The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1881.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XXXII, Issue 4608, 24 March 1884, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. PUBLISHED DAILY. MONDAY, MARCH 24, 1881.

It has long been known that the Auckland Ilei aid's proclivities were in favor of that route which would connect the main trunk line of north of this island with the south by way of the deserts of the Tuupo district. That the views of our contemporary were such is very evident from the fact that whilst it was ever ready to fill its columns with descriptions of the Taupo district — converting the scoria plains into fine pasture lands —it has studiously avoided inserting anything of advantage respecting the route which would connect Tarauaki with Auckland. For a paper occupying the position the Herald cloee to advocate such a short sighted policy is only to be equalled by the apathy displayed by the Auckland journals at the time the seat of Government was removed from that city. Our contemporary argues that because the "WelliDgtou merchants are, resolved to keep the West Coast trade of this island in their own hands that the Auckland merchants should let them do so by all means, and help them to run a lino through the barren laud of tho Taupo district. "It would be undignified on the part of Auckland to allow a qne&tion of national magnitude " to " become the sport of commercial rivaliies." How very magnanimous our contemporary can be ; how ready it is to sacrifice tho best iuterests of its merchants that Wellington commerco may bo benefited. Having, however, settled in its own mind that it would never do to allow the question to bo settled on its merits, the Herald, in an apparently ingenuous manner, suggests that the Auckland members '• should even now declare boldly lor both lines." The Uerahl goes on further to say — " Tho million loan can of course bo applied to the construction, exclusively, of only one or other of them ; but the one to which it may not be devoted can, nevertheless, be undertaken by private enterprise. We have, therefore, no hesitation in saying that the policy for Auckland members to adopt is (subject, of course, to engineering reports) to hold themselves iv readiuess to decide with tho Wellington members in favour of the inland route, but only on tucse two imperative conditions : First, that tho work be commenced at and carried on from both ends of the lino simultaneously ; and, second, that the right, to construct tho western line under the provisions of <he District Kailways Act be assured to tho colonists

iv the Auckland aud New Plymoutb Districts, so long as they may t>e iv a position for undertaking it. We see no other way of escaping the difficulties and risks with which the question is beset, aud there are many reasons which might be urged in its behalf, as the best solution attainable. It would secure the immediate commencement of the North Island Trunk Railway, on terms equally favourable to Wellington and to Auckland, and open up the interior of this island for settle meut. It would secure also the direct communication by rail of Auckland with New Plymouth and the West Coast generally." The scheme being far from a feasible one is not likely to receive much consideration . No line that costs more than a million will be agreed to by the Southern members, and so the one which would connect Te Awamutu with the Foxton-New Plymouth railway at the least possible cost to the Colony will be most favourably looked upon by the House. We think, that as the route via Taupo will cost at least a third, if not a half, as much again as the one coming out on the West Coast, it will not be the line chosen— even if the country was not Darren and desolate, as it is well-known to be. If the scheme proposed by the Herald did not result iv ' hangiug up the railway altogether," the commencement of the line at both ends as proposed would defer the connection of the North with the South for many years to come, and thus the million would be expended without the result for which it is to be raised being accomplished. We are aware that the views expressed by the Aucklaud Herald are not those of the most influential commercial men of that city. They may be those of a party who have some ulterior private ends to accomplish ; but, as they are certainly not the views any one who has the interest of Auckland at heart could agree with, we can afford to smile at the thoroughly impracticable suggestions. If the Auckland members were to advocate such a policy as our contemporary enunciates they would not only be laughed at but would stand a good chance of not getting the Northern and Southern lines counected at all.

The incident of the Union Company's steamer Wanaka going alongside the breakwater on Saturday last, and landing cargo and embarking passengeis is a practical refutation of the statement of the New Zealand Times, of Friday last, that " New Plymouth is building a costly monument of folly." Wellington has been fortunate in having a harbour made by nature, and, being centrally situated, forms on the East Coast a sort of depot for the steamers trading north and south. It has to be fed from all the small ports which it considers very unnecessary to spend money on. The position Wellington occupies on the East Coast, New Plymouth, in a few years, is destined to hold on tho West Coast ; and from the large extent of good land there is within a short distance of our harbour, it is bound in time to take its place amongst the principal ports of New Zealand. When a harbour was first spoken about here, people at a distance laughed at the idea ; but now, although not above a third of the proposed structure has been built, those who ridiculed it are beginning to acknowledge that tbe outlay has been no waste of money. A Wellington gentlemen, on Saturday last, had to admit he was agreeably suprised at the result he had witnessed, but had never expected to see. When another thousand feet have been added to the breakwater, and the jetties run out for tho accommodation of the shipping, the trade of the port will be largely increased. It may be thought perhaps over-sanguine on our part, but we look forward to the time when the steamers miming between Sydney and Melbourne and New Zealand will find it advautageous to make New Plymouth the first port of call, thus making us the distributing depot for the West Coast. The New Zealand Times asks, " Will the output er intake of the surrounding districts suffice to pay working expenses of the harbour, and the interest on money spent ?" So far at least as New Plymouth is concerned, we see no reason why it should not, for, although we may be connected by railways with the larger ports, water carriage being the cheapest, will still continue to be chiefly used. The railways will merely act as feeders to the various harbours about the Colony, and the Times need not think that, because the larger direct ocean steamers make it a port of call, that there will not be plenty of smaller vessels trading in our ■waters.

We would call the attention of the Committees of Country Libraries to the sale of books to be held by Mr. Courtney on Wednesday next, when over 800 volumes of standard and other works will be offered at auction.

Owners and trainers of racehorses are notified that tho racecourse will be open for their use cm Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday mornings this week till 8 o'clock. Horses training on the course on other days or times than those specified, or jumping fences on tho ground, will be disqualified.

A public meeting convened by the Mayor will be held in the Couit-house to-morrow evening, for tho purpose of considering what steps shall be taken with regard to sending an emigration agent to England to try and get persons to come to this district.

Messrs. Webster and McKellar have received a telegram from "Wellington advising tho new steamer Mawhera as loading 2000 barrels of cement, and would be at tho,br£akwater on Wednesday morning ot daylight. This steamer will be drawing thirteen feet on arrival.

Two young men named William Brookes and T. Johnston were summoned to-day at the Polioe Court, for having committed malicious damage to a fence on the Carrington lload, the property of the Borough. They pleaded guilty. His Worship lined them each ss. and 13s. (sd. costs, and warned them that for a second oll'ence they would be liable to I' 2 months' impiisonment, without the option of a line.

" Beef tea has become a popular biir room beverage in Omnlni," says the Louisville Courier. "The dennnd, which began to be lively in the autumn, has now attained such proportions that the prohibition folks aro perfectly delighted. Said a philosophical barkeeper to a reporter the other day, 'At lirst wo laughed at the idea of goinu to the trouble of making it, but now we laugh because we do make it. We sell over 100 drinks per day, and as it is a lo cent, drink, there i< no reason why we should not smile. Who drinks it did you say? Why. everybody; the man about town who has been out with the boys comes here in tho morniog and calls for beef tea ; the business man comes in the afternoon, uud braces his system with beef tea ; the temperance man who drops in with a bibulous friend takes beef tea ; and, iv fact, everybody is becoming a slave to it.' "