THE Waihi Daily Telegraph. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WAIHI MINER THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1905

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume V, Issue 1454, 12 October 1905, Page 2

THE Waihi Daily Telegraph. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WAIHI MINER

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 1905

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THE'.residents -of' East End and the companies whose mines are located in that part of the town have reason i; to complain of the attitude lately taken" np by the Minister of MinRS on . the .question of extending the Waihi railway to the 'East End quarter. We say lately taken up, because the attitude of the Minister has not' been always the same. It will be remembered that a short time, ago a petition signed by twelve , hundred residents of Waihi, urging the ektensioa of the line, was pre- ; sented by the member for the dia- " trict to the House, and Mr Herries " urged on the Government the necessity, of extending the railway to the eastern end of the town. It . will also be remembered that the Minister; iu addressing the House on the matter, said that the present site ]:■ of'the station had been' desired by the settlers, and that if gold were - found ia the deep levels of mines other than that of the Waihi Company the Government would be 1 justified in extending t the line. Much indignation is expressed by the residents and mining companies . of the East End at the, statement of the Minister- and the off-hand manner in which he treated tho petition. ■ It is news to Waihi people to learn that the whole town is satisfied with the present station, and the assertion that the present v site was desired by the Wtilii public has astonished the whole population, more particularly the twelve hun- . dred petitioners. The fact, is, the site Was selected ,at the sweet will of the Government,, who did not consult anyone; 'and we doubt ■ if one per cent,' of the popula. tion knew anything of the matter. .. The site was v ipicked, and there was an end of it. The change of attitude is somewhat re- ' marhble. It is remarkable for the reason that Ministers rarely say one thing to'.day and another thing tomorrow on the one subject During a recent visit to Waihi the Minister was waited on by a strong and representative deputation, who pointed out clearly the necessity .of extend, ing the line to the East End. The Minister coincided with the deputation! He said he was favourable to ' the extension, and. finished by stating that ho would instruct. • the engineer to report on tho route. It does seem astonishing that after the lapse of only a few months he should go back on his word, and treat with the coolest indifference a work be then supported. As to the - statement that if gold is found in the - deep levels of mines other than that of the Waihi Company the, Govern" | ment would be justified in extending : the'line, it is surely known tq the ■ Minister that gold has Jongsince been found in the Grand Junction and Waihi Extended, and thaf.in the ■ for. m er the battery irbeing erected, and in. less than six months will j be in swing. ( The .mines ? are the chief—in fact .'the only-r- ---" support of Waihi, and all' the 1 xai] •; ; ■ . • }' x ' : / ''

fiIAULJ.' J/AAJUA jljumj facilities possible should be granted - them.' Without the exteneioii the t mines' will still be handicapped, for it 'will moan a haulage pf fully a t inile and a-ialf of everything com- J ing by rail. Such a condition of ] things iB sureljl a reflection on the I miniug policy of the Government, a , policy that is so much boasted. J .The mining operations, of Waihi are , abaolufcely confined to the East End, i and mining work there ia incroaaiag largely; and the Government should' see to.it that railcoavenience, which ia as necessary to mining as to anything else, shoflld be taken ' as near to the mines aa possible. The Bast End part of the public have also a right;to ■consideration. The East End is thickly peopled, and this* being so residents there must form a great part of the passenger traffic., It has been no doubt discouraging to the petitioners to find that the. petition was so coolly treated by the Minister, liut we trust that the good sense of the Government as a whole will be exercised, and that in spite of the Minister of Minea' attitude the line will b# soon extended. The Wjihi Company might b.e approached on the matter of granting the spare ground alongside their Waihi-Waikino line. • If this were done, and the company were agreeable to the line running side by side with theirs, the cost of the route would be greatly reduced. It is possible the company will require one or'more, lines from Waikino to Wailii, running- parallel with tho present line, but even so they would ho doubt give material assistance to the Government by granting what they can of any spare ground.