The Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2188, 12 May 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star THURSDAY, MAY 12, 1870.

Mb. Duncan had a somewhat difficult task last night; he had to make the best of a bad job. He had to explain to the satisfaction of a critical assembly, the reason why, notwithstanding an immense amount of lapsed votes, the revenue had fallen off so much as to leave the Province more heavily in debt at the close of the financial year than it was at the beginning. Luckily for him the falling off is in precisely that one item lor which the Provincial Council by a majority of one is to blame, the Land Revenue. Notwithstanding the long continued and severe general depression, the receipts

from the consolidated revenue and from the gold export duty have increased, and there are unmistakeable signs that had it not been for the obstructiveness of the Council in not bringing the Hundreds Regulation Bill into operation the result might have been different. We have scarcely had sufficient time to consider the proposed expenditure to express approbation or disapprobation of the plans specified. Excepting as a member of the Provincial Council, Mr Duncan ought not to bear any blame for the shortcomings of his predecessors in office, and in defending their policy has had a task thrown upon him which can scarcely be said to fall to his share. In his review of the progress of the Province during the term of office of the present Provincial Council, although he claims credit foi works done, there are many remarks which imply condemnation of those to whose skill they were confided to carry them out. If there is one subject that requires investigation above others, it is that searching inquiry should be made as to the causes which led to the destruction of so many bridges, and as to the principles on which they have been repaired. 11 Dining the flood of 1868, says Mr Duncan, "we had the whole of “ the bridges, then existing, washed “ away, either wholly or in part.” Immediately after the flood mentioned, it fell to the lot of the writer of this article, to pass through a portion of the country, and to examine the remains of several bridges rendered useless by the flood; and without hesitation, it may be safely asserted that there was not a single instance that came under observation, in which the merest tyro in Civil Engineering would not have been able to predict that no other result could be expected. When, therefore, Mr Duncan takes credit for bridges repaired, it must be remembered that those repairs must be set down to bad engineering—to bridges constructed at heavy cost in improper situations, and on faulty principles. It is strange that so little attention has been paid to the warnings of public journals by the members of the Council. Had these bridges been built in accordance with the principles of modern science, they would have cost less to build; they would have been secure; and the sums spent in restoring them with all their faults, and thus inviting another and perhaps worse disaster, would have been available for further provincial development. We have pointed out more than once that bridges in other Colonies can be built across wide streams, so that the water way may be left free; but here our bridges invariably present obstructions to the streams. We have pointed out instances in which they have been built at less than half the cost of most of those in Otago; but no member of the Provincial Council has thought the subject of sufficient importance to move for a committee of inquiry. This is the last session of the present Council—they have done much to obstruct progress—they have locked up the land, aided and abetted in erratic courses in regard to railway construction, and shewn in a variety of instances that they occupy positions for which many of them are utterly unfitted by education, habits of thought, and occupation in life. They can yet effect one good thing, and that is, request the Superintendent to appoint a Commission to enquire into the civil engineering of the Province. It is to their interest to do so. The roads are expensively made and expensive to work, and the bridges are merely fine weather structures, tending to intensify the evil of floods so long as they stand, and entailing outlay for repairs or renewal when they perish. We trust the railway loan will be sanctioned by the General Assembly, We have now experimented long enough and money enough in fruitless efforts to induce others to come forward to do what the Province can do much more cheaply for itself; but this again forms a special reason why our civil engineering should be improved. Perhaps in no part of the world has so much been done by a population of between 50,000 and 60,000 people as has been done in Otago; but our opinion is that more might have been done for tho money, and that it might have been better done. This ought to be enquired into.

and said bo never signed either of them, nor over saw them until now. He had been residing fourteen miles on the other sido of Tokomairiro. W. H. Paul, dork in the Bank of New South Wales, said : On the 20th January, 1860, L 9 was placed to the credit of the accused. On the 11th February LI 19 was lodged to his credit—Llo9 in notes, LI in silver, and L 9 cheque signed by W. Eos?. The defence was reserved, and his Worship committed the accused for trial at the next sessions of the Supreme Court.