RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4884, 16 November 1876, Page 2

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

A’ favorite cry of the Opposition last session was that our railway construction, after all the credit taken for its good effects by the Government, had not progressed as it should have done. The Opposition have only to assert anything in order to consider it proved ; and it seems almost useless to subsequently cite facts which show how utterly groundless their assertions, are. Now, in reference to this matter of progress in railway construction,- it so happens that facts show the Opposition to be totally in the wrong. Speaking at a banquet on the opening of the Maryborough and Avoca railway in Victoria lately, Governor Bowen is reported as pointing out the advantages enjoyed by the population of that colony in, regard to facilities for railway travelling, which he somewhat incorrectly asserts are beyond those of any other country with the single exception of the United States of America. As he very correctly, however, says the proportion of railway mileage to population is a fair test of the advantages enjoyed by a country in respect to facilities for travelling ; and he then shows that in the United States in 1875, there was one mile of railway for every 591 persona ; in the United Kingdom in 1875, there was one mile for every 1916 persons ; in Germany, one for every 2428; in France, one for every 2940 ; in Europe, taken as a whole) one for. every , 3461 persons. “Now/’ (says Governor'Bowen), “at the end of next year, 1877, there will be in Victoria one mile for about every 890 persons:; in other words, the ; facilities for railway travelling in Victoria in comparison with the population, will next year be twice as great as' they.: now are in Great Britain, and four times as great as they now are in Europe generally.” ; Wo do not intend to deny the advantages' pf Victoria in the matter of railway construction over the countries enumerated by his Excellency the Governor of that colony; but it will be surely permissible to point out to- him that New Zealand, ;' though she started railway construction many years later than did ’Victoria, has outstripped her in the race, and in the comparison of mileage to population) is now ahead of her. This, top, in the face of the fact that New .Zealand, whilst carrying on railway, construction, has. been' adding to her population by a system of free immi-| gration/ whilst Victoria has been .doing nothing of the kind.lt will bo noticed that to prodace his' proportion of mileage to population Governor B6w;EN ( j: to take credit for; cpnstru6te t d, railways, as they will appear ,'oyer a year hence, and then the proportion is one mile for every 890 people. Evidently the proportion at present is much less favorable; However, we are content to give Victoria the ad-, vantage of a year and a half, and to point out that : in ! July - last the proportion of railway ■ mileage to ‘population, in. New ZeMahd .was as one mile of ( constructed railway at work to 684 people.' ‘What it, will bo at .the', end ,of-1877, the period'on which i Governor Bowen congratulates Victoria by anticipation, may bo gathered from the last Public Works statement,

which showed that the mileage of railway was—North Island, 362 authorised : 145. open for traffic ; and in I progress. 183. South Island, 638 authorised ; 404<opon for traffic ; and in progress 199. Total, 1030 authorised ; 549 open 'for traffic ; and in progress 382. There need be no fear that at the end of 1877, the period at which Victoria is to outstrip every country under the sun except; the United Kingdom, she will have gained a fraction from the advantages New Zealand now possesses over her.