The Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 10, 1876.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 68, 10 July 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, JULY 10, 1876.

Wke:?? Mr. Steward observed —at the meeting held the other night at the Volunteer Hall on the Waimate railway business that Oamaru showed too much apathy in public matters, he made a statement with which we heartily coincide. The allusion then made to the lethargic style of carrying out matters of public interest in Oamaru applied more particularly to the delay in the completion of the AN ai-taki-Waimate railway line. We have on more than one occasion, pointed out the great desirability of having the gap of railway communication which separates us from Waimate, rapidly filled up; and it is, therefore, not our intention to allude to that subject in the present article. The question we have to bring under notice now is the tantalising delay in the opening of two sections of railway having their place of terminus in Oamaru. The first piece of line ready for traffic is the one to Maheno. Week after week has the public patiently waited for this piece to be opened; but m the first day of each month has rolled by, so regularly has every one been disappointed. . On several occasions our contemporaries have been authorised to state that the line from Oamaru to Maheno would be open for passenger traffic on the first of the mouth. Strange to say, this first of the month lias not yet arrived, and for all we see to the contrary never will, unless some effort is made by Oamaru ia bringing matters to

an issue. If we make inquiries from those persons who are supposed to know all about the cause of this unwarrantable delay, we are told that there is some misunderstanding with the contractors. Well, this may be all very true, but it is very poor consolation to those persons who are lucking forward anxiously to railway communication with the districts south of Oamaru. Surely the point in dispute cannot be of such important moment that it takes four or five months to settle. It seems to us a most arbitrary proceeding that the public should be debarred the convenience of travelling by rail to Maheno simply because the contractors and the Government cannot agree. There is a dog-in-the-manger air about the wliole question which we confess we do not understand, bnt which we should like to settled at the earliest date. The second section of railway running out of Oamaru, and which is not yet opened for passenger traffic, though completed some months, is the Marew'ienua line. Wliile foods trains have been running for some time, passengers have been unable to avail themselves of the facilities afforded by this branch of the Main Trunk Line. We went to the trouble the other day to communicate with " the powers that be " in Duneilin as to the cause of this delay, and the reply was that the line could not be opened for passenger traffic till the permanent way had been inspected by the Engineer. We are not in a position to know whether the Engineer's duties are of such a heavy character that he has not time to make an official examination of the line, but if such be the case, we would respectfully submit that he should make tiie.se facts known to the Government, in order that some other duly qualified person may be appointed. It would not surprise us in the least to learn that the Engineer has not received instructions to make his official inspection, and in that case, of course, the blame lies with the Government. Under any circumstances, however, the fact remains that the line is not available for passenger traffic, and all we have to urge is, that immediate steps should be taken to bring this unsatisfactory state of things under the notice of the proper authorities. If the gentleman who so warmly took up the matter of the Waimate Railway would only urge on—by calling a public meeting—the opening of the two sections of railway we have above referred to, we promise him our cordial support in the matter. Unless some public action is taken, we shall experience just as much delay in the opening of these two lines as there was in connection with the Breakwater section. It will be recollected that for a long time a heavy goods traffic was earned on from the Breakwater, but it was some months before the public was permitted- to travel on the line. The same vexatious del a}' will occur in connection with the Maheno and Marewlienua sections, unless the public takes the matter up, and expresses a decided opinion on the present unsatisfactory state of tilings.