Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1884. THE WANGANUI RIVER.

Manawatu Standard, Volume IX, Issue 7, 6 December 1884, Page 2

Manawatu Standard (PUBLISHED DAILY.) The Oldest Daily Newspaper on the West Coast. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 1884. THE WANGANUI RIVER.

W|s regard it as a very important matter to Manawatu that the Wanganui people are about to take action m the matter of opening up the Wanganui River |p traffic. That splendid natural Ijigtyvay, {once so falsely designated "a miserable dribjet of a stream,") is capable of material improvement, an 4 can be made instrumental |n opening up a vast and fertile interior, of wh,icli,

comparatively speaking, nothing is yet known. That interior, owing to the topographical formation of the country, is not easily accessible by land, and the river must be looked upon as the main thoroughfare. Those who have visited the Wanganui upriver districts have informed us that it will m time support a numerous population, and that when opened up settlement will soon extend m that direction. It has often been a source of wonder to us that such a magnificent natural highway should have been permitted to remain undeveloped all these years. Wanganui has been settled by Europeans since 184-0, or nearly 45 years ago, and yet all that time has been allowed to slip by without any systematic efforts being made to turn its grand water communication with the interior to any practical account. The river seems intended by nature specially for a canal route, so td: speak, and when the navigation of the rapids is improved, which will notj involve any very heavy outlay (and^ a mere bagatelle compared to the benefits that would immediately accrue to the whole district) there is; nothing to prevent steamers of ,pro-| per construction running up a long" distance. Away inland the climate is almost tropical, and the soil capable of producing • fruits that could not be cultivated m more exposed situations. The further progress of settlement m and around Wanganui must mean an increased! market for the products ofMana-j watu, especially timber, and the development of up-river communication in| that district is a question of direct interest to this locality. At the public meeting which was held m Wanganui on Thursday evening, to con-i sider the question, there was a very good attendance, and the proceeding^ were remarkable for the enthusiasm by which they yrerq characterised. A resolution was unanimously ccarr r ried " That with the view of establishing a company to open the upper portion of the Wanganui River by means of steam communication, a committee be formed for the purpose of interviewing the Hon. Mr Ballance, and ascertaining what support the project will be likely to receive from the Government." Mr Manson said he had been" up the river for a considerable distance, and he did not think that the rapids would be very difficult to clear sufficiently to allow of a boat of light draft ascending to Pipiriki, which was the nearest point at which they could connect with the railway line. A level road could be got from there, and the distance required would be about 25 miles. The rapids were principally composed of drift shingle. Mr Young, who had lately, been to Utapu, said that, as the river was to be reported upon by Mr Rochfoet, he was hot inclined to express any opinion on the engineering difficulties. The rapids, though 60 m number, were mostly of very little moment. It was not the magnitude of any particular one that they would have to contend against so much as the strong currentl The majority of the rapids were no worse than many on the rivers on the West Coast where steamers had been used when there were no roads. The country generally would be capable of raising a large, quantity of stock, and fruit could be largely cultivated. The question' of probable traffic could not at present be calculated. The Chairman said that it appeared to him that if the Government were of opinion that the river was the best means of connecting with the central line, it would be made available apart from any interest that Wanganui pqjople might take m the matter. Government action, however, he believed, hinged greatly on Mr Rochkort's report. If that were favourable the work would probably be undertaken without delay m the interest of the whole colony. He quite approved of the resolution, as it was highly desirable that they should be prepared to supplement Government action m any direction that would prove benqfical to the town and district. A Committee was then appointed consisted of Messrs G. Carson, Freeman R. Jackson, Willis, Young, and Hassell to practically carry out the foregoing resolution, ana also to make enquiries regarding the^ probable cost of a steamer suited for the up river traffic. It would seem, therefore,: that the Wanganui people are m earnest with regard to this most important matter, and fully recognizing as we do its significance as regards Manawatu interests and nrosperity, we sincerely trust that they will leave no stone unturned to secure the successful consummation of the project the "initiatory stepg oL which have no*r been taken, and which, to our mind, is fraught with momentous results to the country extending . from the Patea to the Manawatu rivers, and indirectly to a large portion of the North Island, . \