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New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5403, 22 July 1878, Page 2

Our readers will remember the announcement some time since, through the medium of the Press Agency, that a company had* been formed, under tile District Railways enactment, to connect the inland town of Gore, in the provincial district of Otago, with the piuffKingston railway at the Elbow. The project was mooted in Otago some nine or ten months past, and it having gono through all the preliminary stages, tenders have been called for its construction.'. Of the expediency of the undertaking there can be no doubt whatever, as its. construction will open up and render fourfold valuable a very large and rich area of grain-growing country, and add largely to the Invercargill exports. TJie line is easy of construction, running as it. will .over an almost level country. Its length will he some thirty miles, through'land of the quality,above indicated, extending some five miles on either side. In round numbers, two hundred thousand acres of fertile land, eminently adapted for settlement, will be rendered available. It can be seen at a glance that the construction, of this railway is a step in the right direction—a step which all provincial districts should follow, viz,, that of constructing feeders to trunk lines. But the conditions under which tenders are asked for are unique in character, and as far as our recollection serves, are unprecedented in this colony. The Tapanui correspondent of the Duuedin Evening Star writes as follows The intending contractors here are very-much dissatisfied with the, specifications for the railway. There is no clause for progress payments, two years being allowedfor the construction of the line, and it is not until sixty days after the .completion of the line, stations, buildings,, and permanent way that a single payment will be made, and then only a small percentage. Contractors who are not. large capitalists therefore growl.” One is not surprised when- the Christchurch Press, iu noticing the conditions attached to tendering, pertinently asks, “Is it a. job?” There are several answers to this question. Many would say, “ Certainly not, ns the enterprise is purely a private One, and the directors of the undertaking can annex any conditions to its development they choose.” But those who answer in this manner forget that by the District Railways Act the Government pay a percentage on the cost.of conatruotitm, aud every difficulty, put in,the way of ordinary tendering increases the cost of construction, and means an increased and unnecessary subsidy from the Government. Our contemporary says : “ Suspicion is therefore naturally aroused, and questions asked as to whether the Public Works Department* is, anxious to throw the contract into' the hands of some particular contractors by debarring others from tendering.” " 1

According to the Otago Daily Times’ report of the meeting of Mr. J. 0. Brown, at Waitahuna, one of the objects of Mr. Reader Wood’s proceeding to Europe was to supersede Sir Julius Vogel as Agent-General. The statement was.whispered in Auckland ere the late member for Parnell took his departure ; but was received with the ordinary amount of “ salt ” that canards of a similar character require. Yet it having now received semi-official confirmation from the member for Tuapeka, the conditions under which Mr. Reader Wood was to represent the colony are ■ matters of public interest. Mr. Brown is reported to have said as follows When : Sir George Grey’s Government took offi ;e they considered the matter and said : Well, Sir Julius Vogel is doing bis best for the colony, and although wo are not political friends, that ought not to deter us' if the colony has a good servant from keeping him, as long as it suits him to remain with ns; but as it is necessary to make some reductions, we shall give him the offer of continuing in his present position, but on condition that there is a reduction of at least £BOOO in that department. It was found that the public service was too extravagant, and that the time was past, which. required us to.pay such large sums. -At this time Mr. Reader Wood wont Horae on his own business; but he was author rased, if Sir Julius Vogel refilled to carry out the propoied reforms, to take. his place ns Agent-General. Sir Julius, however, admitted the necessity for reductions, and reduced his own.silfiry from £IBOO to £IOOO a year, with travelling expenses ; the other salaries were proportionately cut down, and some officials were dispensed'with. We have now Sir Julius Vo"cl as Agent-General, ard a saving of £BOOO has-been effected in the department." Two questions arise on the perusal of this extract, and they are as follows : —Has the member for Tuapeka been hoaxed ? It' the statement be correct, how is it that the Government “Daily bulletin ” has not announced this triumph of Ministerial-economy ? It will bo amusing tp surmise what Sir Julius Vogel will think and exclaim when he readstlje foregoing extract,