OCCASIONAL NOTES FROM THE METROPOLLS.—No. VII.

Cromwell Argus, Volume 1, Issue 43, 7 September 1870, Page 6

OCCASIONAL NOTES FROM THE METROPOLLS.—No. VII.

Exultation on the part of tlio “upper ten” at the passing of the University Bill in the Assembly, ami fervent thankfulness on the part of the unemployed and “horny-handed sons of toil" at the starting of the Fort Chalmers Railway and the offer of work by the Provincial Government, appear to he the feelings most prevalent at present in Dunedin. That Otago will derive great benefit through the establishment of the Colonial University in her chief city is universally admitted. She already holds, the proud position of being the foremost province in the colony in regard to educational matters, and has received high eulogiums from members of the Legislature ■whose good opinions are to be regarded as worth having. The support given to the Bill by our sister province, Canterbury, was all the more welcome that it was entirely unexpected—in fact, H was anticipated that in Canterbury a strong and persistent opponent of the measure, through her representatives in the Assembly, would have been found. I rejoice to think that jealousy of Otago in this matter was so completely eschewed by our next-door neighbors, and that the benefits to be derived by the whole colony from the establishment of a really first-class University were not placed in jeopardy by ill-timed opposition. Although the sum voted by the Assembly is not large, yet, with the endowment the University has already received from Otago, a fair annual income is provided, and I have no doubt that in the course of a few years, if it is found necessary, a much larger sum will be easily obtained. All honor to 0 fa-go’s rulers and politicians for their successful'eoup-de-wam in securing to the province this decided boon. In reference to the railway, I must express my extreme gratification that a start has at last been made with it. Singular to state, not the slightest demonstration took place on Monday, when the first—l was going to say when the first sod was turned, but this would be misleading your readers, as there were no “sods” to turn—well, when the first shovelful of clay was lifted. The opening ceremony was not imposing. Mr Paokbam, the sub-contractor who commenced the work, smashed a bottle of wine over the first barrow-load of earth, the few people who were present gave three wavering cheers, and thus commenced the construction of the first Otago railway. There was no public holiday, no demonstration of any sort, and not a single member of the Government attended when the work was commenced ; in fact, there did not seem to be the slightest notice taken by anybody of the important work which was inaugurated, and instead of the starting of the first railway in the province, it might have been a street that was in process of formation, for all a stranger would have known to the contrary. Only a small number of men have as yet been started on the line ; but these will no doubt be augmented without delay, and the work pushed forward. Here I may just mention that the navvies receive the munificent remuneration of Gs per day. In the present state of the labour market, this of course is considered a “good screw but for good pick-and-shovel men, trained to the work, it is really not enough. The rate for good men should at least have been fixed at 7s Gd per day. However, “necessity knows no law,” and when men are out of work, with small prospects before them of obtaining any, they must just take what is offered them, and endeavour to be thankful. It was only to-day that I was informed that two of the railway labourers were obliged to “cave in” through exhaustion, the result of semi-star-vation for some time past. The poor fellows had become so weak from the want of proper nourishment, that nature would not hold out any longer. Of course 1 do not suppose there are many such cases as these, yet what I have just mentioned will serve to show that labouring men in Dunedin are not in a position to stand out for reasonable wages, but must just take what employers feel inclined to give ; and consequently there are many only too thankful to obtain employment on the railway works at Gs per day. There can be very little question of this line of railway proving remunerative, as the immense quantities of goods which are at present conveyed to Dunedin by means of lighters will no doubt be dispatched by rail in preference. The delay which consignees of goods have to put up with in the loading and discharging of lighters will be obviated, greater safety in the carriage of goods secured, while at the same time the cost of transit will be considerably lessened. Let us hope that in future years the inhabitants of Otago will have cause to look back with satisfaction at the starting of the Port Chalmers Railway and the founding of the Colonial University in this province as two untertakings, the success of which has far exceeded the anticipations of the most sanguine of their promoters. Arcanum.