The Globe. THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 915, 31 May 1877, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, MAY 31, 1877.

It seems somewhat surprising tfiat the ratepaying public here received with an amount of equanimity the iondemnation of the outfall drain. "YThen we consider that the work, referred to represents the modest sum of £IB,OOO, the surprise is increased. So far as the Drainage Board are concerned they have no alternative but to abandon it. The report of their Engineer is that it is rapidly collapsing, and that no amount of patchwork will render it serviceable. Under these circumstances of course nothing remained for the Board to do but to make provision for the construction of a nev outfall. This little circumstance, it seems to us, may be useful to point a moral. During the discussion of the drainage question, which has now, it is to be hoped, been settled, we ha T e always urged one cardinal point, viz., the necessity of referring any scieme to a competent Board of Engineers before it was proceeded with. The principle, we are glad to see, has been adopted by the Board at the sugges~ion of the committee, and will be applied to any future schemes proposed. Now the failure of the outfall drain simply adds another proof of the necessity of this being done. In carrying out extensive works of this character itis false economy to neglect to avail ourselves of the best engineering advice, obtainable. To do otherwise is simply to _ endanger a large amount of public money, which in the case before us has been entirely thrown away. We trust the lesson thus taught will not be lost on the Drainage Board, and that they will in all works of any magnitude seek the very best advice before committing themselves to their construction.

The Sunday question has, it appears, cropped up again in connection with the exhibition of pictures, &c, which is intended to be opened shortly in the Museum Buildings. It was raised on the issue ; as to the opening of the Art Exhibition to the public on Sundays. The public generally will we think endorse the decision arrived at, and we can hardly see how the Board could do otherwise consistently. Another institution under their control is open on Sundays to the public, and the governors could scarcely have one portion open and the other closed. There is no valid reason why this should bo so. There can he no more harm in the contemplation of works of art in the shape of pictures, &c, than in that of the curiosities collected by

Dr. Von Haast. Therefore it seems to us that before the Board could have acceded to the motion it should consider the closing of the Museum also. By the decision of yesterday the great majority of the public will have an opportunity, which under other circumstances they would not, of seeing the various works of art collected. Had the exhibition been confined to week-days only, a large section of the community would practically be debarred from visiting the exhibition. This is a point worth considering, because the whole intent and aim of exhibitions of this character are to refine and elevate the popular tastes, by placing before them the Avorks of the great masters. If we can do this, by allowing the mechanic and the artisan the opportunity of doing so on the only day they can spare, Ave feel sure that no harm will be done; on the contrary, much good may result.