The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1876.

Evening Star, Issue 4034, 31 January 1876, Page 2

The Evening Star MONDAY, JANUARY 31, 1876.

The * Daily limes ’ is progressing in the direction we marked out for it a short time ago, and has evidently opened its leading columns to one of the most expert-sophists that can be found among politicians. A few of its latest numbers have been devoted to demolishing the position asserted to be taken up by the ‘ Nelson Colonist ’ regarding railways. Very few people in Otago see the ‘Nelson Colonist,’ and still fewer think its opinions worthy so much perverted ingenuity as the writer in the * Daily Times ’ has bestowed upon the article it has undertaken to dissect. Nor can anyone be certain from the extracts quoted, that the ‘ Colonist ’ has received fair play, for throughout the whole of the comments of our contemporary the purPt? S6 r? S a PP aren t—to bring discredit upon the General Government, to make it out that its object is to spend Otago’s laud fund on other Provinces, and especially to hold a worthy man, the Honorable W. H. Rkystolps, up to contempt. The whole proceeding is in itself unwarranted by facts, and is inexcusable in a political opponent, for no onewho knows the handwriting can doubt that beneath the surface lies strong personal animus. We leave the readers of the ‘Daily Times to decide how far such motives should be allowed to influence any journal in giving publicity to the writings of one who knows the ropes so well as to say what is absolutely libellous in term* that no jury could consider in that light. But the article itself is. based upon a fallacy, to support which two assumptions are laid down as alone justifying a Government in constructing a line of railway. , y° r> isSusuallyjat least allowed, there are two, and only two, conditions under which a Goveniment line should be formed through a country. +w i’ * there is a reasonable probability that (thanks to the ease with which it can be formed or toe denseness of the population in its neighborhood) . 0 * mo ptobably pay working expenses and interest; the other is when there is a large area of pnblio estate unsold, which will be opened up and enhanced in value by a railway. The sapient writer has never heard any other reasons for which a Government should construct a railway, although a hundred others could be stated, and concludes that unless one or other of these conditions exists, any line constructed is what he terms “a political railway.” The ‘Daily Times’ affirms that neither of tbem, according to the ‘ Colonist,’ is applicable to the pleasant Province of Nelson, for the land is poor and unproductive, and moreover all of it is sold. The ‘ Daily Times ’—not the * Colonist ’ — says ;

The land is sold, is in private hands, and the opening up of it, howcves it'may enrich individual owners, will not advantage the State. The land is hilly and poor, and has not attracted settlement, but only sheep-owners, and of those so lew that It will not and cannot pay expenses.

It might have struck a less logical writer that in this*sentence there is an evident contradiction. Had it been affirmed that the land was poor and worthless, that it was unsaleable and unfit for pasture or agriculture, even then it, should be proved valueless because of its being poor in minerals before it can be said that a railway cannot be made to pay. But the ‘Daily Times’ gives two very good reasons fpr no extensive settlement having taken place in the Province of had hi in private

hands and the owners are mainly squatters. Taking into consideration the opinions expressed by ottr contemporary regarding the prospects of the Port Chalmers lino and the Clutha railway, prior to theirbeingopeded, no very great dependence should be placed on its economic theories regarding railways, or the principles that should guide a Government m constructing them. There are many reasons, of which tho writer of the article alluded to owns himself to be ignorant, that justify a line being made connecting a seaport with the interior, although statistics do not promise a heavy traffic return. The Erofits of a railway must not be estimated y the pounds, shillings, and pence received for traffic upon it, but by the benefits it confers upon every district through which it passes, and through connecting a port of import and export with country that, but for its construction, would be utterly worthless. A railway gives value to an estate previously not worth occupying. The consideration of profit and loss would be an imperative one were the making of the line the work of a private company; but as the work of a Government, no matter whether Provincial or General, wherever a road is necessary that road ought to be a railroad. If it will not pay interest on the outlay, just as rates are levied for the maintenance of roads, the owners of property along the line should be assessed to make up the deficiency. Experience in every country proves beyond controversy that railroads are the most economical mode of internal communication that can be adopted. At the rate of cost per mile in New Zealand, they are little more expensive in construction than common roads, and far less costly to maintain and work. Wherever the rails are laid, property multiplies indefinitely in value. Land that through distance from a market would not pay to cultivate, is brought under the spade or plough, and thus settlement is effected where before it was impossible; and although districts may be passed through capable of supporting neither man nor beast, an outlet is afforded, for the produce of populations beyond them that would otherwise have been shut out from the world. The flimsy nonsense paraded in the ‘ Daily Times ’ in refutation of the ‘Colonist’ is too transparently intended to puff Provincialism, forgetful that to the General Government the Colony is for that cojnprehensive scheme that even uncompleted has worked such a beneficial change in its prospects. No stronger proof could be given of the narrowing tendency of Provincial prejudice than is afforded in . the fantastic fallacies put forth by our contemporary, the conclusions arrived at being as false as the arguments ate flimsy. Wien first the Public Works scheme .was proposed the ‘Daily Times’ opposed it as likely to ruin the Colony. The true object then was to bring the Ministry of the day into con tempt because of Sir Julius Vogel being a member. Polled through its predictions proving false, the tactics are changed, but the purpose is persisted in. In the course, of politics, sooner or later the reputations of Ministers will wax and wane, for it is as true now as of old that generations rise up that forget such benefactors as Joseph, but it would be a bad day for New Zealand that placed politicians of the ‘ Daily Times ’ stamp at the head of its affairs.