SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume XII, Issue 3234, 3 February 1879, Page 3

SOUTHERN TELEGRAMS.

(from a correspondent.)

Wellington, Saturday.

Dr. Pollen, in the Times, is manifesting bitter opposition concerning the ThamesWaikato railway. After two bitter leaders on the subject, in this day's paper he says:—"There are two electoral districts in the colony with a common boundary at the river Thames, Oneof them, the Thames, is fortunate to be represented in Parliament . by the Premier,'and ' real Governor' of tbe colony, Sir 'George Grey. The other, the Waikato, is represented in Parliament by Mr F. Whitaker, lately.for a.short time Attorney-General for the. Continuous Ministry. In the last session of the General Assembly the construction of the line of railway in the electoral district of the Waikato was autHorised, and an appropriation of money was duly made for the works. In the ofc'-ier" electoral district, the Thames, authority was not given for the construction of any line, or part of any line of railway, nor was any money voted for any purpose in connection with such a work. Six weeks ago, on the 21st of December, the first sod of a railway, locally designated the " Thames Valley Rail v ay," was definitely turned on the mud at Grahamstown, amidst enthusiastic cheers, by the premier, Sir G. Grey, and instant measures were taken to commence the survey, and to let the construction of the line in sections to small contractors. Up to this time the first sod of the Waikato to the Thames railway has been allowed, we believe, to remain undisturbed in its native heath " at Hamilton, and no steps have been taken by Government towards the construction of that line. The one line, which by way of distinction we may call Mr Whitaker's, runs from the Waikato through a broad extant of land available for settlement, although but little of it is in the hands of tho Hrown, down to a convenient landing place, accessible to steamers or the river Thames. The other, which we may call Sir. George Grey's line, begins upon a mud flat at Grahamstown, and running from the banlys of the Thames throug a narrow slip of., land between the river and the • base of the high and broken coast range, will meet Mr Whitaker's line near the base of the Aroha mountain, at a distance of 30 miles frora Grahamstown, One line, the latter, has been surveyed,.has been authorised by the Eailway Construction Act, 1878, and aas had £30,000 voted for it in the Public Works Appropriation Act of this year, and will cost £168,000. The other line, which will cost £168,000 also, has not been surveyd, has not been authorised by Parliament directly or indirectly, and was not indeed heard of in Parliament at all. Yet we see that the construction of Sir George Grey's line was commenced by the tnrning of the first sod six weeks ago, whilst nothing up to this lime has been done for Mr Whitaker's line from "Waikato to the Thames," The answer to the question "Why'is this thus?" will readily suggest itself. The answer to the question why Sir George Grey commenced an unlawful expenditure of money at Grahamstown, and pledged the credit of the colony for the construction of a railway not authorised by Parliament, and which must cost £168,000 at least, will not be found to be easy. The answer in neither case can be creditable to the Government or satisfactory w H><> Parliament. We have heard a g< jd deal about jobs since the present Ministry scrambled to office, but unless the Premier has erred, the case of his crass ignorance of that which, as the representative of this district and as a Minister of the Crown he ought to have known, his offence in this case is very gross, and will be unpardonable if he now persists in it." Your readers will understand that Dr. Pollen, being an ex-Auckland man, all this rubbish is believed in by Southern people, Dr. Pollen caring for nothing if lie can embarrass the Ministry and put pressure oti it to provent the construction of the line. Tho New Zeala ,-kr laughs at Dr. Pollen, but this ii a business people themselves should alteud to, (per press agenoy.) Neilson scratched Fishhook at 3,30 this(Saturday) afternoon for all his Wellington engagements, Lyitoton, Saturday. Arrived The SiS.' Wanaka,' aud the

ship 'Nortbra March,' from tondon with 350 Government immigrants, 92 days' out. -'hp has heen placed in quarantine. Two c,ws f measles are at present under trea niont, and 8 deaths have oc-

curred from measlei during the passage, Gobe(li)t r.-argill),Saturday 10 p.m. Mr Conyers has been slightly worse today. • Sunday morning. There is no improvement to report. He is much the same as yesterday.