RAILWAY EXTENSION TO TARANAKI.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3962, 9 February 1882, Page 2

RAILWAY EXTENSION TO TARANAKI.

[FROM THE "AUCKLAND STAR." A deputation from the Auckland Chamber o£ Commerce, consisting oC Messrs. C. C. McMillan (chairman), T. Morrin, G, Aickin, J. Newman, T. Peacock, and J, Stodart (secretary) was received. Mr. McMillan (who acted as spokesman) said that the first subject they wished to bring forward was that of the Taranaki Railway — a subject in which the people of Auckland took a deep interest. They were anxious, at least, that the Government should order a Biirvey to be made, in order to ascertain what route should be taken. As the Premier had already been deputationiaed with regard to it at New Plymouth, it would be unnecessary to go into details. He might say that for Auckland it was a matter of very great importance that she should be connected by rail with the South. At present our merchants and importers were put to considerable and frequent inconvenience through prolonged sea trips up the coast, and also through vessels being often obliged by stress ol! weather to omit their usual calls .it New Plymouth. The tendency of all this was to drive the Taranaki trade from Auckland, its natural centre, to Wellington and other Southern towns. The Premier said that he would be obliged to give substantially the same answer that he had made to a similar deputation at New Plymouth, viz., that tlu Government appreciated quite as much as the merchants here, the desirability or! completing the arterial lines of" railway communication in this and the other island, and that they would allow nothing to stand in the way of their construction. They would be quite prepared as soon as they were at liberty to do so to propose a loan fn • < hatcver amount might be necessary t.i c miplctc these means o£ communication. Ol: course the members of the deputation Avere aware that difficulties of a political character stood in the way, and that these would require to bo dealt with with judgment and caution iE the project were not to bo indefinitely delayed. Perhaps the less said upon the subject the better, but it would be admitted that anything like precipitation in pressing surveying operations through Native districts might have the effect of postponing them for v considerable time. The Government were impressed with the desirability of completing this work oC arterial railway communication, and anything that they did towards that end would be done as prudently as possible. A small boy testified in an American jus- ■■, Court that the affray took place on a vi'l ' " How do you know it was Sunu.i\ .' Because that day I had to go to the back door of the saloon to get beer instead of the front door." .•• - j^'j^i^i^o^