The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24 1877.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 11, 24 November 1877, Page 2

The Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 24 1877.

We are always pleased to 3 read of steady improvements going on m districts surrounding us, such as Masterton and . some of our sister townships, which have of late made rapid/strides both -commercially and socially. While noting their improvements we must not lose sight of bur own, which are really of more importance to us. We can tell of success almost unparalleled; m the history of any new district m New Zealand.- *Towns inland are springing up as if by magic, and from all appearances bid fair to become of vast importance to the. Colony as a whole. Our Waste Lands ate being rapidly bought up and permanently occupied by the best of settlers; Our roads and bridges are being constructed at a very rapid aja^c almost incredible rate ; our district is '~ now jusfebeginnirig to^attracFcapital, which will surely find a safe invest-; ment and prove the means of de--veloping our vast natural resources m time. Foxtbnv our natural outlet by water, has as a town advanced at a very rapid rate during the -last .three years. The public improvements are something more than average during that period. Its : main street is- now metalled : public buildings creditable to an older community have jbteen erected by .public contributions. "Ml this is isjcioti news, but still Poxton requires something more to place her m the position she is destined to occupy as an im : poftant and only seaport for the trade of this vast anct fairly populous district; . The oi*fe. great want

at present is an extension of wharf accommodation. This matter has for the last two years been frequently brought under the notice of. the Government, but it appears that the efforts made have beea almost m vain as there is no sign of any steps beiug taken, 'to grant \that .is so urgently needed, and what we are inclined to look upon as a right. The present apology for a wharf is quite inadequate to the business requirements of the place. It is. just of dimensions sufficient to attract some^ enterprising owner or master of a vessel to the port, and when once there, to disgust him" and prevent his return. At the present time the place is blocked up with timber for trausit and, as far as we can judge, is likely to remain so ; large quantities of valuable timber are now lying at the mills, the owners well' knowing it is quite -useless to send it to port, until "some provision is made for shipping it away at once. If- there" was any great engineering difficulty m the way of obtaining what' we have so. often asked for, there might -be some excuse raised by the Government for the delay m extending the wharf. But: no such difficultjr, exists ;. the whole work is cbmprisedinthe matter of a few piles from the upper district, the removal of a -quantity of sand sufficient to form the neccessary embankment; •running parallel" with the extension ; this does indeed seem a small item m comparison with the great advantages to be , .gained .by the first put- ; lay. As our facilities for shipping timber are extended> so mil our timber "trade increase j and, m exactly the same ratio, will settlement be effected m the upper districtts; ~^Mt is the intention, we are told, of the authorities to iftrow open iinporfcant blocks of land m the uppe|. district for special settlements. This idea is good, but if the outlet for produce is so contracted, the timber trade will sitffer eyenibpre than at present. Our railways instead of retuniing good, profits will be running at a loss. Such a state of things should not be allowed to exist 3 ; every possible pressure ought td be brouglit to bear, and .everything possible dpne by the inhabitants of. the district to hasten matters on. ' While advocating.this particular work we firmly believe the Government will see the advantages to be derived from the extention of the wharf and will likewise come to our "rescue. If the accommodatiori is so meagre with present trade, what will it be when the Railway is made and m working order to Sandon ? That district alone will contribute largely m exports via Eoxtqit. This fact should induce the (ftoverriment to undertake the work with the least possible delay.