THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1879.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1737, 13 September 1879, Page 2

THE GLOBE. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1879.

The letter forwarded by the President of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to the Minister of Public Works, to bo found in our issue of yesterday, puts the question of the removal of the Commissioner of Railways from Christchurch to Dunedin in its proper light. “ The removal of Mr. Conyers and his department,” says the Chamber of Commerce, “ would most seriously effect the working of the Canterbury railways,” and it proceeds to point out how “this portion of the Middle Island railways is, and will for many years remain, the most profitable and important portion of the New Zealand linos.” The latter assertion it backs up by a tabulated statement of the receipts for the districts respectively north and south of the Waitaki. This return shews that from the Ist of July, 1878, to the 30th Juue, 1879, for the district north of the Waitaki the total sum received was £313,608; for the district south of the Waitaki, £259,668. Thus for the district north of the Waitaki, £53,940 more was made during the year than was made in the district south of that river. A table, containing the value of exports from Lyttelton and Port Chalmers, shows also that the exports from the former exceed in value those leaving the latter port ; moreover, the item of gold which figures largely in Port Chalmers’ exports, is an item which, on account of the smallness of its bulk, cannot 'be ' taken into serious considerstion when calculating on the amount of traffic which exports necessitate. The case, as laid by our Chamber of Commerce before the Minister for Public Works, is a very strong one. But the strongest case, when placed before prejudiced eyes, is not likely to win the day. Mr Macandrew has his own private views on the fitness of things .connected with the railways of the South Island. However the motives which induced him to stand for Port Chalmers may bo glossed over, there can bo little doubt but that ho relied considerably on that looking by his constituents for favours to come, which is always a safe card to play in the hands of those who know how to properly manipulate and shuffle the pack. And there can bo but little doubt that Mr. Macandrew is a skilful political prestidigitator. The manner in which he has manoeuvred in this railway matter is beyond all praise, when looked at as a mere act of electioneering legerdemain. He neither commits himself or his chief. At the very moment when ho is before his constituents he has in his possession the report of Mr. Conyers on the transfer of the seat of railway power. But the report is so long and the candidate is so busy, that he absolutely has no time oven to glance through it to glean what its contents may mean. Moreover, ho deprecates all attempts to make an electioneering cry out of a matter which should bo considered on the grounds of general convenience only. With the mysterious report safely buttoned in his coat breast pocket, with words of impartial wisdom on his lips, it is easy to imagine our worthy Minister of Public Works mixing among the Port Chalmers constituency with an easy confidence of the result of his diplomatic attitude. His conscience was probably at perfect ease, for was not Sir George Grey unhampered by his colleague’s attitude? And the result has quite justified Mr. Macandrew’s confidence in his own acuteness. The Premier was not in any way shackled by the railway question when standing for Christchurch. A delightful twilight hnng over the whole matter. When questioned at public meetings he easily turned aside all suspicion that the removal was practically un fait accompli. Even after his election, when interviewed on the subject, ho succeeded in averting all unpleasantness by stating that when the West Coast Railway was made then, of a certainty, Christchurch must be the centre of the South Island railway system 2 But no sooner has the Rotorua borne him and his colleages away from his adoring followers, than the bubble bursts. Immediately the long report, the perusal of which was too much for Mr Macandrew’s excited nerves when in the heat of an electioneering contest, is scanned and digested with mavellous rapidity. Presto! a few passes are made, and the real bearings of “ Mac’s leotle game ” are made patent. The result of Mr. Conyers’ report leaks out, and it is generally known that ho has reported in favor of quitting the City of the Plains, and taking up his permanent abode among our energetic Southern neighbours. The Christchurch people are made aware of the fact that the possession of the centre of the railway system has passed from them until such time as the West Coast railway is made in the face of an unfavorable report from Mr Blair, that is, until the Greek Kalends. They are made aware that they have been jockeyed by Sir George Grey, in fact, that the “ old man eloquent ” has been one too many for them. They are, moreover, loft in the pleasurable uncertainty as to whether this is not a more beginning of the end. Whether the policy of starving out the Addington workshops will not bo pursued, and whether, in the course of a few months, our railway officials may not have to cry

oat in bitterness ef soul, Ichabod, the glory has departed from ns! ' Such is the present position of the railway question as affecting Christ- , church, and it merely remains to see what had better be done under the circumstances. The Christchurch constituency has chosen Sir George Grey to represent it for various reasons. Mr. Reeves’ Association was no doubt moved by the highest of patriotic motives; this, as the heat of the contest is rapidly cooling, wo will take for granted. Those who know well the leaders of the Association may follow us or not as they think fit. But one factor which told in Sir George’s favour was no doubt his presumed ability and wish to assist the constituency which had placed him at the head of the poll. Now, then, is the time to prove the sincerity of the love which ho professed for his Christchurch admirers. We will not mourn over the presumed certainty of the loss of Mr. Conyers. “There are as good fish in the sea as ever came out of it.” Let Mr Conyers retire to the un-sunny south. There are those who fancy that much of the good work done here is duo to Mr. Carmthers’organising capacities- Moreover, the efficient way in which Mr. Hannay did his work before he was removed to Oamaru has proved to us that the success of our Canterbury system is not dependent on the outcome of Mr Conyers’ brains. Lot Mr. Hannay, or some other equally efficient man, bo appointed for this section. Let the Premier insist on the case being reviewed in all its bearings. Let the facts, as laid before the Minister for Public Works by our Chamber of Commerce, be properly weighed and the result be in accordance with the evidence. If these facts are duly considered there would be no fear of the result. We do not grudgo the Otago people Mr. Conyers. But the Canterbury people do strongly object to being thrown into the background to satisfy a “ fad ” of Mr. Macandrew. The answer given by Sir George Grey to tho deputation of the Chamber of Commerce was more or less an insult to their intelligence. The manner in which the Premier has looked : after Canterbury interests in this par- • ticular does not argue well for the i future.