ESTABLISHED 1875. Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal. Conducted by E. D. HOBEN, Editor & Proprietor. Published Every Morning. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1907. THE MANAWATU LINE-AND AFTER.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 284, 9 December 1907, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1875. Manawatu Daily Times. The Oldest Manawatu Journal. Conducted by E. D. HOBEN, Editor & Proprietor. Published Every Morning. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1907. THE MANAWATU LINE-AND AFTER.

Aβ we anticipated, the return of the Premier to Wellington has been followed by the service on the Directors of the Wellington and Manawata Railway Company of formal notice of resumption twelve months hence, under the original Act, price to be determined by arbitration. It is understood that Sir Joseph 'is opposed to the taking over of the line on a share value basis, the basis proposed to and by the late Mr Seddon when he failed to agree that the shares were as valuable as was claimed—an unfortunate miscalculation for the State, as events proved. In spite of this fact we would not be surprised to see a share basis reverted to as a result of negotiation. By giving notice of arbitrtion the Government avails itself of its full powers under the Act and also of the provision under which the loading of the values by special percentage lapsed by effluxion to time. But an abritration case in so complicated a matter, as the taking over of a running railway, pins land and other interests, is likely to be expensive and complicated, and a straight-out bargain after investigation by the railway experts would probably lead to greater expedition and 'economy in a case in which neither side wants to over-reach the other. A Ministry, however, is hampered somewhat in dealing with large private concerns by the criticisms and suspicion of opponents, but in the present instance the general public confidence felt in Sir Joseph Ward would make it quite safe for him to proceed on ordinary lines of business dealing wherein the position could be strengthened by taking into confidence the Leader of the Opposition in what is a matter outside all party considerations. By this means many difficulties that would p ossibly crop up in a forced arbitration would be obviated. One of these difficulties, the treatment of the staffs to be taken'over, has already been met by the offer of the Premier and its endorsement by the directors, to facilitate the bringing of the company's employees into the general railway superannuation schemes. There ought, however, to be advantage in co-ordinating the workshop staffs in preparation for the increased traffic on the line, before the date on which it would need to be taken over, and this should be easily arrangeable where friendly negotiations were proceeding. The Government workshops will no dcubt be fully engaged in preparing rolling stock for the Trunk Line proper, right up to, and beyond, the time of opening. Apropos—one of the developments of the future should be the Oreation of large railway workshops at the Palmerston Junction to deal with the whole of the lines radiating from this centre, as Aramoho will then be side-tracked.