AUCKLAND-TARANAKI RAILWAY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 4067, 14 June 1882, Page 2

AUCKLAND-TARANAKI RAILWAY.

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTRY. [per press association.] An interview took place yesterday no. aing between members of the Government and members of the House of Reprepe itatives in regard to the completion of the trunk line of railway through the North inland. Mr. Sheehnn said the depiitntion was not intended as a demonstration in favor of or against the proposal for a loan. The members present merely wishing to I>p assured that if further borrowing were deeMed upon their claims should not be overlooked. He described the different routes through which it was proposed the line should pass. The deputation, he said, generally wore in favor of the TaranakiAwamutu ron Le. In regard to the native difficulty, which appeared to Mr. Sheehnn to be the most important question, that difficulty existed to an equal extent in connection with those lines ; hut, he believed, that the moment anything like rfasonable terms could bo come to with Tawhiao, that the Maori King country would be opened : and he believed that the recess would witness the accomplishment of that. The Premier, in reply, said, no doubt, at the commencement of the Public Works policy the trunk lines were the mam feature of that policy, and the Government recognised that it was an essential part of any more borrowing that the principal portion of the trunk lines should be completed, so as to provide through communication in both Isl. nds. That idea had certainly not been diverted from, except in so far as it had been impossible to carry it out in consequence of the native difficulty; and the present view of the Government was that the proposed line should be x>ne of those on which a portion of the money of the proposed new loan should be spent. The native difficulty, however, had stood in the way hitherto; but that difficulty now se«med to be speedily coming to an end, and he was in great hopes that at no Tery distant time the Government would be able to complete the survey in that country. The line in question was one that should be completed at the earliest possible time. Mr. Bryce agreed with Mr. Sheehan as to the native difficulty being equal in regnrd to both the proposed rortes. He had made every enquiry he could as to the nature of the country of the respective routes, and was free to confess he was not in a position to express any opinion on the subject. As to the natives offering any obstruction to the work of exploration in that district, the Maoriq yinttirilly wiohc<l to conserve their interests as far as possible, and to do so by arrangements with the Government. That was reasonable on their part, and the Government would be prepared to meet them as far as they reasonably could. Beyond that, he did not think the natives had any intention of offering permanent obstruction to the rate of progress in that district. Before long he expected the Government would be able, with their full concurrence, to make surveys through their country. Tawhai expressed hiß opinion that the line should not stop nt Auckland, but should go as far as the North Cape. The Colonial Treasurer, in referring to the loan, said the Government proposed to allocate it to particular works; and, as far as it was possible in raisin? it, the faith of the Colony would be pledged to execute each one of those works. Of course, it was impossible to pledge further than that ; but the Government were quite clear that the time hud passed by when a large sum of money should be borrowed, and the object for its allocation sought afterwards. The Government preferred to found their borrowing on the amount of work to be