Untitled

Clutha Leader, Volume III, Issue 152, 8 June 1877, Page 5

-cSix weeks have elapsed since the section of railway from Gore to Waipahi was so far finished that it was quite in a safe condition for his Excellency the •Governor to travel over. It was then expected that the section would at once be opened for traffic. This has not yet been accomplished, and no information can be obtained as to when it is likely to be opened. As a general rule the utmost readiness and even exertion is manifested to utilise aMine as soon as •completed, and therefore the course pursued with the Gore- Waipahi line is the more extraordinary. There must be some special cause or powerful motive for it. The people oflnvercargill have had an indignation meeting 1 upon the subject, and the Mayor distinctly asserted that the keeping of thp line closed was accomplished through the influence of the Dunedin merchants It seems very like it. Indeed, it is difficult to otherwise account for the delay. This is scarcely fair. The line was constructed by public money and for the good of the public generally — not alone for the merchants of Dun■edin. The public — not the merchants •of Dunedin — have to pay the interest <of -the money expended in forming the line, and it ought at once to be opened for traffic, so that the revenue might meet that interest. We, as well the Dunedin merchants, should have likfd to have sesn the whole line from Balclutha to Gore opened simultaneously, and thus obviate any undue advantage being given to small towns or rival merchants. But a portion of the line is now completed, and the Dunedin merchants should have taken the advice of those who repeatedly urged upon them to use their influence to have the remainder of the line proceeded with. They would not listen to such advice until they felt their pockets touched. They then exerted their influence when too late, and in a wrong direction. They use it in the direction of retarding traffic, whereas they should use ■every influence they possess to facilitate traffic. It is difficult to believe that they will long 1 succeed in their present views, and those upon whom they are now inflicting a gross injustice are not Jikely to forget it. They will not be predisposed to send thoir produce to Dunedin even after the line shall have been opened through. The course at present pursued by the Dunedin merchants in this matter is unjust and impolitic in the extreme.