history, surroundings, and possible contingencies, m connection with the project. We trust we shall have the pleasure of admitting all our assumptions to be entirely groundless, because the carrying out of the undertaking by a syndicate with English capital cannot fail to prove a substantial benefit to the Colony at large.

In the Wellington Resident Magistrate's Court, Mr Stratford addressed Inspector Shearman and said that he had observed by a telegram m the daily newspapers, that m a case of assault on a constable down South, m which the constable had had- his lejr broken, the Magistrate said that as the law now stood lie could only inflict a fine of £o f or m default two months' imprisonment. He (Mr Stratford) had been greatly astonished at the statement, and had since looked the matter up and found that the Court had powor, under the new Act, to, inflict a fine of i;" 20 or three months imprisonment. He thought it necessary to bring the matter before the Court m order that the public should not be led to think that the police were, not so well protected now as formerly. If a case of the kind were sent to the Supreme Court, the accused would be liable to receive 12 months imprisonment.