(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l think the proposed purchase of our railways a capital scheme, and one I and thousands like me should desire bo see carried out. ,We have a debt of £38,000,000, and the sum offered us for the railways, rolling stock, etc.,. is £15,000,000. This is nearly half our indebtedness. If we had this sum what a relief it would be to our over-burdoned taxpayers ; while the pro moters are precluded from fixing an un reasonable or excessive tariff, as the arrang ing of the latter will, should the scheme be given elFecb to, be subject to Parliamentary control. The purchase of the railways would cause a groat influx of capital, and it would also give an immense increase of population. People like to go where plenty of money is being spent, so they have been rushing by turns into all the other colonies. Ib would be quite refreshing to sco the stream of settlement coming again into New Zealand, as would be the cape if the brilliant railway pro gramme wera carried oub. Working men have had a terrible time of it for years. Ten years with full work and pay would nob merely benefib them, but all classes besides.—l am, etc., Prosperity. (To tho Editor.) Sir, —lain very pleased to see so much in terest taken in Mr Wibheford's scheme of selling our railways,'and the sooner it is carried out the better it will be for the country. According bo the returns given by some correspondents, the net earnings last year amounted to about £412,000, and the interest to be paid on the estimated cost of our railways to date £766,000, thus showing a loss of £354,000. This loss has to bo made up out of the general taxation of the country, which comes very hard on us poor settlers, as we receive no benefit whatever from the railways as at present constructed and worked. If a small portion of this £354,000 were used to make roads in tho back parts of this district it would do more good towards the settlement of the country than it is doing at present.—l am, etc., Settler.
