EDITORIALS.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 896, 3 May 1889, Page 10

EDITORIALS.

There is one vexed question that can hardly fail to exercise much of Parliament’s

A VEXED QUESTION.

attention in this coming session, as it did last year. "What is to be done about the so-called main lines of railway that still remain unprovided for out of loans already raised or authorised ? We say the “ so-called” main lines. Had we referred only to railways which can properly be thus designated we should have been obliged to use the singular number. For there is in reality only one main line actually undertaken by the Colony which still remains unfinished, or at any rate is not under contract. This is of course the North Island Trunk Line. The proposed continuation of the South Island Trunk line to Cook Strait has been virtually abandoned for the present generation. Or at least it stands postponed to some indefinitely remote period in the dim and distant future. But the remaining link in the Great Northern line—the trunk line, that is to say, which connects Wellington and Auckland —-is undoubtedly and in every Bense of the term a main line. All the same, there is considerable doubt as to the expediency of proceeding actively with its construction just at present. To extend it for a certain distance beyond ITuntervillo would probably pay, and would open up valuable country for settlement ; would promote trade, and would develop traffic on the railways already open between Palmerston and New Plymouth, which badly enough need some such help. But whether it would pay yet awhile to complete the connection between that point north of Hunterville and Te Kuiti, the present Southern terminus of the Auckland-southward section, is another question as to which no adequate information is as? yet available. We do not intend to discuss on this occasion the rival routes, via Marton and via I Stratford. No valid argument has ever been produced in favour of reversing the decision which was arrived at five years ago on that head.. It is quite certain that sooner or later the central route via Marton will be that of the railway from Wellington to Auckland, and if the Stratford line be made at all, it must ultimately become a mere branch or loop of the true main line. Whether the Stratford line be made or not, the Marton line will assuredly have to be carried cut some day. But there are two other so-called main lines to which the title can only be conceded by courtesy, for they practically “.go to nowhere,” and are

in point of fact mere branches. These are the North of Auckland and the Otago Central Bailwnys. Both of these schemes occupied a large amount of the House’s time last year, and they will inevitably crop up again this year. The champions of the respective works will, we presume, again endeavour to persuade the House to sanction their construction under the land-grant system, as in the case of the Manawatu line, but with more liberal treatment than the latter has received. Members ought, therefore, to make up their mind in good time how they will deal with such proposals. They ought not to allow themselves to be taken by surprise. If they do not mean to pass these measures they ought to give their votes boldly against them, and not to “ kill ” the Bills as last year, by the unworthy process of “ talking them out ” or “ stonewalling ” them. On such a matter as this the Government should give a clear and decided lead from the outset. There should be an early and explicit announcement whether the Government will support Bills authorising the construction of the lines by private syndicates with the aid of land grants. And on the other hand the promoters of these projects ought to be fully prepared to show that the authorisation of such a mode of construction would be justifiable, 'and would be beneficial to the public. Hitherto this has not been made suffi tlv clear to satisfy the House. If a legitimate case can be made out on behalf of these two branch lines there is no reason why they should be less favourably treated than the Manawatu and Midland lines. In any case the land-grant system is infinitely preferable to construction out of loan. Apart from the undesirableness of even impliedly sanctioning any fresh borrowing, for a very long time to come at all events, the land-grant method has the great advantage of offering a direct premium for the bona fide settlement of the land through which the railway runs. A great blow has happily been given to the prospects of any agitation on behalf of fresh borrowing by the success of the Midland Company in raising their capital. Had they failed in this attempt, as at one time seemed imminent, it is practically certain that we should have seen a combination formed, consisting of the majority of the Auckland, Taranaki. Nelson, Westland, Canterbury, and Otago representatives, for the purpose of bringing about the construction of the North Auckland, the Stratford-Auekland, the Midland, and the Otago Central lines out of a new loan to be floated at theearliest opportunity, From that danger the Colony is, we trust, saved for the time; but there is still a risk of much trouble over tho lines in question, unless an early and decided and unmistakable lead is given by the Government.