Chapter 115 - One Hundred and Fifteen: Repairing the North Island Railway (Subscribe!)

Chapter 115: Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen: Repairing the North Island Railway (Subscribe!)

Translator: 549690339

“In the next two years, the most important plan of the Alliance Party is to enhance New Zealand’s recognition of the Alliance Party and its recognition of the union with Australia. I hope that there will be a specific report on the Alliance Party’s actions every once in a while, and I will strongly support your actions.” Arthur glanced at Grant, speaking with a hint of deep meaning.

“I understand, Your Highness. The union of Australia and New Zealand has always been the pursuit of the Alliance Party, and we will do our best to make more New Zealanders support the union of New Zealand and Australia. I believe that the country formed by the combination of New Zealand and Australia will be more powerful, and it will not be a regrettable choice for New Zealanders and Australians”, Grant quickly nodded, speaking with assurance.

Mayor Grant acted quickly, and by the second day, members of the Alliance Party could be seen on the streets of Wellington promoting the party’s ideals, with slogans such as “Unite with Australia” and “Build a Beautiful Oceania Together” emerging one after another.

Originally, the New Zealand colonial government did have some suppression of political parties, but under Arthur’s hint, the New Zealand government did not resist this time, choosing to let the Alliance Party act freely.

But from the people’s point of view, the government’s lack of opposition is actually considered tacit approval.

With the government not opposed, more people joined the Alliance Party, and even some former members of the New Zealand Labor Party, after a period of indecision, chose to abandon their membership in the Labor Party and instead join the Alliance Party.

With Arthur’s secret support and the colonial government’s inaction, the development momentum of the Alliance Party could no longer be stopped. In just one week, the party’s membership had expanded to more than 200 people, and their influence had successfully spread to major cities on the North Island of New Zealand.

By conservative estimates, the Alliance Party will be able to attract thousands of members within two years, and these people will play a crucial guiding role in major cities across New Zealand.

The current Alliance Party is a driving force for Arthur to annex New Zealand. The larger the scale of the Alliance Party, the faster the progress of annexing New Zealand.

This is also why the Alliance Party can gain Arthur’s support and why the colonial government remains inactive.

With the British Empire not participating, Arthur is the person with the highest authority in New Zealand, and there is no one more powerful.

The first stop on Arthur’s inspection tour was the railway that was built in New Zealand. The railway is crucial for national development and is not only one of the main means of transportation but also an important way of population movement.

Thanks to New Zealand’s good development in the past, there are currently railways on both the North Island and South Island, with a total length of about 300 kilometers.

The longest railway is located on the North Island, connecting Wellington in the southernmost part, the mining area in the west, and the bay in the northernmost part. It has almost become a circular railway on the North Island of New Zealand.

This railway is essential for the economic exchange on the North Island of New Zealand, but due to the previous economic downturn in New Zealand, a large part of this railway has fallen into disrepair, and more than half of the entire railway is inoperative.

Arthur and the colonial government’s priority is to restore the operation of this railway.

Most of New Zealand’s population lives on the North Island, and the North Island is the center of New Zealand’s economy and politics.

If the operation of the North Island railway in New Zealand can be restored, then half of the first step of New Zealand’s economic recovery plan will have been successful.

Fortunately, the construction of this railway is only about thirty years old, and most of the railways can be put back into use after a simple repair, while the rest require only partial replacement of parts or direct laying of new rails.

According to the colonial government’s estimates, it will take less than 200,000 pounds to repair all the railways on the North Island and employ 1,000 workers.

Gathering these 1,000 workers is not difficult given that all New Zealanders are eager for New Zealand’s economy to recover.

Arthur didn’t hesitate and directly took 200,000 pounds from the government’s funds, despite the pained expressions of the colonial government officials, to repair all the railways on New Zealand’s North Island.

This fund was actually a gift from Arthur as the Duke of Australia to the New Zealand government, totaling two million pounds.

So far, the total amount of funds owned by the New Zealand government has not exceeded 3 million pounds, which is also why the colonial government officials were so distressed when Arthur used 200,000 pounds.