The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1908. THE GISBORNE-ROTORUA RAILWAY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2202, 28 May 1908, Page 2

The Gisborne Times. PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. THURSDAY, MAY 28, 1908. THE GISBORNE-ROTORUA RAILWAY.

Slowly enough, to be absolutely suro, the line which it is fervently hoped will connect Gisborne with Auckland is making it 6 way northward, and yesterday tho passing of three mile-stones was celebrated in customary fashion by the running of a special train, and tho- recital ,of several speeches. Fortunately, the rain clouds which held possession early in the day drifted over the bills, and most charming weather prevailed, enabling the function to pass off in a very pleasant fashion. The speeches were excellent in tone, ■and must have given to the Ministers who wore in attendance as ropresentati ves of the Govern liiont lan accurate, idea —had such been needed —of the requirements and potentialities of tho district through which tho line has still to bo extended. Tho pity is that the whole of tho members of Parliament could no; bo present, for in that caso it is tolerably certain that the residents of Gisborne .and surrounding districts would not havo so much reason to complain in the future of tho dilatory manner in which tho work of construction is being prosecuted. It is all very well for Ministors to reply that the needs of settlers in other parts of the Dominion are equally asi pressing as those from the Motu and contiguous districts, but where, we may a6k, is the line that has the immediate financial prospects of that which commences -at Gisborne? AA T lien a twentymilo length as already paying its way handsomely, aud by continuation can be made the means of communication between tho finest timber country in the -Dominion .and tho outside world, it surely stands in a unique position amongst lines that are at present under construction. At present this timber is being destroyed -at the rate of millions of feet per year simply because there is no moans of getting! it to a market, and not only Poverty Bay, but- the Dominion as a whole, is a loser in consequence. But the timber trade, immense though it is, is not the only source of revenue that will accrue to the line when extended to the Rakaurua -and Motu districts. Thousands of fat sheep and lambs will come down the lino to the freezing works, and here, again tho total wealth of the Dominion will be materially added to. These (acts, are, of course, well known to the people of Poverty Bay, but it is only within a recent period that the actual potentialities of tho territories that will be served by the East Coast railway havo been in any senso recognised in other portions of tho Dominion. The special attention that has been given to Gisborne lately by members of the Ministry, of whom - no Joss than five have visited us during tho brief space of a few months, suggests that this is a vei ) opportune time to set up a persistent agitation for a more rapid extension of tho only railway in the district. In this connection the local Etailway League is doing excellent work,' and- it is to be hoped it will make most strenuous efforts in order to influence Parliament during the coming session.