The Dunstan Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1881.

Dunstan Times, Issue 981, 4 February 1881, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1881.

Beneath 'he rule of men entirely just Hi pen is mightier than tin sword

The business transacted by the County Council at its last mooting is possibly the important that ever came before it. To say nothing of o - her matters at present, th° two motions brought on by the Chairman were of such momentous nature as to demand the most calm and cousiderafe discussion. The County has suddenly been called upon to grapple with a difficulty which no human f*n ('sight could have anticipated. Feeling secure in the possession ot rights guaranteed by an Act of Parliament, the County became involved in liabilities of no o dinary ma< v i i tude, and although able to meet all deman's when due, nothing is left, for other works. Wc do not regard the remarks of Mr Pyke as one ivhit too strong when he said that a Parliament capable of repudiating its obligations to local bodies would be capable also of repudiating its obli gal ions to the foreign creditor. Whether it >is wise to ask for a Loan at present is a question upon which we do not care to pronounce just now. Hut we recognise the fact that without it there must be a religious aba'inonce from all worksno matter how nece sary or desirable they may lie -save those for which the credit of the County is already pledged, and these, to put it plain —are the bridges now in course of construction at Clyde and Alexandra One good has already resulted from the Chairman’s action : - ail the motions on th» Order Paper asking for votes of ml- - for new works have been shelved, and thereby the Council has been compelled, as we may .•ry, to take the initiatory step in .public economy.

Another lifter of equal importance in our estimation is the motion for appointing an “ I'ldruir. !c ,t Hid way Commission.' it, Is certain that unless some action in the clir. otlou indicated by Mr I'ykl: is taken, the pernicious effects of the ; untrnthful nitcl i jiiiioaa Report of the “ Idgiitniug Csnimisaiou ’’will operate

to the disadvantage of Inland Otago with a force ever accumulating so long us its fictions am not denied and disproved, as they easily can be. We have much move lo say on this subject, but space compels us to hold over our fuvth r remarks for another occas on when wo will deal more fully with the question.