THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Manawatu Times, Volume V, Issue 117, 16 February 1881, Page 2

THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

There is an old saying that " God helps those who help themselves," and if there be truth in the maxim, then certainly the West Coast „ Kailway Company should become * glorious success. Deserted by the Government, who should have viewed the matter as one of Colonial importance, the project ridiculed by. jealous rivals on. the East Coa9t, and with all the weight of an adverse report -from the Railway Commission pitted against it, the gallant band of promoters-have steadily fought-tha-un-equal battle, quietly maturing their plans, until now they place before the public a statement in. the shape of a prospectus* which is satisfactory in the extreme. , The enterprising action of the Committee" in privately undertaking what should have been a National work, must gain it the sympathy of colonists all over the Island, and gives a flat denial to the assertions so glibly uttered by our legislators, that the line would never pay. The sum proposed to be raised within the colony, £50,i00, is so ridiculously small that we imagine there would not be the slightest difficulty in getting it in the Provincial District of Wellington alone. We recollect reading that at a meeting some twelve months ago Mr. John Plimmee stated he would be willing to take up shares to the extent of £1000, and surely there ought to be at least a dozen other merchants in the Empire City with similar enterprise, while there should be no difficulty in getting rid of another £3C,000 by smaller amounts. If this were done, and we see no reason why it should not, the balance would be taken up by Otaki, Foxton, Palmerston, Feilding, Halcombe,- Marton, and no doubt some few disposed of in Wanganui. Although the Press of that town — or at least one portion of it — is opposed to the West Coast Railway, we happen to know that a very different feeling exists amongst a large section of the community. The promoters have not only made out a splendid case to prove the undertaking a paying speculation, but they guarantee that unless the whole of the £50,000 proposed to be raised in New Zealand be covered by application prior to the end of May next, the deposits of those who have applied will be returned in fall.