Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1876.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 15, 17 January 1876, Page 2

Nelson Evening Mail. MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 1876.

If the question is considered an imperi tinent one we have no desire to put it, i no right to demand an answer, but if not — if it is conceded that the public are entitled to information with regard to the action or inaction of those to whom they have entrusted the management of their affairs — we, speaking in their behalf, should very much like to know whether, and if so when, the port of Nelson is to be supplied with a new | wharf. Possibly there may be difficul- i ties in the way j satisfactory plans may not yet have been placed at the disposal of the Government ; a variety of causes may have prevented the commencement of a work so sadly needed, but still there surely can be no reason for keeping the public in the dark concerning a matter which the large maojrity of them regard as one of vital importance i to the trade and prosperity of the town and province. All they know at present is that nearly two years ago they, through their representatives, authorised the raising of a loan for the purpose, that no impediment was placed by the General Government in the way of the Provincial Government borrowing the money, and that up to this time nothing whatever has been done to provide decent wharf accommodation for the numerous vessels that visit our harbor. True there is a rumor that plans have been prepared for harbor improvements that would cost some £70,000, and on paper the proposed works are said to look remarkably well, but what is the use of this when £27,000 only are available ? As well might a medical man prescribe a course of champagne for a patient who had all he could do even when in health to provide bread aud butter for himself and family. "We would like to have a seventy thousand pound wharf, but, because we cannot afford that, is there any reason why we should not provide ourselves with one that would cost £27,000, which amount we can raise? No wonder other provinces dub us a lot of slow coaches when it takes us over eighteen months to decide how we shall lay out a large sum of money voted by our Provincial Council for a specific work of a most necessary character. Does anyone living in Nelson ever walk along the rotten old structure that at present does duty as a wharf without feeling thoroughly ashamed of the province to which he belongs ? It was thought at one time that in the present Provincial Executive we had a Government that had some life in them, some desire to advance the interests of the place, but evidently there was a mistake somewhere when this idea got abroad. The Provincial Treasurer told us tbo other day with no little pride that he had £11 to the credit of the Government in the Bank last quarter day, and this, it would appear, was the summit of his ambition. He stated the fact with a beaming countenance, and looked perrecfcly contented and happy, and even exultant, as the picture of that modest little £11 passed before his mind's eye. No thought of that tottering old wharf, or the £27,000 that was available for the construction of a snfe substitute for it seemed to trouble him. He had £11 stowed away in an old stocking, and what more could a Government desire, or their constituents expect of them ? It is no use to mince matters, or to hunt about for a euphemism to express our meaning. It is more to our purpose to speak out. plainly and to assert that the manner in which the public works department of the province is being managed or rather mismanaged is positively disgraceful. The unhappy lunatics who have been committed to the Asylum are still confined in that wretched piggery regarding which we felt called upon to write in very strong teims some six months ago, when the statements we made could not be contradicted, unsavoury as the,y were to those whose business it was to see that decent accommodation at least was provided for the unhappy inmates. The Provincial Secretary afc that' time endeavored to excuse" the -niserable gtftte of discomfort £} wk«&

the lunatics were kept by Baying that it was not worth while to make the necessary repairs as the new building was so soon to be habitable. And still the old Taranaki Buildings are in use. Is no stir to be made, no improvement effected ? How long are we to continue to jog along in this miserably unsatisfactory- way ? "Where the hitch occurs we know not, nor do we care. To the Superintendent and Executive the people look for the proper conduct of the public works department. We have mentioned tWo important details in which it has failed to perform its manifest duty, and if a clamor should be raised that will prove difficult to quell, the authorities will have the satisfaction of knowing that they alone are responsible for it.