The Evening Star TUESDAY MARCH 1, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2127, 1 March 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY MARCH 1, 1870

The Railway question which, has been forced upon public attention through the discussions that have taken place upon it lately, as well as by the necessities of the Province, is one that deserves more consideration than the more

party one, whether his Honor the Superintendent or his Executive took a right view of the matter. It is too late now to discuss the question of the Port Chalmers line, and the Council having affirmed approval of the action of the Government on the Clutha Railway, will hardly stultify itself by a reverse decision at the next session. We considered at the time and have seen no reason to change our views, that the mode of proceeding was a mistake. It arose in all probability from the Executive not being acquainted with the usual way of going to work on Railway construction, and from confounding two very distinct notions a competition of companies and a competition of contractors. It was a novel idea to suppose that the temptation was sufficient to lead to any great excitement, and that more than one company would come forward willing to construct the line and pay the preliminary expenses. It is quite conceivable that when a company was formed, they would be in a position to let the work either as a whole or in portions on favorable terms; and what the Government ought to have done, should have been to have required the Company to have invited tenders, and to have bound them- to accept the lowest by making it a condition that the interest guaranteed should only be upon the smallest amount necessary for forming the line. Had that been done, no matter who the shaieholders -were, the Executive would have been in a safe position. Any deposit necessary might have been required as security for the performance of the work the same as now, and we cannot see that the grounds on which the negotiations were broken off with the first Company were such as to justify the departure from the commonsense mode of conducting such transactions. But we cannot help thinking that it is a mistake on the part of any Government to hand over such a work as a Railway to a Company. Like highways, railways should be national property. That has already been discovered in Great Britain and Ireland. There the idea long prevailed that anything that had the name of work should be done by private enterprise, which it was contended would prove much cheaper and provide better public accommodation than when carried out by the Government. This proved in practice a fallacy. It may be true within certain limits, but we apprehend these are confined to works the efficiency of which depends upon the personal supervision of the partners; and not to those requiring immense outlay like Railways, in which the shareholders delegate to others the construction and working of the lines. Whatever disadvantages are attributable to Governmental mismanagement, are equally chargeable upon the directors of Railway Companies, and this has been abundantly proved at Home and in India. In tire debate that took place in the Provincial Council, some of the members urged as a charge against the proposed Clutha Company that in all probability they would realise two per cent, in difference of interest of money ; as they would have been able to borrow money at six per cent., while the Government guaranteed eight. It did not seem to strike them that the same charge would apply to every Company that undertook the work. It sounded well in the ears of the settlers, whose logical perceptions are certainly not of the highest order. But why borrow at all 1 That no impediment might be thrown in the way of railway construction, we have foreborne urging what appears a very feasible plan proposed by Mr Peyjian. He suggests that land valued at the upset price should be set apart specially for the construction of specified lines of Railway. That contracts should be let for given lengths, and as the money is required the land sold. If it be in the neighborhood of the line, and not sold until nearly accessible by it, there can be no doubt whatever but a much higher than the upset price could be realised for it, and thus the line-—valued in land—would be constructed probably at half the original estimate—that is, assuming that. 400,000 acres are reserved at the outset, the sale of 200,000 would prove sufficient. By such a process the line would be made equally soon as by a Company ; the Province would not be saddled with heavy interest ; and the Railway would bo Provincial property. Under the present Act, as a matter of course, the Clutha line cannot bo formed on such a principle ; but so long as we acknowledge the advisability of selling land for public purposes, we cannot see a better plan for the development of the country. It is one of the professed objects of land sales to provide for the construction of public works, and the promotion of immigration. It is high time to cast oft* the stereotyped superstition that the word “road” applies only to stones and mud. A railroad is a road, and of the best construction ; and the land fund is equally available for the formation of the one class as for the other.

Taieri Election. A writ was issued to-day for the election of a member to represent the Taieri district in tho Provincial Council in the place of Mr A. J. Burns resigned. The Evangelist.—We have received No. 3 of the second volume of the Evangelist. It is more than usually interesting, and contains a variety of articles that will be read with pleasure. Mr. Thatcher. — Wet or dry seems to make no difference to Mr /hatcher. He has always an audience. 1 hero was a good attendance last evening notwithstanding the dark stonny weather. He, Mr Daniels, and Mr Small always pleas-, and along with th old favorite songs, fresh local hits are continually brught out. Sudden Death.—lnt'dligonce was received by the Duns/an Timet on Tuesday evening last of the somewhat sud ien death of Mr Weaver, provision merchant, of Grom mell. The deceased gentleman had been unwell for some time, but it was not thought his illness was of so serious a natuic. Mr Weaver was f-r some time a resident of Queenstown, where he was most deserve lly esteemed. Macraes’. — From Macraes’ we hear that the small crushing machine, after undergoing thorough repair, is now engaged hi crushing stone from the reef at JFullartou s. (The reef is being tried by Messrs Eggers Bros, of Macraes). The Duke of Edinburgh Company are getting on with their machinery and expect to make a start in five or six weeks. They have a large quantity of stone on the surface. As the company are short of hands accustomed to reefing, they are offering Is per hour, with the chance of overtime.—Mount Ida Chronicle. The Resources op the Cromwell District, —Wc ( Guardian ) understand that Mr W. J. Barry proceeds to Dunedin this week, taking along with him specimens from the various reefing claims, together with samples of plumbago from the mine at the Garrick llange; also, specimens of silver ore, copp r me, Ac. Iho collection, winch vv>* had an opportunity of inspecting, is a miscellaneous oue, and wo have not the slightest doubt but that Mr Barry’s well-known energy will enable him to accomplish some good for tho district. The collection will, we are informed, bo submitted for the inspection of tho Government, and we have no doubt a similar privilege will be conceded to speculators and others. Cromwell. — The Alta Reef, a distinct lode entirely from either the Aurora, Bendigo Company’s, or Colclough’a reefs, is on or about the same line as the Bendigo Beef, but it is some three miles distant, besides the prospecting claim there are a number of other claims in occupation, and iu nearly all, tho reef has been discovered on the surface. In the prospecting claim three shares have changed hands, one to Mr J. Patterson for L 250, the second to Mr Grant for L 275, and the third to Mr Alves for L 275. On this claim there are two shafts sunk about fifty feet each in depth, and about three hundred feet apart, with a well defined rc f of about three feet in thickness from shaft to shaft. About one hundred and fifty tons of stone are at grass, which, from general appearances and from prospects obtained, will yield about three ounces to the ton. As the Company have made arrangements for and expect their crashing machinery very shortly on the ground they do not intend to have a trial crushing. Dunstan Times.

Duffer Gully. From Duffer Gully, iS’evis Road, we loam that some five or six ground sluicing parties are at work. The stripping varies from s'x to ten feet in depth, with a coarse y< How wash two or three feet thick, carrying a sample of heavy reef gold. The water is taken out of the creek, and carried through tail-races cut in the solid rock. They average three«carters of a mile in length, with a fall of from 50 to 100 feet, according to the nature of the ground. Although the water supply during the past season has been poor, as a rule it runs about live chticc-heads. One of the companies, known as \Valsh : .s party, will commence washing-up a three months’ run on Monday first, and judging from the appearance of the races, the estimated yield is set down at 100 ounces. The party consists of four shareholders, and the estimated yield will give about two ounces a week per man. Reduced to a money value it makes the amount close upou the estimated wages of the place- viz., L 8 per week. It is also stated that the existence of a reef has been discovered towards the bead of the gully, but no particulars supplied. Still it is •yideut from the sample shown to us that a reef does exist at no very great distance.— Cromwell Guardian, The drawing at the Art Union of Mr Westropp’s pictures will take place at the Empire Hotel this evening. The third quarterly meeting of the members of the Otago Licensed Victualler Association will be he'd at the British Hotel George street, this evening at 7.30. Business of importance.