The Midland Railway. Opinions of an English Contractor.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 168, 4 September 1886, Page 5

The Midland Railway. Opinions of an English Contractor.

Wellington, September 1. Me Robinson, of McKeohe, Robinson, and Avignor, contractors for - a portion of the Midland railway, waB interviewed by a press reporter while in Wellington, and expressed his opinions as to the cost of labour in New Zealand, which will scarcely find an echo from ' many colonies. "It is monstrous," said Robinson, (> to suppose that the high • rate of wages new rulingon the West Coast sbonld continue, but it 1b difficult to make the labouring class *understand that a high rate of wages simply mean b a high rate of living and everything else. The process will be gradual, but the rate of wages will have to be lowered if the undertaking is to be a paying one." As to whether the Company, would carry the work through, he could merely say that the undertaking was of such a nature that its progress could only be" gradual, but that he believed the line would be made throughout, though by whom he did not' know. 'His firm had contracted for some sixty-five miles only in two. .contracts, one alone of which - had been signed at yet, as far as he knew, but, , of couree, the report that he was now going Home to make was being awaited. The formation of the line would be almost entirely on the Government plans, but he could give no idea as to Any probable dato when it would be commenced. ; The preliminaries— such as the organising of a staff, the getting the material out, and various questions concernI ing the acquisition of private land— would I in themselves take a considerable time.