The Lyell Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST, 1, 1885.

Lyell Times and Central Buller Gazette, Volume V, Issue 233, 1 August 1885, Page 2

The Lyell Times. SATURDAY, AUGUST, 1, 1885.

The all-absorbing topic for the current Week, has undoubtedly been, the proposed construction of the East and West Coast and Nelson railway. That the question into which this stupendous subject has resolved itself, should be closely and anxiously regarded by the whole Coast,— to say nothing of the other side of the Island,—is not to be wondered at, and the all-round activity being displayed throughout the whole of the Canterbury, and the West Coast Districts in urging the vital importance of the project, its claim upon the House for a favorable notice, and, indeed, a ready adoption as being even an national work, may certainly be regarded as one of the best possible arguments that there is neither diversity of opinion, nor division of feeling upon it, throughout a vast portion ot the whole Island. The public mind has been roused to the utmost tension of feeling in the matter, and there is no gainsaying the fact, that so far as expressions up to the present have gone, the proposal of the Colonial Treasurer, and the Government's elucidation of the scheme for re-payment, by way of guarantee, have despite all the close scrutiny which great questions,— at all involving the responsibilities of a colony, invariably attract, been heartily approved of, and quite as generally commended. The members for the different districts, likely to be more immediately affected, certainly have no excuse for the faintest disposition towards hesitation as to the stand which their constituencies would have them take in the matter, and their course is plainly enough marked. There is not, fortunately, any reason for •doubt on that head; it is the gentry from the other ends of the colony, who, we regret to hear, have to be most feared in the matter; and from the reception which the North Island, and Otago members appear predisposed to accord the whole proposal, there is plenty of room to hazard a doubt in, that the supporters of the scheme, for the construction of this great work, —now so well matured, —will 3?e out-voted, and thus the question may become shelved, perhaps indefinitely. That a lot of the opposition is ill-judged, will be readily seen : there are those in the country of whom it may be said, that ♦ill their sympathies and feelings lie centred just in and about their own <loors; and even amongmodern legislators, warped spirit, of a like kind, has at times, made itself conspicuous. However, in the present case, and regarding the question of re-payment, the colony is asked for nothing until the whole work is completed, and out-of-hand. As it is an essential feature with the Government's proposal, that the percentage payable annually on the total cost of construction should be made chargeable to the portions of the Island most benefited, it is not hard to see, that when the whole scheme is more fully and openly discussed in Parliament; and consequently, better understood, there should be less opposition. That the scheme will be opposed, front and rear, is pretty plain : the firm of contractors has been as good as openly stigmatised; and the proposal designated -as a monstrous fraud by which " foreign capitalists will ge; twice what the railway should cost." To that, we should say, let the opponents bring forward a better

scheme; then the veteran statesman, whose eloquence is said to he one of the chief adornments of the whole House, ranges himself with the most bitter opponents of the scheme, because of the extent of land " the source of all wealth and independence " which is to be given as part payment. .1 hose who know the country, even a little, will appreciate sac.i an argument as it deserves.