The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 65, 6 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. THURSDAY, JULY 6, 1876.

It is now some weeks since n meeting was convened in Oamaru, for the purpose of urging ttpon the Government the advisability of completing the through traffic to Waimate. At that meeting resolutions were carried, and his Worship the Mayor of Oamaru was requested to forward them to the " powers that be." We have no doubt that that gentleman lost no time in executing the comnission, but np to the present there has been "no sign " made. Fortunately for us, the people of the Waimate are prepossessed in favour of Oamaru for the export of their produce ; but yet it is but natural to suppose that should through communication with Timaru lie temptingly open, while Oamaru is cut off, they will avail themselves of that port. We notice that the " Waitangi Tribune," in the issue of yesterday, in an article on the subject, draws attention to the unaccountable delay in the prosecution of the work, and states that the linking of Waimate with thi3 town is looked forward to with great interest. It is quite evident that this is a matter that will require re-" peated and persistent agitation, and assuredly it is one of sufficient importance to demand it. The old saying that "Heaven helps those that help themselves " has a wide application, and if Oamaru doe 3 not take step 3 to bring force to bear upon the Government, there is little chance of their claims being attended to. This is a matter which so keenly affects the future prosperity of the district, and one in which the individual interests of all residents are alike involved, that we are at a loss to account for the apparentapathywhichisevincedtowardsthe matter. A3 we said in a former issue from the imposing array of influential names attached to the requisition, we were led to believe, that our townsmen were fully alive to its importance, and we trust that such further steps will be taken as will compel the Government to hurry on the prosecution of the work. At the present time, when the Provincial and General

Governments are alike engaged in to them for weightier matters, there is every possibility of all minor grievances being com_ pletely shelved; and consequently it is only by determined and increasing agitation that Oamaru may expect to get justice done to it. It is perfectly preposterous to urge the inadvisability of delaying the work until sufficient material for its completion was on the ground. There is no reason why the rails and sleepers, which have been so long to hand, should not be at once utilised, for by so doing it is unnecessary to say it would leave a small proportion of the work uncompleted on the arrival of the remainder of the stock. In concluding the article to which we have referred to, the "Tribune" says : —"The piece of line between the Waitaki and Waiho was formed months since, rails were obtainable at Oamaru, and yet the individuals who pull the strings of this official bungle have not thought proper to put the work of plate-laying and ballasting in hand. Why they have adopted the ridiculous plan of sending rails down from Lyttelton when they could have forwarded them from Oamaru we cannot possibly understand, and it is our opinion that the only conclusion that can be arrived at for the non-completion of the line between the Waimate branch railway and Waitaki is that the heads of the Railway Department are either totally unfit for the positions they hold, or have some motive for ignoring the advantages that would accrue through the connecting of South Canterbury with Oamaru by rail. It is really a sad thing to see money thrown away through the stupidity of men in charge of public affairs—more especially as many laborers are kept out of employment by the inertness referred to, and we think the representatives of Oamaru and Waimate should lose no. time iii calling on the Minister of Public Works for an explanation of the reason why plate-laying on the southern line was not put in hand some time since."