WHAT STOPS THE WAY?

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2199, 25 May 1870, Page 2

WHAT STOPS THE WAY?

To the Editor of the Evening Star

Sir, —What is now termed the Railway question, is and lias been this considerable time past, necessarily attracting great public attention and interest. In regard to the Port Chalmers line, owing to the great delay that lias taken place since the announcement was made through the Press, that the contract had been definitely signed, ami the security money, L 5,0. 0 sterling, lodged, expectations of its being commenced at an early period has died out, and now either from official mistakes as to land proprietorship, or hesitation as to proceeding on the part of the contractors themselves, the commencement of operations seems more uncertain than ever. It must be allowed that the action of the contractors sufficiently indicated good faith and capability, and without doubt after present difficulties have been arranged, the construction of this line will be proceeded with, and brought to a satisfactory conclusion

In reg.ml to the Clutha Railway, several feelers, and one legitimate offer for construction have been receis’ed by the Executive ; what may be termed the feelers, 'so far as tbe public are concerned, arc not -worthy of attention. The offer sent in, is however, plain, distinct, and definite, and should at once have received the earnest and conscientious consideration of the Government; certainly, Ihe Secretary of Laud and Works, Mr Reid, iu a very brief note to Mr Millar, the party offering, intimated that his sals did not come within the provisions of the Railway Ordinance, and so iu the meantime shelved the offer, to which opinion Mr Millar, however, demurred, expressing his regret at the same time that the Government did not see its way to take prompt advantage of his offer. At any rate, as Mr Millar in submitting his proposals distinctly stated that he did so chiefly as a basis for future negotiation, any propositions liable to objection or beyond the Railway Ordinance could have been expunged or so altered in expression as to offer no hindrance to the Government according to My Millar’s proposals. Mp Millar’s offer as been said, is plain, dia iuct, and definite, embracing, however, it may bo allowed, certain propositions, which, hoWevo", valuable in themselves, are beyond the mere province c.f the contractor, but which should not have ! been made an objection by the Executive to \ meeting Mr Millar for the further consideration of his offer. Without doubt Mr Millar, and any other throe business men, not members of the Executive, and who could be selected, could in a brief period arrive mutually at a satis-fa-tory and unexceptionable conclusions ar,c| agreement. But ati lua Honor the Superintendent lately affirmed,, his Executive have taken the way “ how not to do it.” It is well and widely known that the Superintendent personally is very desirous that this Railway should, as easily as possible, be proceeded with. Iu fact, he has staked it may be said, his future political existence on its being entered upon previous to the termination of his present tenure of office, but it is probable that this rather simple but honest admissions on his part, is and has been, the reasons of his present Executive declining to come to a satisfactory arrangement in regard to this most important and most necessary public work. It may bo presumed that it might be efficacious to farther arrangements being made with Mr Millar, that a public meeting of tic unemployed, and other citizens feeling mtc-' rested, should he now held calling on the Superintendent to take such measures as wi 1 bring this important matter to a satbfantoiy conclusion with the sole offerer, and if necessary, to call together a new Executive net only in accord with him as this Railway ipiestion but as other matters of importance to the Province, any on which there may tx’st difference of opinion.

Mr Millar’s propositions as to immigration, might, it is presumed, be met by the acfiou of the “ assisted passage immigration scheme,” and his proposal of the reservation of so much land, as wlv n realised, would meet the whole cost of the Una, migqt abq he met by selling those lands r so reserved, with the other Hundreds lately act apa;t, in England. Unquestionably thes i lands might in time be a del here, but the evil is in so doing, that the laud is always offered to the same circle of buyers, and that the price when realised is simply a transfer of the money already existing in the Province to the Treasury. From America we hear of “ whiskey rings” and “gold rings,"but here, ill Otago, liy the action of the itself, we have a continually exis-ing “land ring.” It must he evident that were these lands sold in Great Britain, new capital would be received, and a new population arrive, and in this way Mr Millar’s valuable ideas of a special immigration to originate and carry on many new and valuable industries. would he effectively and beneficially carried into execution, g - ■•-4

Aritiimos,