THE MANAWATU RAILWAY.

Colonist, Volume LI, Issue 12419, 8 December 1908, Page 3

THE MANAWATU RAILWAY.

ACQUIRED BY THE COTJNTRY7 A BANQUET. [United Pkess Association.] Wellington, Dec 7. About 150 persons attended the banquet in the Town- Hall this afternoon, to celebrate, the taking over of the Manawatu line.'-; ' ' ; Mr Kirkcaldie, Chairman of directors', presided, and stated- the Government had done well irf the interests of 'the Dominion. He thanked the Premier for fhe patient.and courteous manner in which negotiations had been carried on. The value of the railway would only be appreciated by those who knew the condition of affairs existing at the time the railway, first was opened- The land of the company had been sold at an average of 25s 6d per acre, and all those who had .enteredv.into the pcrchase had done well by ~the transaction. Bqring the : years of- active working- tile company had carried in round 'figures seven millions of passengers, and its gross earnings had been £2,400,000; of which .£670,600 had been, paid away in. wages. He expressed appreciation of the generous support extended to the company" by the citizens and merchants of the country. — :-In conclusion- he wished the line the same success under 'the Government that it had achieved in" the past. He also handed tW Prime Minister a 'silver ,key of the Manaw.atn railway, in celebration of the" transfer from the company to the Government, a presentation that was greeted . =with cheers.' , 'The Premier said the sale had .been effected on terms satisfactory to; both parties. •It was the last of the private lines in the; country. He .believed the result would, be " benfificial to the "country" as a whole. The traffic, of the Mariawatu railway contributed by.; the Government during 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 line, and in this connection he had a' word of high "praise to say about -the late General. Manager, Mr William Hannay, and "the Engineer, ,Mr Marchbanks, for the work , they had done. The: work of both those eejitlemen had .been most valuable. . Those gentlemen were not joining' the Government service, but as to those who were joining he felt sure they woxild as in the.^paat do their : duty faithfully and^ell, and as to, the r purchase money, it 'was raised without difficulty on the most \ advantageous terms. The acouisition 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. He spoke in -terms of praise of the pioneers whoprombted the line in the early days;- remarking that the_ present occasion; ; would be of more -intense^interest ;to thosp who inaugurated " that valuable ''.'- work ■ in the early days, • I : '-^ v""- -i-;-*" > The* Originators and Promoters of the Company," was proposed by Mr H. D. Bell, K.G., who made fitting reference to the enterprise. Mr. D. • J. . Nathan, in reply, stated th*<t the idea of constructing the railway- emanated from the local Chamber of Commerce. 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 ss a whole. In view of the demand for railway's he ; quesr tiohed whether private"' .enterprise should pob be eneonra^ed. ' -. ■- '■■'- - - - "TheXitvoF '■'Wellington-," prppbs:' by Mr J. Duthie, was replied to by .the Mayor. ■"" -; , : :-^>s:^" : ';^ ; --''