The Waikato Times. AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE. THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1894.

Waikato Times, Volume XLII, Issue 3390, 22 March 1894, Page 4

The Waikato Times. AND THAMES VALLEY GAZETTE.

THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 1894.

Equal and exact justice to all men, Ot whatsoever statejor persuasion, Religious; or Apolitical. 1 "

','■■ ,! .»/) It is recognised'])} /riien of all shades dt political opinion .that the settlemen^,of#e; lands of the country.by. a-suitable population ig the secretof tfuo'progresl It is equally'apparent that,,thig^ by the'provision ofipheap and easy communication ;)vith the centres 01 pofnla.fcion-.and ports of shipment. In the'. .absence;, of,.the. latter theJand cannot be,occupied by^anagricultural population.) U As* regards this colony," nf she'fhas|not reachtfdfthe pepple,, i hay 1 e ; n)in@d ,that ,there shall be no more borrowing. How thenl is4he'cduntry 'tpJberoatJed/is the i^iuif 7 which f Tarlia'nientrHas to crack.; / interview by a representative of a Wellington! Price "Williams,- who-18 a high author rity and management; is the. representative of a syndicate of capitalists \vl)o are prepa'red 1 J to 1 ; t6' our Assistance to the extent/of constructing light lines! .of railway jto-'seriveas/feeclers to those already working. Exactly v/'hat is tWlinw a reto pajr interest rates oaset'tlersV Avhichiare almost prohibitory of settlempFaitogethqr. liis terns 'are 3 that ;tl!e^|yndica'(e [ Jffies^w:£ich J ho.estifrom^riJofe^OfOO

per mile, the Government to grant the land required for the purpose.and in addition to grant a lease for* 21 years of ; ea(?h mile syndicate to pay interest during construction and for! five! years ; fconipkliprat the offwlnch period Mr } the Jnes wbui<i tVthe extent which lie would a little more that meet the cost of working. The inducement to enter into the scheme is'' the estimated profit_ which; wqiild be realised during the remaining 16 years, which he calculated would be sufficient topay'a fair rate of interest on capital, and Scjimulatipn of a singing fund' equivalent to cost of construction. The the lease of the land would vest in a trust for thetwentybneyears;' Thetampting in the; |roposaris ;that np lanrj wbiild.bfi? permanently an^ ;i further, thatitlie colony would not be at any risk as : to results. 'The trust would undertake thesettlement of jandiSnd manifestly |ilie managers! would' leave.no stone'sunturned.tp attract suitable occupants, as; financial ! advantage or disaster depends upon success 'or failure' iri tliis particular/; i: | Qurj does not make it clear as to whether itiisi proposed that the line should become the 1 'property; 'of the Govcrnmetit at the termination of the twenty-one years. as are .(he ; leases, but as a feature is made of a ■■ sink, ing fund to ; extinguish the costj' we presume;; that 'this;. would be. the case. , .Neither jis, it made clear as to whether rental ori lease is to be paid. It appears to us that the proposal is a most;; ifavourable' 'one. It ■ may be.,true,, that,j what woulcl pay; a: \ syndicate -would: pay,. the; Government; but the fact that there is ;no publicl money ayai]abjle !) is;a ! sufficient answer to,'this objection. That;, the .syndicate -would not' charge exorbitant rates is guarari-* teed by the fact that to do so would be to kill the' goose: 'lt would,, however,.; as a precautionary(pleasure, be necessary to provide that the...occupants , of ihe. leased,.land. shall 1 not ihave any this respect over occupants of land ! owned by /inSiyi ! dualSr< s or leased ;direct from the...Government. A maximum rate per mile should be fixcdiupori arid madefa condition/of the c0nce55i0n.,...,.., This would be absolutely, necessary,in cases where the proposed 'lines' became links' between theHermini of v. two of d the .Government line's I , ! ' Supposing that the Waikato line were extended by ; in the absence of csuch ; a (condition they would be'in a position to exact high rates and derive benefit out of proportion to' the services rendered; • i ßut l tfceMa ! re i mtttterß|'qf_ detail. It appears to us, if,,we,; iunderstantßhe/proposal, that it is the.most'favourable to the colony .that has been yet put forth, and is iwe '-worthy of jthejearnest g con i sideration- of the >Government.**& h »«