The Globe. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1876.

Globe, Volume VII, Issue 754, 18 November 1876, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1876.

It is not usual to give any great weight to utterances of a post-prandial nature, even if they be made on occasions of a public character. Tet there must be a limit somewhere, as it is but too often the case that—on the in vino veritas principle probably—considerable significance is attached to what is said, relating to public questions, at gatherings even of a festive nature. The other day our Lincoln friends held there annual Agricultural Show dinner, and we were glad to think how successfully everything passed off on that auspicious occasion. The show—as Lincoln shows usually are —was all that could be desired; the dinner evidently, equally so. Politics (and who can, boast just now of having escaped its influence!) somehow or other came to the surface, being uppermost apparently in the minds of some of the leading spirits present. Prom the “ commercial interests ” of Lincoln to the long talked-of Akaroa railway, there was but a step, and it was freely taken, and that without delay. Of course no one could blame the Lincoln folks, and their neighbouring friends for expressing unreservedly any ardent wish they may possess of being provided with railway communication with Akaroa harbour, or with any other place. They are not singular in that respect. The use of the iron horse, novv-a-days, seems to be the sine quo non of advancement and prosperity with every community, and no wonder. But some debateable ground was unfortunately broken upon, and things were said and brought up for argument which —on the score of good taste alone would have been best left unsaid. Why, for instance, should some of the speakers refer to the Akaroa Sailway Trust Act, introduced by Mr Montgomery in the Assembly, as “ merely a blind and a “ sop thrown out by that gentleman, “ as it was well known that his in- “ terests were identical with Christ- “ church and Lyttelton.” Leaving aside the fact that Mr Montgomery’s political reputation is sufficiently well established to make people smile at this flimsy imputation, it may be remembered that the Trust Bill in question, which was certainly conceived by the member for Akaroa, and carried by himthrough the Lower House, had been, in parts and as a whole, placed before the people of the Peninsula, and well dissected by the constituency, previous to its introduction in the Assembly. His constituents, we would think, should be the best judges of the influence which the proposed scheme would have upon their interest and welfare, and they—by far the most interested —had the principles of the Bill when just drafted put before their eyes with ample opportunities, of which they availed themselves at public meetings, of arguing its merits. The old mischievous cry about this and that being done in the interests of Christchurch is fortunately getting pretty well worn thread bare. If anything has ever contributed to retard the progress of the country by interfering in the independent management of its affairs, it is these wretched expressions of local jealousy uttered occasionally by one or another centre of population against their neighbors. And we hesitate not in prophesying that one of the greatest boons which Abolition will bring, will be the stamping out, in a very great measure, of that invi- | dious feeling which, in the case of ' province against province, or of district against district, has been the cause of . m much lamentable log-rolling.

A uBOXATiON-DAY in Marlborough has indeed been a red-letter day, and one which the people of the Picton and Blenheim districts are not likely to forgat in a hurry. On the evening of the Ist of November a most disastrous fire .consumed half the town of Blenheim, together with the whole of the General and Provincial Government buildings. As far as Government property is concerned, everything was lost bat some of the records. All the accounts of the Provincial Treasurer’s office, as also those of the Provincial Auditor’s were destroyed. The Supreme Court papers, records, the Bills of Sale ’.Registry, as well as every

paper and document belonging to the Resident Magistrates’ Department, and to the Post Office were totally lost. The records of the County Boards and of the Borough Council t- offered the same fate. The loss of the greater portion of these records is absolutely irremediable. Most of them were in "safes which proved utterly worthless. The rest were quite unprotected against fire. The documents belonging to the Land Transfer and Survey Departments had fortunately been secured in some brick safes constructed but a few days before. It is not too much to hope that the Government, as well as some of our public bodies, may take warning by this calamity, which, owing to an almost total absence of preventative measures; has resulted in so irreparable a spoliation of public property. It has been a matter for considerable notoriety for years past, that valuable records of all kinds are left unprotected, especially in country districts. But the ancient saying about the old decayed bridge which was only repaired when an archbishop broke his neck over it, surely now applies, and we trust that this Blenheim calamity may have the same effect in procuring greater security for public records.