The Evening Star TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1870

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2174, 26 April 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star TUESDAY, APRIL 26, 1870

"What about Railways'? may be fairly asked of the Executive. Four months ago arrangements were triumphantly paraded before the public for constructing the Poi’t Chalmers line. It is perfectly true that the contract was an odd one. The Government threw overboard the Provisional Committee who -were in negotiation with them, and abruptly tumbled into a very indefinite sort of contract for a railway to be provided in working order, capable of doing the least possible amount of work at the lowest decent speed, for the same price at which a first-class railway might have been made. Had the work been gone on with briskly,

people might have waited patiently, and looked forward with some curiosity for the completion of this novel contract. They wonder now what sort of an affair it is likely to turn out, or whether anything whatever but disappointment will come of this blind liargain. Perhaps in the history of railway construction such an arrangement was never made before. However the experiment may turn out, it is not desirable such a contract should ever be made again. There were well-de-vised plans laid before the Province that showed exactly what might be done for a given amount of money. They were considered so valuable that they were published at the expense of the Government. They were not only considered masterly in Otago, but they were admired and commended in other Colonies. It is by no means certain, had tenders been invited for making the railway in accordance with them, that it might not have been formed at much less cost than the estimate. At any rate, assuming that it involved the expenditure of that amount there would have been the satisfaction of knowing that a first-class lino would have been made between Dunedin and Port Chalmers. According to oldfashioned business notions, it only needed that the Government, in its negotiations with the company then about forming, should have stipulated for those plans being adopted, and it would have been done. But this would not have suited the Executive, who seem to have obtained new light somewhere, as to how to go about railway making. So they set themselves to do a great stroke. Old-fashioned business men look upon it as a “ leap in the “ dark.” They have engaged with a contractor to do they know not what, and appointed a man to supervise them who knows not how, Neither contractor nor supervisor have ever had any experience in the work—the one has undertaken a job, the plans for which have to be framed to suit his views; the other has been appointed to approve or condemn that which has never fallen within his experience to judge of. No wonder that at the very commencement there is delay and uncertainty. The work was to be finished in eighteen months. One-sixth of the time has already passed, and there is no sign of a spade having been put into the ground. But if there has been mismanagement with regard to the Port Chalmers line, there has been a still more palpable failure in the Clutha. When the suggestions of the Superintendent were treated with such superciliousness by his Executive, the Province had a right to expect their plans would prove very superior to his. The company formed through his influence was very unceremoniously disposed of. They had come forward in an emergency with fair proposals; but in an evil hour, the Executive appear to have got it into their heads that they knew better than he. Pie told them he considered they had found out the way “ not to do itbut they persevered, and what is the consequence ? Why, there is not a povertystricken Colony that cannot get a railway sooner than we. What has come of all the fine schemes of advertising for tenders in other Colonies, with absurd restrictions and conditions appended, but enormous expense —money irretrievably thrown away 1 All this should have been borne by the company—not the Government. All that the Government should have done, was to have stipulated that the company should construct a line according to a certain plan, and that the guaranteed interest should be paid on the actual cost of it, if taken at the lowest tender. We believe nobody wants to see Mr Reid out of office, but every body would like to see these unbusiness like crotchets banished from the Executive Chambers. It seems now that tne Province has no alternative but to make the Clutha line. Will Mr Reid’s clodocrat followers have the brains to reserve the necessary area of land from sale until its value is so enhanced by improved inter-communi-cation as to enable the Province to form the line at the lowest cost 1 We doubt it.