The Globe. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 899, 12 May 1877, Page 2

The Globe. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1877.

" England has annexed the Transvaal Republic." IS uch was the announcement made in our telegrams a few clays ago. Another province lias thus been added to Britain's Colonial Empire, and one difficulty in the way of South African confederation removed. The danger which threatened the little republic from the Zulus and the Caftres seems to have been the principal cause of bringing about this Jcvont. Sir Theopiiilus Shepstone has been sent on a mission to the republic, and according to the latest news by the mail he was everywhere w r ell received. Addresses were presented to him by the inhabitants, pointing out the mis-go-vernment that prevailedin the republic, and praying him to exert his influence to bring about promptly the union of the Transvaal with the South African colonies. Sir T. Shepstone had also had a conference with the Executive, but its result Avas not known when the mail left. Whether, therefore, the annexation of the republic has been made with the consent of the Government does not appear, but that the people themselves were in favour of it is evident. This small republic, which lies north-east of Cape Colony, near the Orange Kiver, without any sea coast, and consists wholly of Dutch farmers or Boers, appears to have got itself into trouble with the surrounding natives, the Zulus and Caffres, by adopting a policy of fighting its way to the sea. The Boers have been defeated in several skirmishes, and j there was a danger of the whole colony 1 being overrun and the Dutch popula- I tion extirpated. For the sake of the j South African colonies, if for no other ■ reason, the natives must be kept in check. The British Government has therefore adopted the wise step of annexing Transvaal and thus controlling her dealings with the native tribes.

We trust the Drainage Board are beginning to realise the fact that the drainage scheme as submitted by Mr. Carrutners will not be accepted by the ratepayers of the drainage district. The meeting held last evening at Mr. C. Clark's rooms may be looked upon as a thoroughly representative one, and the resolutions then carried are sure to be endorsed at the various meetings about to be held throughout the district. It cannot be to the interest of the members of the Drainage Board to oppose the strongly expressed opinion of the great majority of the ratepayers. The fact of having !>een elected to a seat on the Board does not give those gentlemen any special knowledge. All the professional opinion which has been made public is strongly condemnatory of Mr Carruther's plans as not only needlessly expensive, but, unnecessary. Why therefore should the Board stick so pertinaciously to their engineer. They committed a blunder in the first instance in placing in his hands the drawing up of the scheme. His duties

.should have been confined to those of advising the Board and of giving his professional opinion upon plans submitted to him. But why perpetuate 1 die blunder thus made. Since Mr. Carruthers has accepted the duties of engineer to the Board, he must submit to have his plans referred to those competent to form an opinion upon them, viz, a Board of Engineers. We do not insult the Board when we say that they are unequal to the task, and we call upon them to weigli well the consequences of committing the taxpayers of the district to a heavy expenditure before they are thoroughly satisfied that the result would be a success. But even were they so satisfied, they must remember that the ratepayers are not, and that they, not the Board, have the final voice in the matter. The question of the actual cost of Mr Carruthers' plan of drainage is one which has not received the attention it deserves. The laying down of an underground system of drainage is always an expensive one, however firm the subsoil may be, but in the case of Christchurch and its suburbs it must be exceedingly difficult to calculate the cost. Quicksands abound in all directions ; so that the difficulties attendant upon laying down the pipes will be exceedingly great, and the work consequently most expensive. No contractor who has any regard for his own pocket will undertake the work without insuring himself against loss by sending in a very high tender, and should it be carried out under the supervision of the Board, we shall never know where the expenditure will end.