The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1889. The Otago Central Rialway

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 32, 29 August 1889, Page 2

The Feilding Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 1889. The Otago Central Rialway

Should the Premier iutroduce for a second time the Otago Central Railway Bill in an amended form to the House, it is said to be probable tlie measure maj r then meet better treatment at the hands of tbe Opposition than it did at its second reading. The disappointment felt and expressed in Dunediu at its uutimely fate, after the false hopes raised of its passing the second reading, was very keen, and the Dunedin Star blames tbe Hon. Mr Ballance for his alleged change of front in first supportiug tbe Bill, and afterwards opposing it. The passage in Mr Ballance's speech on the introduction of the Bill, which the Star interprets into a " hearty and unqualified approval of the Bill" is as follows :—

" It is a reasonable way of getting out of a very great difficulty. The money is to be borrowed (provisionally) out of the Public Trust Office. Tbe honorable gentleman has stated that the security is good, and I quite agree tbat it is ample." We are disinclined to agree with our contemporary that any pledge to support the Bill is conveyed in these words. Tbey may be said to be merely a geueral expression of assent to the feasibility^ of a thing being done in a particular way, but giving no pledge to assist, or promise not to oppose. The following is what Mr Ballance said on the second reading of the Bill :—

" No one would deny that enormous advantages would result from tbe construction of this railway, but he thought Mr Fergus' last argument was one of the weakest he could advance, as it was a distinct argument of bribery. If the House only assisted the Government to carry the Otago Central Railway, the hon. gentleman, intimated that all other lines would receive great consideration. He was prepared to prove that this proposal would oe a borrowing policy in its worst form — borrowing the trust funds of the colony, and it was in direct contravention of the promise given to the Agent General that no further borrowing would take place for three years. If a poll were taken of all Post Offices Savings Bank depositors in the colony as to whether they were in favor of investing their funds in the Otago Central Railway to the exclusion of all other lines, he should like to know what the answer would ba. (Hon. members — Aye and no.) He was not opposed to the Otago Central, but he was opposed to underhand borrowing, and be believed they were precluded from it by the promise made to the AgentGeneral."

Mr Ballance is too experienced a politician, and too well posted in Parliamentary tactics to make such a blunder as that attributed to him by the Star. In a House so much demoralised as the present Parliament, it is too much to expect that any useful measures will be passed. Members of all shades of opinion appear to have determined to abide by tbe policy conveyed in the bappy phrase " keep the ministers in and their measures out," and play like a lot of idle school boys until the session is euded. It is therefore absurd to blame nny particular member because the Otago Central, or any other Bill was thrown out. If the Bill is introduced again and the House should be either in a good humor, or have a passing glimmer of common sense, and tbe Bill be passed into law, so so muoh the better for the Bill, but eheuld it be again thrown out Otago will be no wo:se off than it is to-day.