MANAWATU RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13927, 8 December 1908, Page 5

MANAWATU RAILWAY.

GOVERNMENT CONTROL.

A WELLINGTON CELEBRATION.

[BY TELEGRAr-H.— ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Monday. : About 150 persons attended a banquet at the Town Hall this afternoon, to celebrate the taking oyer; by ..the' Government of the Manawatu line. Mr. J.' Kirkcaldie, chairman of directors, presided, and stated that the Government had done well in the interests of the Dominion. He thanked the Prim© Minister for tho patient and courteous manner in which negotiations had been carried on. The value of the railway was only appreciated by those who knew the condition of affaire existing at the time the line was first opened. During its years of active working, the company had carried in round figures 6even million passenger?, and the gross earnings had been £2,400,000, of which £670,000 had been paid away in wages. He expressed appreciation of the generous support extended to the company by the citizens and merchants of tho country. In conclusion, hewished the line the success under the Government control that it had achieved in the past. Mr. Kirkcaldie then handed to the Prime Minister a silver key in celebration of the transfer of the company to the Government, a presentation that was greeted with cheers.

The Prime Minister said tho sale had been effected on terms satisfactory to both parties. This was practically tho last of the private lines in the country, and he believed the result of the ' transaction would bo beneficial to the country as a whole. The-traffic to the Manawatu railway contributed by the Government during the last 10 years amounted to no less than £642,792, an amount which gave many chances of friction if there had been any, desire to create it. On all sides there had been evidence of progress on the lino, and in this connection he had a word of high praise to say about the late general manager (Mr. W. M. Hannay) and the engineer (Mr. Marchbonks) for the work they had done. , . Those gentlemen were not joining the Government service, but as to those who were joining he felt sure they would, as in tho past, do their duty faithfully and well. As to the purchase money, £915,000 was raised without difficulty on the most advantageous terms. The acquisition of the line would increase the travelling facilities" of the public, and be the means of helping the development of the business and passenger traffic of the Dominion. Sir Joseph. Ward spoke in terms of praise of the pioneers who had promoted the line in the early days, remarking that the present occasion would be one of intense interest to those who inaugurated that valuable work in the early days. » .

The health of , the originators and promoters of. the company was proposed by Mr. H. D. Bell, who made fitting reference to their enterprise.

Mr. D. J. Nathan, in reply, stated that the idea of constructing the railway emanated from the local Chamber of Commerce, and the Wellington Harbour Board scheme was evolved at the same time. The originators of the railway never went into the work as a speculation, but in the interests of Wellington and the country as a whole. In view of the demand for railways, he questioned whether private enterprise should not be 'encouraged. The toast of the "City of Wellington," was; proposed by ? Mr. J. Duthie, and replied to by the Mayor.