THE MANAWATU RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11951, 28 April 1902, Page 6

THE MANAWATU RAILWAY.

OFFER BY THE GOVERNMENT. [Br TELEGBATn^—OWN* CORRESPONDENT.] Wellington*, Sunday. . 'Che Government has made a tentative offer to the Manawatu Railway Company to take over their railway at an equivalent to 30s a share. , , THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MANAWATU RAILWAY. MINISTERIAL ACTION CONDEMNED. DISASTROUS TO THE FARMING COMMUNITY. " The decision of the Cabinet to annul the arrangement by which Government rolling stock for the conveyance of live stock can travel over the Manawatu Company's line will, it appears, have an effect on the sheep and cattle-raising interest, of the southern end of this island which is at present little realised. With a view to ascertaining the probable result of the Government's action, the Palmerston North correspondent of the New Zealand Times interviewed the heads and representatives of interested firms.

Mr. R. S. Abraham, of the firm of Abraham and Williams, said the effect of the Government's decision must prove disastrous to the farming interests, especially of those in the districts above Palmerston. At present practically the whole of the stock for the Wellington freezing companies, except that in the immediate district of Wairarapa, from Taranaki on one side and Hawke's Bay on the other side of the island, is conveyed on the private line. Under the proposed arrangement, however, it would be utterly impossible to send any stock from above Palmerston owing to the expense, delay, and injury to stock that would be entailed. The effect will not be to diverfstock to the Wairarapa line, but rather great loss will result to the Government line, as the stock from stations above Palmerston, even us far as Wanganui, will be driven to Longburn. Referring to the carriage of stock on' the Wairarapa line, Mr. Abraham cannot see how the Government Department will be able to cope with the increased traffic which would result from the new arrangement. Even at the present time, said Mr. Abraham, the Government cannot supply with any certainty, at 24 hours' notice, trucks for 1000 sheep, and in the busy season it take? a week or 10 days to get the stock away. During the whole of last season the Railway Department was absolutely unable to find trucks to carry the traffic, especially on the Hawke's Bay section. Mr. E. Wood, a buyer of '20 years' experience, said the chief effect of the proposed arrangement would be that practically all stock between Wanganui and Palmerston, in a 50-mile distance, would be driven to Longburn, oi hi summer driven,, down the beach to the Wellington freezing works. In shipping to the South Island stock would also be driven to Longburn or taken right through by road. Stock which now travels on the private line will never be taken over the Government route, even at a considerable reduction in frieght. Mr. McKiiiglit. local manager of the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency Company, Limited, considered the Government proposal would affect the. district very considerably. Even if the Government could take over its line all the stock now being carried by the Manawatu Company, the inconvenience and delay which would in all probability result would be considerable, Cheap rates on, tlio Government line, said Mr. McKnight, had induced consignees to send their wool by the longer route, but the delay, for weeks at a time, was most vexatious and costly. Even at the present time the Government line was not able to cope with the wool business. It was within his knowledge that with wool, shipped by the Manawatu line the weights came forward within two days, and that with wool sent by the Government line it was frequently a fortnight before the weights were received. Mr. H. Gillies, buyer for the Gear Company, declared emphatically that iiis company would not transfer stock from Government to Manawatu trucks, .and that practically all stock between Wanganui and Palmerston would be driven to Longburn. The new arrangement, in his opinion, would certainly mean great inconvenience and loss to farmers on the West Coast.

The above opinions have been generally coincided with by other Pahnerston North authorities. One stock auctioneer has taken the trouble to keep a record of the sheep which daily passed through Talmerston on their way to the freezing works at l'etone and Ngahauranga during the {fast two months. The average" 3000 sheep a day. Under the new arrangement, all this stock would be driven to Long'ourn, and much revenue lost to the Government Kailway Department.

It is understood that the line of policy being adopted by the Government towards the company was decided anon by a full Cabinet before Mr. Seddon's departure.

Realising the great uneasiness which is felt by settlers along the West Coast in regard to the turn affairs have taken, Mr. W. II Field. If.H.R., has written to the Act-ing-Premier, pointing out in strong terms the loss and inconvenience which settlers along the line, and, indeed, along the whole coast, -would suffer if the Government persisted in a refusal to grant the Manawatu Railway Company running rights over the Government lines at either end of the company's line. While admitting that the notice given was doubtless intended as a further stop in the direction of the purchase of the railway, and was, therefore, for the benefit of the West Coast settlers, still Mr. Field thinks the results are likely to be so serious to those settlers while running rights are withheld from the company as to be almost intolerable.

Referring to the action of the Government the Christchurck Press states .-—Some time ago the Government reduced rates on a portion of the Masterton railway below paying point, with a view to diverting goods from the Manawatu railway; now they have given notice to terminate the agreement under which the company has running powers over the Government railways, at the Wellington and Palmersto* ends. "If you will not sell your railway to us on our terms, we will do our best to break you," is in effect what the Government are saying to the company. And all the time, be it remembered this Government can take the railway at any time, by simply enforcing the contract on the faith of which the company was formed to construct the line. No private company would attempt to get behind a contract in this way. On the part of the Government working with the powers of the State and the taxpayers' money at their back, it is a shameless display of the worst kind of tyranny. Their action, if persisted in, will cause the public a great deal of inconvenience. It will also waste a good deal more of the taxpayers' money than the amount of compensation in dispute. These are points, however, for which Sir J. Ward and his mouthpieces care nothing at all.