The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1873.

Evening Star, Issue 3157, 2 April 1873, Page 2

The Evening Star WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 1873.

No election tbit has taken place lately has more unmistakeably been considered a trial of strength on the part of the Reid faction than that of yesterday. It was not the supporters of Mr Fish that gave this complexion to it. It began in the editorial sanctum of the Daily Times, in an extraordinary article advocating “men not measures,” and was continued by Sir Stout and others, who, in the exercise of their undoubted rights as electors, exerted themselves with a degree of zeal that was more remarkable than their discretion. That it was felt to be a life and death struggle of the party was evident through the drumming-up of the clodocracy from distant parts of the Province. The Clutha, Tokomairiro, and Shag Point lent their aid, but it was of no avail; the sound common sense of the electors of Dunedin sat in Judgment upon the matter, and the result of the election must bo regimlocl UK an expression of approval of those progressive measures, initiated by the Superintendent, that have opened up for Dunedin the prospect of becoming one of the most important cities of the Southern hemisphere. We do not think that the value of his assistance in those measures is sufficiently appreciated, mainly because the part that he took in them is not known. The struggle of a day, a month, or a season, passes away from the memory when over, because succeeded by other cares and objects immediately pressing upon attention. It is only through summing up past events that their connection with the present can be traced; and such a retrospect is useful, because of our being able to consider them divested of the passions and clashing interests of the time. Referring to the period when the formation of the Port Chalmers line of railway was agitated, we think we are perfectly justified in saying, had it not been for the perseverance and tact of the Superintendent, we should not have had that line to this day. The faction who opposed it were not united in the grounds of their opposition. Some like Sir David Monko did so, because they wished the Colony to remain an Arcadia of sheep-runs • others because they imagined their interest was involved in the continuance of water communication with the Port. Nor was this section a weak one. Even after the contract was taken, they contrived to throw obstacles in the way of its completion, and after the line was opened refused to believe it would succeed. We do not charge Mr Reid with unwillingness to have it constructed. His fault was originality of design in trying to carry out the matter. He wanted do it his own way, and in doing so risked botching the affair just as he did the Clutha line. We believe we are perfectly justified in saying that, had not that Port Chalmers line been arranged for, Otago would have had no prospect of a railway system being carried out to this day. It was the commencement of it; begun under very adverse circumstances, at a very difficult time, in the face of a very strong opposing faction; but its completion has pointed to the way by which Dunedin may rise rapidly to a position of the highest importance, and be the means of developing the vast resources, pastoral, mineral, and agricultural, of the Province. In order to do this we cannot stop where we are. The next step is the opening of the Clutha line as far as it can be made available. This formed part of the original scheme of the General Government. It was always intended to develop traffic as rapidly as possible, so that the interest on the loan might be provided out of traffic returns, and not out of taxation, as the Monro class pretend. The purchase of the Port Chalmers line removes every difficulty in this respect, and will enable the Government to work both lines much more economically than could otherwise have been done. The expression of opinion through yesterday’s election is unmisUkeable, but we trust it will not be

allowed to rest there. Since a beginning has been made in the system, •are must be taken that it is perfected. Sir David Monro, in his essay on railways v, bush roads, pointed out that a break of a yard was sufficient to mar the usefulness of a railway. He was quite right, not only of a railway but of a bush or metalled road. We must therefore seek continuity between the Port and those districts already producing largely. The Moeraki line, the Tuapeka and Tokomairiro, and other feeders must be rapidly formed, if Otago is to become what it may he made. We do not know that there was much difference in the opinions ot the different candidates on this point yesterday. We believe Mr PROSSER was quite as keenly alive to those mat-

ters as Messrs Pish and Reeves. It

was, therefore, his misfortune to he taken in tow by the slow coaches and the factious; for, rightly or wrongly, people will act to a certain extent upon the old proverb, of knowing a man by the company he keeps. What the faction has in view we cannot tell. They have a land law of their own construction, of which they will, in all probability, be the first to complain, and they are seeking a grievance which no doubt they will find, and make long speeches upon it in the Provincial Council. Perhaps they may succeed in gaining the ear of the majority, for we have no great faith in the clearness of judgment of most of the members, where anything beyond two and two is concerned; but the worst thing that could again happen to the Province would be a repetition of that obstructiveness which, during three years, under the mal-administration of the party, cramped the energies of the Province.