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New Zealand Mail, Issue 422, 13 March 1880, Page 23

"WEnniNGTOif must be connected with the West Coast by rail, and the necessary funds for the purpose must be provided out of the present loan. This is the demand of the people of Wellington and of the settlers upon that splendid stretch of country lying between Waikanae and the White Cliffs. In this demand we heartily join, believing it to be both just and wise: just, because it is clearly the right of the North Island, and of "Wellington, to have this connection made; wise, because no public work will pay better, or is more required in the interest of settlement. But, in order to secure this important colonial work it is necessary to understand rightly the meaning of what was said by Ministers to the deputation from the public meeting which waited upon them the other day. Now, put briefly, the substance of what was said was this: " We (that is the Government) require no pressing to carry on public works; we are as anxious as any member of this deputation can be to push them on with all vigor, and we are making every effort to open and settle the country. " A great deal has already been done by us in that direction, knowing, as we do, that by this means only can the colony recover from its present financial em-

barrassment ; but we are met at every turn with this difficulty—we have scarcely any funds at our disposal. Our five million loan has been largely anticipated, and will in little more than a year be all of necessity withdrawn from London, and we shall then be obliged to begin remitting money to England at the rate of one million and a half yearly for interest .and sinking fund. And not only this, but we shall have to continue for nearly two years our public works as best we can out of funds then in the colony, for we are pledged not again to go upon the London market for three years. This being so, we are bound not only in the interest of the colony, but also of Wellington itself, to consider very carefully the most profitable way of laying out what little money we have left still free, so as to complete as far as possible those railways which will give the best and quickest return. This must be done that our burdens may be made as light as possible, and also to enable us to continue at the earliest date all the lines of railway which Parliament has approved, by placing them in the schedule of the Public Works Act. A Royal Commission is now sitting with this object in view, and until this Commission has reported, we say distinctly we can give no pledge to go on with the Wellington and Foxton line. Nay, more, it is possible, bearing in mind the necessities of the country, that it may be found advisable to spend what money we have to spare upon the Masterton and Bunnythorpe line, if the Commission should report that this line, taken in connection with the lines already opened, will give a better return for the money expended than can be obtained from the proposed Foxton line."

This is what was said in substance by Ministers the other day. The picture is not a pleasant one to contemplate, but of its truth no one who has paid any attention to public affairs can have a moment's doubt, and the sooner the public understand this the better it will be for the country. It is a fact that our loan is largely anticipated, and also that our revenue is falling ; that our land fund has temporarily disappeared; and that even with ihe most economical administration our expenditure must be enormous as compared with our means. What then is the course the people of Wellington should pursue under these circumstances'? Two facts stand plainly out for our guidance: first, there is certainly not sufficient money in hand to complete both the Foxton and Bunnythorpe lines; second, without great watchfulness and tact on the part of representatives we may fail to get either line completed out of the present loan. This, should it happen, would be nothing less than a public calamity of the gravest kind. It will have been observed that no word fell from Ministers which can be construed into a refusal to make the Foxton line out of the pi'esent loan ; they merely suspended judgment, and would commit themselves to nothing. But we confess, after a careful consideration of what was said, to an uneasy feeling that there was present in the minds of Ministers a doubt as to whether there is enough money available to complete even one line to the West Coast. Now, we say that Ministers should be told, and told distinctly, that money must be found out of the present loan to tap the West Coast by one of the approved lines, that is, either via Foxton or Masterton —that route to be chosen which will be the best paying in the immediate future. The course then for the people of Wellington to pursue we take to be this—they must consider fully which line will open up most country, at the same time giving the largest immediate return upon capital already invested and to be invested, and for which the largest amount of outside support can be obtained. These points having been carefully considered, and the decision arrived at as to which line in the interests of the city and back country, that finds its natural outlet through Wellington harbor, should be supported, the question must be persis- | tently kept before the Government until our object is accomplished. We do not think sufficient consideration I has been given to the important

points above named, simply for this reason that all the facts of the case have not yetbeen put before the public. We are collecting and shall shortly publish full and accurate information for the benefit of our readere as to the advantages and disadvantages of both proposed lines, so as to enable our fellowcitizens to judge for themselves upon the points at issue. We confess, as at present informed, and assuming that the statistics furnished bj r the several speakers at the late meeting and from, other sources are correct, that in our opinion the line via Foxton is the one which should be first made. It would seem, however, that there is another side to the question, by certain remarks which fell from the Colonial Treasurer at the late interview with Ministers. But upon this the public must decide when all the facts are before them, which will be the case shortly. In the meantime, while the line of route is under consideration, we trust that the question of connecting the West Coast with Wellington will not be allowed to sleep for a day even, for if the finances are as represented—and of this we have no doubt —great earnestness, judgment, and activity will be required on the part of the people and our representatives, to ensure what they have clearly a right to demand, namely, a railway connecting Wellington with the West Coast, to be constructed out of the present loan.