THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1872.

Grey River Argus, Volume XII, Issue 1204, 7 June 1872, Page 2

THE Grey Riber Argus. PUBLISHED DAILY. FRIDAY, JUNE 7, 1872.

In Wednesday's issue we published a telegram from our Nelson correspondent, by which it appears that the authorities of Blind Bay, as Mr Kynnersley terras them, are waking up to the value of the Brunner coal mine, and the patent necessity there is for working it in a very different manner to what has obtained of late years. Mr Dent, the manager of tbe j works, it seems, has suggested that a tramway should be laid down between the coal pits and Cobden, and that shoots should be erected for the convenience of vessels loading there. He estimates the cost at £3500, and the Provincial Council of Nelson, after receiving a favorable report from a Select Committee, have actually voted .£4OOO. That body is becoming liberal in its decrepit days if the vote is genuine, and seems to be experiencing the "lightening before death," which it is said human beings are subject to shortly before the soul leaves its tenement of clay. But there is every reason to believe that this liberality is of the most Brummagem kind ; that the Council have not the slightest intention of expending such a sum iv any such direction, and that it is a mere bogus grant — a herring run across the trail to divert the attention and afford the General Government an excuse for not at once proceeding with the coal railway, as voted by the Colonial Parliament, and to which the Ministry are pledged. What a very singular and unexpected interest the Nelsonians have suddenly taken in the welfare of the district and in the development of the coal mine. If a tramway is needed now, it wa3 needed ten times as much years ago, but no such project was thdn mooted, at least by the Provincial Council. Now we have been distinctly pro;nised a railway that will be the first link starting from the West Coast and will unite this part of the Colony with the great network of railways projected under the Public Works Act, Pending its extension the line as surveyed so far, will most materially and ben ficially affect the progress of the mine, and will enable a large export trade to be carried on with ease aud at comparatively little expense. There can be no reason to believe that the harmless little dodge will succeed in the least, or that the Government will repudiate the arrangements that have already been so far entered into. It must be evident, however, that the Superintendent and others hope to secure the coal trade for Cobden, and throw dust into the eyes of the Assembly, if he can do so, in his place in the House, by specious statements and by the aid of Nelson members. If the Council are really in earnest, there can be no possible objection to a tramway as proposed. On the contrary, the larger the means of communication are the better, and we wish those on the other side may get it. Indeed, on many grounds it would be advantageous, for even if the railway is commenced very shortly, and pushed ahead as fast as possible, it must take a considerable time to construct, whilst if really meant, a tramway could be laid down in a very brief period. But whilst not disagreeing with the projected tramway, we certainly most emphatically protest against this being accepted in the slightest degree as a substitute for the railway, and also against it having the effect of delaying for one hour the latter work. Whether the vote is bogus or genuine, the case is not in the slightest degree altered, and we cannot for a moment suppose that such a resolution will influence the construction of the railway. At the same time it is rather unfortunate that railway matters, as between the Government and the Messrs Brogden, have not proceeded so smoothly as they might have done. We are told on the 'authority of the Wellington ministerial organ that, with the return of Mr Yogel, all complications and perplexities ceased. We trust most sincerely that this is true,

and what is more, that the Government will maintain their pledges inviolate, in -c the Brunner Mine Railway. There has been an unpleasantly significant silence on the subject lately, which we hope will soon be broken, consequent on the amicable relations alleged to be re-established between the contractors and the Executive. Under any circumstances, it is not at all likely that the latest device of the Nelson enemy should affect its progress either one way or another. If, however, much more time is allowed to "run to waste, the continued delay will at least excite some apprehensions as to the Government's good faith in this respect.