Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875.

The correspondence between tlie Government and the Secretary of the Forbury and Peninsula Railway Company, which appears in our telegraphic column, is incomplete, but it is sufficient to enable the public to form a very accurate idea of the position of affairs. Our readers will recollect that the first sod of the Peninsula railway was turned a few months ago by the Superintendent of Otago, amidst great “blowing” and rejoicing. ' The Hon. Mr. Reynolds was present, and he was compelled to listen to language of a most depreciatory character applied to the Colonial Executive of which he is a member. The Superintendent of Otago, (we write from memory,) on that occasion, paid a well merited compliment to the public spirit of Dunedin. The enterprise and public' spirit of the southern capital is proverbial; and the initiation of the Forbury and Peninsula railway by a local company was the latest and greatest manifestation of these distinguishing qualities. The line was to be opened to Forbury on the 23rd of March, to accommodate the pleasure-seekers who were expected to visit the race-course at the Dunedin autumn meeting. Of that his Honor had not the least doubt. Hence the advantage of trusting to private enterprise for the completion of works of public utility. If the work had been undertaken by the Provincial Government it would take twice as long to complete ; but if the General Government undertook it, the time of completion would he four times as long. Of that fact also his Honor had no doubt. His audience cheered him, and Mr. Reynolds stood by and smiled good-humouredly. We assume that the Commissioner of Customs mentally dissented ; but there is no record of any verbal or written protest upon that or any subsequent occasion. Now, at the first blush we were inclined to agree with Mr. Superintendent Macandrew, although we did not think he showed much consideration for the distinguished guest who was present at the opening ceremony on tho part of the Colonial Executive. We then thought that everything about the enterprise was fair and square, and that tho Superintendent and contractor really meant what they said. But wa soon afterwards discovered that this was not the case ; that, in short, it was a simple case of “ blowing.” The General Government was expected to supply the rails, and give the Company the use of something like two miles of the Great Southern railway line, the Company taking to itself all the credit and accruing profit of the enterprise. These facts were not stated by his Honor when he turned the first sod of the Forbury and Peninsula railway, or they might have chocked tho enthusiasm of his auditors ; nor were they made known to the shareholders, we ipako bold to say, until they could be no longer concealed. With that, however, we have nothing to do. The Forbury and Peninsula railway is just one of those undertakings that cannot fail to pay if properly managed ; but the best speculation may be bungled, and, with all respect to the promoters of that undertaking, we think it has been sadly bungled from the first. Indeed, there can be no two opinions on the subject. The correspondence with the Government establishes this beyond possibility of cavil. There is an appearance of haste and scrambling, so to speak, not at all consistent with tho conduct of a serious and costly undertaking. Everything appears to have been taken for granted ; even the rails were to be taken on trust; and Mr. Reynolds was evidently surprised into some kind of statement on the railway platform, by which the Secretary of the Company afterwards sought to bind tho Government. This attempt on tho part of Mr. Bradshaw was most properly resented by the Commissioner of Customs, whoso indignant repudiation of having given such u pledge or promise appears in the telegram. Tho haste with which the preliminaries of the undertaking wore conducted, and the pressure brought upon tho Government to violate the law, contrary to the express advice of the Attorney-General, in the interest of tho Company, and against public policy, cannot be too strongly reprobated. The Provincial Government lent its influence in the same direction ; hence the greater credit is due to the Government for tho stand it took. Every concession that could possibly be made, the Colonial Government were prepared to make to assist the Company to keep faith with the public and the shareholders ; but this did not suit tho promoters, who had gone to work without first obtaining tho requisite powers. Tho publication of this correspondence in Dunedin has excited no small astonishment and indignation. Tho whole of tho blame is laid at tho door of tho Colonial Government, whereas no one on earth is

to blame but the railway promoters. If they had taken proper precautions there would have been no hitch whatever; but a railway was to be built in four months without authority of law, and it was to be completely equipped and open for traffic without possessing a ton of rails or any rolling stock, because the Company not only required the use of the Government railway to make good its promise, but it required its rails and rolling stock as well. Let the shrewd business men of Otago consider this matter a little, and they will find more deserving objects of indignant censure than the Minister for Public Works, or his colleague, the senior member for Dunedin.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZTIM18750317.2.9

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4365, 17 March 1875, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
915

New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4365, 17 March 1875, Page 2

New Zealand Times. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 17, 1875. New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4365, 17 March 1875, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert