THE Manawatu Times. SATURDAY, FEB. 28. 1880. THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 120, 28 February 1880, Page 2

THE Manawatu Times.

SATURDAY, FEB. 28. 1880. THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

"Words are thing^^and n drop of ink falling like dew upon a .tiiQUght, produces tiftt which if(ak«» ; . thousands, perjfws millions think.tl-.,' .

We are pleased to see that the residents of Wellington- -are becoming alive to theitoportanerf of the immediate proMcijtion of the West Coast Railway, and we cqiisider that. J the efforts q£ those m tne : capital should be tnpst strenuously backed up by the settlers of jManawatu. We notice, howeveu, m the- report of the deputation which waited on the Hon. fhe Premier, one or "two little matters which, certainly \tcLus, seem unaccountable. For instance, one of the members for Wellington City, Mr. Levin, is said to have-unged upon the G-overnment the necessity of pushing on the work frpm both ends :of the line. We. need scarcely aay j that — -under? other, circuinstances-r-I the suggestion should have our most hearty support; but there is just such a thing as starting before being ready, and the request of Mr. Lima', we imagine, would lead to such a result. Mr. Levis; must know-— or at least ought to. knowthat so-far- the Manawatn terminus fqc th.c line has yet been settled ; that the (ni-Qyer.nme,ut have made the most distinct pledges that the Public Wonks "Bepartm,ent wo qld $ot commit itself to either the "Fpxton or the Palmerston route until m ppssession of th 9 reports and data now beJTjg collated for their enlightenment ; ;au.d. that a * the present time, there, is" a staff of Government Burveyq>rs .in.the FitzherbeEt Dsistiuc.t, prosecuting the no-: cessary survey m. order to enable the ; Government to arrive at an,; equitable decision. If JSIr. Levitt: will frame his request to the follow- ; ing effect :v that the Government will; hasten on the Burveysv now b.e,irig| nl^de^ au.'d^hen po ( sse,ssed of suffi-j Qie^t data-finaiiy settle^e pe;rm,an-f ent r.outepWisi feel certain his action will be heartily endorsed ,by eve,ry settler m Manawa^tu. ' ;tSt^p.po,sing; }%$ th,e Minißtny prAn^faed to, ae.t m accordance with the prayer, of the deputation, we imi^giue it would find itself onJtKe^hornii of aidilemma, for. to put ifrintfc effeqt it would ba.v.e to ( brjp.vk a solemn ptgdge, beside tb.^llyj nulU|yin]g^the labors of- 9. staff- of suvevors wh*o have beeih at work 011 the Edtzherb'e.r.t rpute $6^ the, past sk months. "V^e v do "'iiot for a, njon^ent to say a single wor.d m favor, -pf-thie/R^lmev-aisjj^-or dispaj nagemenfrbf^the TV)^ton routes. The Government have 'repeatedly p.rp-i m|sed i^at - m fixing th.c, northern te.riininu^3^ e y would be bound by the. repo'rts-pf the expertß.,appoi;U,ted for the purpose, and to,llwe ask is that that promise shaU . be adhered to. When that decisionj. has b.een give.Uj, w.e \yill bow to the resullJ, j^nd i$ the. dic,ta, of prqfesjßio.nal n^ejn be m favor of Fo.xton, we^shalj, tq the best of our, Ability, back up Mr^. L^viir that the line shall be cp.mmenced at both ends ; but until it is finally determined, however, which direction the route irtp ta,kej we imagine, the .request somewfli^t ' oujt place! It may nave.bften' seen from our telegraphic colunins that a Commission ibas been appointed, and we certainly think tha,t the, final ■ settlement pt, this^ vexata quaestio 'cpuß' nbt- be l«ft, tofa more 'fitting trib'ana^iv v Jjt,w quid take the Gover^ixnent out^ofetae wryl invidious posi-' ti,on m which it is plaieedin having to r d.ecid,e befc^rten - JFoxton and Palmerston, ' &n& thpse /- who know the men composing the Comnaijssion ■wpjfl.4 wit^perfejet rpliance. leave. the matter -m I'^1 '^ We, wo;ald suggest to his. Wprship the Mayor, that he wouldCcalla; meeting of;- the settlers, to which. th.p. residents of Feilding. would be. invited, and. that the Ministry should :be requested to relegate the final destination of the northera. rout© to the Bailwaj Cojn-