The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1873. SOLD!

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 183, 31 July 1873, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 31, 1873. SOLD!

Throughout New Zealand there were J doubtltSo mauy wry faces pulled yesterday | on the fact becoming known that a very j bitter pill had to be swallowed in the j shape of additional taxation. To this we j do not intend lo refer just now. But a doso that is even more nauseous than the new tariff has been held to the lips of the disgusted people of Nelson in the exceedingly neatly wrapped up sentence that, for the present at least, places on the shelf our anxiously looked for railway. Frora how many pairs of lips the word that appears at the head of this article has beeu emphatically ejaculated it is impossible to say, but there is one prevailing opinion, universal, unanimous, and unquestioned, that upon the people of Nelson a most complete and cruel " sell " haa been perpetrated by Mr Yogel. With amiability, blandueas, aud courtesy our deputations have been received by the Premier, who, to all appearances, entered heart and soul into the scheme they had to propose, assisted them in removing any little difficulties that cropped up in the course of their conference, and leut a kindly ear to all thoir requirements. Tho gentlemen who composed these deputations listened in admiration, purled from the great man with a grateful sense* of favors to come, and returned to their clients full of hope, but now have to admit in all humility that thoy have bet**- "soli!." O- their return, ihey reported to the Inland Communication Cuuioiitteo the result of their mission, and tho im mbers of that body took au equilly sanguine view of tbe success that awaited the railway scheme, but they too aro now compelled to acknowledge that, like the deputation, they have been moat ignominiously "sold,' The public of f** elson joined heartily in the triumphant chorus, and sung loud pas ms ia praise of the Premier. They too are " sold."

" Tho land which it was proposed to set apart for the Foxhill aud Brunner railway haa been examined, and unless for its mineral resources, does not afford adequate security." . '}. hese are tbe words in which has been conveyed to our disappointed ears the doom of tho railway on the construction of which we had set our hearts. And a very fair verdict, too — it may bo said. Was it not agreed tbat tha undertaking of tho work by tho Government was in a measure fo depend upon the report of the gentlemen appointed to examine the country ? Precisely so, but why and when did Mr Vogtd, who was so suspiciously gracious to the deputations, make up his miud to insert the following in his Financial Statement: — " The Government has como to lhe conclusion that tbey will not coustruct any other railways than those already authorised without security in land to tho nominal value of twice the estimated cost in each ca3e " ? When it was shown to him by the deputation j that the line would cost half-a-million, and tbat the land to be given in security was estimated at £600,000, did he give the smallest hint that he would require security to the amount of a million ? Not a bit of it; and so at one of two conclusions we must inevitably arrive, either that he was at the time wilfully ancl knowingly deceiving the deputation, or that the idea of demanding this enormous security is an afterthought of a Government that is disinclined to do anything that shall advance the prosperity of the province of Nelson, Otago, Canterbury, Wellington , and Auckland aro numerously, and, what, is more to the point, systematically represented in the House, and consequently each is to reap the benefit of the Public Works Policy. Nelson, with her little band ot seveu divided against itself, is laughed at, overlooked, ignored. The time has come when this state of things must cease. We are unanimous in the belief that the proposed scheme, which Mr Yogel had led us to believe met with the approval of the Government, is essentia! to the welfare of the province. We must do something more than entertain a simple, childlike belief in the necessity of the work; wo must act, and the only way in which we can take prompt and effective action is by insisting upon our representatives pulling together, and working in concert. Whatever may be tho opinions entertained of Mr Curtis as a Superintendent, there cau be no doubt that, he has fought our battles skillfully and well in the House of Representatives. Let our other members place themselves j under his guidance aud form a compact, although a small, force, working together in the interests of the province they represent, and we may yet hope that justice will bo dove to Nelson. At present, in reflecting upon the manner in which our province is represented wa are reminded somewhat of Wordsworth's poem, "We are saven," with which probably all our readers are familiar. The poet meets with a " simple child" who had a "rustic, woodland air," and whose " beauty made me glad." He asks the number of the family of which she forms a part, and she innocently replies " We are SBven," and then goes on to describe their vocations and where they are, and, in doing so, casually mentions that " two of us in the churchyard lie." Her questioner takes the liberty of suggesting that they can S scarcely be seven in number if some are I dead, but the poor little innoceut is utterly unable to adopt his view of the matter and j persistently replies, " O master ! we are j I seven." It is unnecessary to follow her through all the subtle arguments she I adduces to prove the correctness of her assertion, but we cannot resist quoting the last stanza of the poem, leaving it to outreaders to deduce from it such moral as may suggest itself to th'ur minds ;-— " ' But they are dead, those two are dead, Their spirits are in heaven ! ' 'Twas throwing worris away-- for f till The little maiii would have her will, And slid, ' Nay, we are seven.' "