AUCKLAND AND TARANAKI RAIL. WAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XX, Issue 6828, 5 October 1883, Page 6

AUCKLAND AND TARANAKI RAIL. WAY.

TO THIS EDITOR. Sra, —In this morning's paper your correspondent "Citizen," writing on the annexation mania now prevalent, very wisely advises before we go further to annex what bas long been known as l;he King Country and try to govern that. In this I entirely agree with him, and by meeting our Maori neighbours, the rightful owners of the land treating them fairly, and 'meeting them on liberal terms, we shall then lead to a farther annexation still, that is of vast importance to every Auckland settler. I allude to the annexation of the Tsiranaki district with its splendid country all round Mount liVmont now rapidly getting settled, and secunae for mutual advantage the trade arising therefrom. I have -just rctarasd *1 v - 181 ' i '° eonntry. I must say that 1 think it wcnld be sheer madness on the part of our legislator to talk of any alternative route by way of the Taupo desert country while such a country as this liea eo close and can be fio easily connected. I would advise every one of our members, and the Southern ones as well, to do as I have done—go and see the country—before they assemble again. I di:d intend returning via Mokau to Alexandra, and so be able to speak from practical experience of what that part of the country is like, and which still belongs to the Maorifi, but I found it was too early in the season to be pleasant for travelling. As a great deal of doubt seems to fill the minds of many I conversed with as to whether the -New Plymouth harbour will be ever an accomplished fact I may remark that thera is no doubt whatever as to the immediate utility of a railway to connect the two places. .™^ ra an d the surrounding country is, and will be, a great beef and mutton country for years to come; wheat and barley also will be produced there, and from the back of the country (from the various sawmills) will be sent various timbers useful for cabinet and other purposes. The beautiful rivers, also, will no doubt soon afford a supply of salmon and trout, all of which wo shall require to fill oar big steamers that we hops soon to see leaving Auckland direct for England and other ports! With the railway made, we could secure all and secure it with safety, and to each district mutual advantage. The complaints now are, especially at Hawera and the noble Waimate .f lams that, owing to the double port charges at Onehunga and Waitara, it is better to do business with Wellington and Dunedin by steamer to Patea, thence by rail to Manntahi, thence by anything but a good road of twelve miles to Hawera. Here something must be radically wrong. The railway would put this all right, but in the meanj time it is a matter tbat requires the immediate attention of our Chamber of Commerce. As I was told at Hawera, it was over ten thousand pounds out of the pockets of the Auckland merchants this last year, u a ne , w , aol ? eme 'S suggested, 0 f which I ■ * speak in a subnequent letter. In ths meantime I think a p üblic meeting should ha c f ,' , a ' .which all our representatives -■mould be invited, ;ind resolutions p.issed confirming the desirability of the immediate carrying out of this annexation. I am, A' t ■ T. B. HILL. Queen-street, Auckland, October 3.