The Evening Star. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1872.

Evening Star, Issue 3040, 15 November 1872, Page 2

The Evening Star. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1872.

Wk never like to deal harshly with our nervous contemporary the Dally Tunes. There is something so imbecile, so utterly despairing in its view of New Zealand’s future, that it goes to one’s very heart to treat “ the fool recording to his folly.” Would its writers como out arrayed in their motley dresses with the flourish of the clown at a theatre, and with a grin and a laugh introduce their absurdities by “here we are again,” we should have less difficulty. We should know the intent was to amuse— To mimic sorrow when the heart's not sad. But there is such a sad and sober tone of verity in the expression of fear at the financial future of the Colony that it is impossible not to feel it almost a sin to laugh at the imbecility of its tmrors. What led to the Jeremiad on Monday i The discovery, or supposed discovery, that railways arc to bo prosecuted/ Cur contemporary was in hopes that before further railways were constructed “proprietors” would be asked to sanction them', that they would he asked to guarantee to pay the interest out of rates should the railway

be unproductive.” Blessed innocence ! How beautiful to believe that any landed proprietor would ever consent to being taxed a sixpence he could get anybody else to pay ! As soon expect a siuecurist to give up his pension, a squatter his run without compensation, or a woman her sweetheart whom she loves. Is our contemporary so utterly ignorant of the history of railway construction as not to know that railways are considered by landed proprietors a harvest ? That so far from the generality of them contributing a farthing towards making or maintaining them, they are far more intent upon squeezing out of companies or Governments the uttermost farthing than can Vie obtained by fair means or foul, for scraps of property necessary to their formation. We should like a full, true, and particular history to be written of all the dodges open and concealed ; all the petty tricks of clients and lawyers; all the broken promises made, and all the swindling claims for compensation that have been granted, compromised, and resisted on the Glutha and Port Chalmers line. We do not even believe the public would be very much horrified, however much amused, at the recital. The landowners of England set the example, and the proprietary in the Colonies have not been slow to follow it. Consult a landowner about taxing himself if there was any way of throwing the burden upon other shoulders ! We have known it done. On the Clutha line there were honorable instances, but there were very few. They were not men who thought themselves rich with a house, a pig in a sty, and a cow feeding on the natural grass. They were men owning largo estates, bought cheaply, who had sense enough to know that money borrowed to construct a railway, so far from burdening the country with taxation, tends to rebel ve it from it. When our contemporary whines so piteously about only making railways that will pay, we should like him to say where they will not pay. What does he mean by a railway paying 1 Does he mean seriously to assert that a railroad costing not more than six thousand pounds a mile will not pay, although taken into the very heart of a district of good agricultural land, and connecting it with a large population ? If no corrupt influence were brought to bear, and the laud fifteen miles on each side of the railway were reserved from sale, the price, even at LI per acre, would pay for it three times over, while the probability is that it would ou the average realise at least double the money. If on the other hand a railway be constructed between towns having large populations, even should the traffic not pay the percentage of interest at which the money was borrowed, the decreased cost of provisions and other ne.cpseiiries would amply repay to the inhabitants tfle difference between the sum pryable for the use of money and that which has been received directly from traffic returns. We have no objection tq districts being taxed, through which a railway passes', for any loss of interest. They may rest perfectly content they will never be .hailed upon, notwithstanding the croaking of the Daily Times, Biff we should as soon think of asking the opiuioq of the Daily Times on a political or social subject, as that of cockatoos and farmers as to whether a railway line should be formed. Wo have respect for them as men of bone, muscle, and pluck ; I tut the Colony, and especially the Province, has suffered too Jong fiom their legislation.