The Evening Star MONDAY, MAY 30, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2203, 30 May 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, MAY 30, 1870.

If our contemporary the Daily Times can only manage to get a word in to raise a feeling against the Fox Government, no consideration of damage to the material interests of the Province has power to restrain his pen. Bolt goes the thunder, right or wrong not always straightforward, but that matters not. If aimed at Messrs Fox and and Vogel, and if unfortunately the Provincial Government or the fcupeiintendent of the Pro vince suffers instead no matter ; Messrs I ox azid Vogel must consider themselves hit. Fortunately for them and for Otago, the j hand* or conclave that guides these erratic bolts is not strong to wound, and is not likely to be strengthened by popular support; but, weak as it is, an occasional truth crops up from the mass of nonsense. The doctrine is laid down that the matter of the proposed loan should “ be thoroughly understood and “ well considered by the electors of the <£ Province.” In this we cordially agree ; and in the hope that wo can throw some little light on the matter, we purpose devoting a few lines to it. The proposal of his Honor the Superintendent is to borrow <£650,000, to be expended on reproductive works. In the enumeration of the specific works on which it is proposed to expend the money, we may not agree, on several grounds. Each of these must, however, be discussed on its merits, and it is time to canvass the propriety of the expenditure when the specific proposals are before the country for adoption. The total outlay proposed is for works necessary to the development of the Province. It has long ago been decided that the Southern Trunk Railway requires to be constructed, but it is not perhaps sufficiently known that the necessity for a railway system is becoming forced upon the Province, among other reasons because of the enormous cost of maintaining common roads in good repair. It seems sufficient for our contemporary to urge that the interest of the debt will prove a heavy charge upon the Province ; but let us have a word or two on that point. He seems to imagine that by throwing railway construction upon the Colony, and that by doing away with Provincial railways, in some way or other which he does not condescend to explain, the Province would be the gainer. But it can scarcely escape the least reflecting amongst us that instead of being relieved from any liability on account of our own railway construction, by the Colony undertaking the work, we should run the risk of other Provinces being preferred before us, especially with a Stafford in office ; and under any circumstances we should become liable for the construction of railways elsewhere. In fact, Otago would have to pay towards North Island railways. It cannot be supposed that with a Colonial loan for each Province to pull at, we could command so large an amount as we propose to raise for ourselves. North, south, east, and west there would be scheming, bullying, log-rolling, to get the lion’s share. Nor do we see that the slightest advantage would be gained by the General Government doing the work instead of the Provincial. Spending our own money, wo can make railways suitable to our requirements. We have not been particularly fortunate in attempts at construction so far : but there were reasons for not getting on with the line which are now, we think, removed. There can be no doubt that had Otago had the advantage of a General Government guarantee, the Olutha Railway would have been in course of construction long ago. But the Stafford Government dare not propose such a thing as to guarantee a Provincial loan with an expensive war raging in the North Island, though they were prepared to ask a loan for war purposes of nearly three times the amount the Province is about to ask for reproductive works. The pressing necessity for the railway led to the alternative of offering a liigh rate of interest to any capitalists willing to make the line. In the special session last December, it was intimated by the Government that they expected tenders before the opening of this session. They are disappointed. That they could rationally have expected anything else, considering the way they went about the work, is inconceivable ; but the delay has loft the Province in a position to do the work on better terms by the Government undertaking it in this wise : —First, a light railway will be all that is necessary for the present; and by economising the outlay, a larger extent of line can be constructed than could be formed if heavy rails and high speed were aimed at. In the second place, instead of eight per cent,, with a General Government guarantee, in all probability the money may be obtained for five in the markets of Europe—a difference that we need not say is too

serious to be despised. With five per cent, only to pay for the use of money, although for a few years there may be not much profit in working the line, the development of the productive and commercial interests of the Province may fairly bo expected to reimburse all expenses, and pay a portion of the interest. In this respect railways differ widely from metalled roads. On the latter, in addition to beingexpensive to work, the outlay is constant, and the wear and tear enormous, compared with the tollage. . It is not merely the traffic that destroys them. Every shower of rain, every frost, inflicts damage that renders outlay necessary. When, therefore, our nervous contemporary aghast, condemns the prospect of Provincial indebtedness, he Is really advocating the continuance of a system that would Keep Otago a province of sheep runs, render agriculture unprofitable, and seal up every mineral resource excepting gold. And it is not as if the expenses of the Province would be reduced. He would go on muddling away our revenues on the construction and maintenance of common roads, which a moments thought might tell him may be a great improvement on a bush track, bub are too expensive as means of traffic to enable settlers in the interior to bring produce to a profitable market. In fact we shall not be surprised if some day or other, in advocating the establishment of manufacturing industry, our contemporary ornaments his leader with a wood-cut, showing how the Syro Phoenicians spun their wool, and recommending the adoption of their machinery ns suitable to the infancy of the Colony.