The Evening Star SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1875.

Evening Star, Issue 3826, 29 May 1875, Page 2

The Evening Star SATURDAY, MAY 29, 1875.

Ik the absence of any Government statement as to the state of the Provincial branch railways, judgment must be taken on the Engineer’s reports that we have already drawn attention to. The management of these railway contracts, as disclosed in the reports, is not at all what io should be. The unsatisfactory state of these works is possibly the reason why there has been no distinct reference to the probable date of completion of the railways in hand, and why there has been no hint of a possible extension of the branches into the interior. The indirect reference to these railways in the Treasurer’s statement does not make matters a bit better. Financially it may be a matter of congratulation that works deliberately undertaken have not been completed in contract time, because, if they had been, advances would have had to be obtained to meet the payments. From the same point of view it may be a matter of congratulation that at the present rate of progress there is no prospect of the Treasury being called upon to pay even during thisyear the amounts contracted for, so large a sum as £IOO,OOO being allowed to come and go upon. Yet to the general mind, taking into consideration the loss of interest on progress payments, the delays that will be caused before the railways can be utilised, and the heavy protracted expenses of inspection, it is quite possible the Province might have gained, even though slightly embarrassed when called upon to meet the demands for payment. The Council should be prepared to insist that the works in hand are completed with expedition, or abandoned altogether. There is no middle course. Slovenly delay and had work, for any object whatever, never will make a permanent success. It really appears that at present the contractors are allowed to do exactly what they like, provided only that they wid not go ahead too fast, and possibly embarass the Treasury. To abandon such works, although we have mentioned it as an alternative, is out of the question. The truest policy is to move forward. No one can look at the heavy sums voted annually for what is called road maintenance, and not fail to see that every year we are wasting enough money to pay interest on capital sufficient to open up the Province with branch railways from end to end. The late Government appear to have made up their minds beforehand that they were to be turned out, and therefore refrained from indicating what they thought best to be done in dealing with these branch lines. No other assumption will justify the silence that has so far been maintained.