The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1870.

Evening Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2452, 24 December 1870, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1870.

Sherard Osborn said of the Chinese, “ When an Englishman lias reasoned “ upon any Chinese question, the hest “ thing for him to do, having arrived “ at his conclusion, is to say, ‘ Tint the “ ‘ Emperor, mandarins, and Chinamen * will come to exactly an opposite “ - conclusion —and act accordingly.’ ” Had Mr I* KID and his “tail” in the Provincial Council been Chinese, they could not have more completely violated the dictates of right reason than they have done in their decisions on most of the questions on which the progress of the Province depends. Acting in fulfilment of his duty as Superintendent, on the 17th November Mr M A can drew transmitted to the Provincial Executive Message No. 2, with correspondence, asking them to consider the proposals of the General Government to survey a line of railway from Tokouiairiro to Lawrence, the supply of water for the goldfields in the Tuapeka and Lake Wakatipu districts, and to construct the Southern Trunk Railway. These projects have formed the subjects of discussion session after session of the Provincial Council, for the last six years. Every joint of Mr Reid’s “ tail,” from Mr Thomson at the Clutha to Mr J. C. Brown at Tuapeka, has given good reasons why these works should be immediately carried out ; and Mr Reid, if wo may accept his own statement, has been most anxious to have them done, for he very truly asked on Monday night—“ What will become of “ Otago if the goldfields go down ? ” Satisfied on this point; satisfied that these works are precisely the works that the Province needs to secure its prosperity ; satisfied from the experience of the past six years that the Provincial Government, unassisted, cannot carry out those works ; satisfied that the people in every district of the Province arc waiting anxiously that means may be found to proceed with them ; any reasonable man—Englishman, as Sherard Osborn personifies him—would have imagined that the Council would joyously have considered how best to avail themselves of the General Government’s offer. But', instead of that, the joints of the “ tail,” in true Chinese fashion, set themselves to find out reasons why they should not accept the offer. Had Mr Reid, Mr Thomson, Mr J. C. Brown, and those of less obtrusive obstructiveness, been the Emperor of China and his mandarins, they could not have acted more in opposition to common sense. The whole policy was well described by Mr Macandrew some twelve months ago in reference to the Clutha Railway, as a successful attempt “ how not to do “ it.” Even this might have been excused if the reasons had been sound. The electors ought to thank Mr Reid for having given them so fully in that most extraordinary sample of bungling sophistry he uttered on Monday. There is nothing like letting a man proclaim his own folly. First; with regard to the surveys, he aud “ tail ” objected to consider them, because “ all that was “ ©fierce! in the letters of the Colonial “ Executive was surveys” ; because the line of railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence was in course of survey before the Message was sent down ; because the Provincial Government staff could do the surveys; aud, lastly, because Mr Reid says the Geu’eral Government cannot do what they say they can do—viz., construct the Clutha Railway for £:>000 a mile. The reasoning—if reasoning it can be called—is this, bearing in mind the resolution of the Council admits that it is desireable the works shall be clone without delay : Tlio goldfields require water supply. '1 he General Government only offe; to make the necessary surveys. Therefore it is inexpedient for this Council to inako any recommendation with the view to the initiation of any works under the Immigration and Public Works Act, until the whole polir.i/ oj that Act has been considered hy the various constituencies throughout the Province, &c. Wo need not reprint the whole of this self-contradictory resolution. We put it to the electors as. men of business—

Was nob the common sense course to Imre represented the facts to his Honor that the surveys could be done by the Provincial staff, and ask the concurrence of the General Government in such an arrangement ? Had that been done, we have no hesitation in saying it would have been acceded to. Again : A line of railway is needed between Tokomairiro ami Lawrence. The Provincial Government is already engaged in making that survey. It is inexpedient to make the survey, &c. Could Chinese emperor, mandarins, and Chinamen have more completely stultified themselves than by passing such a resolution in view of their own acts ? It would have been easy to have asked his Honor to have induced the General Government to accept the survey of the Provincial Government staff, subject to a check survey if thought desirable, and the General Government would have been too wise to incur additional expense. The recommendation of the Superintendent would have been complied with. But further the Message refers to an offer by the Genemi Government to construct the Clutha Kailway. The matter then stands thus :

The General Government arc prepared to construct the Olutlia Hallway at a cost not exceeding LSOOO a mile. But Mr Reid, basing his conclusion upon information ;:ivcu before recent improvements in railway economy says it cannot be done. Therefore it is inexpedient, Ac. Now we do not know any reason to think that Mr Reid is? bettor aide to judge in such a matter, than the members of a Government having access to means of information equally, if not more, reliable than .his own. He candidly confesses that he is dependent upon engineering testimony. But snppossing so, as there is an offer to make the railway for .£3OOO a mile less than lie believes it can be done, a business man would have said—“ I do not “ think it can be done ; but if you say “ you can do it, let it be done by all “ means—only let ns have a railway, “ and not a botch. I made one blind “ bargain in the Port Chalmers liail- “ way, and I do not want to make “ another. I shall be glad to have it “ constructed at the price mentioned “ rather than pay a higher.” And he would have proposed to the House to ask his Honor to represent to the General Government that the plans should be submitted to the Provincial Government, and approved before they were finally adopted. He and his “ tail ” —every joint of it—may be assured had this been asked it would have been granted. Our conclusion is, that Mr Macandrew acted clearly and straightforwardly in the line of Jus duty in asking the Council to consider the Message. We need not say, if this is acknowledged, it follows that Mr Reid and his majority did not fulfil theirs; because although they had a perfect right to refuse to consider the Message had they been convinced of the impolicy of the works proposed, they acknowledged their necessity—the necessity that they should be undertaken without undue delay”—and they knew the impossibility of the Province doing them unaided. Only one conclusion can be arrived at : the raajority" in the Council, headed by Mr Reid, refused to perform a self-evident duty. Are we henceforth to place confidence in them 1