The Evening Mail. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1876. THE OAMARU-MOERAKI LINE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 144, 6 October 1876, Page 2

The Evening Mail.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1876. THE OAMARU-MOERAKI LINE.

" Vr«»U an? »rU » rk»t> E«f< «;*>?»» r.lwvi "lit nu»y Cti.»s wlvklt nnS»> ihost-j.tui,; think,.'"

We have on more than one occasion referred to what we may term the impulsive enthusiasm of the cittswris of Oamartt. By this we mean that Uamaru every now and then gets wonderfully and intensely excited over some grievance, real or imaginary. Oatuani rouses itself from its kgthargic state, rashes madly into the field, talks of indignation meetings and monster petition;?. The former means of showing its earnestness is the work of a short time. A requisition i 3 sent round for signature asking the Mayor to call a public meeting to discuss the vexed question at issue. Of course the Mayor, like all 3layors should do, agrees to the request of the petitioners, and a public meeting is oiled. If it happen to be a fine night probably a hundred persons would be present. I'eaolutions are submitted to the meeting, and amidst the greatest enthusiasm the chairman is instructed to forward the resolutions to the Government, and thus the anger of the citizens b appeased. Tut.% we think, i 3 about a fair reirnj of the routine adopted in O&iuaro to bring matters of public moment, and questions affecting the rights of the

community under the notice of the proper authorities. To the system, of course, no exception can be taken ; but wliat we find fault with is, that so soon as ever the meeting is over nothing further is heard of the question at issue. It seems to be pretty generally understood that when once the resolutions passed are in the hands of the Chairman no further action is deemed necessary. We are prompted to make these remarks from the apathy evinced by the Oamaru public regarding the opening of the line from here to Hampden. At the time the subject was first mooted every other man in the town was loud in his protestations against further delay, and the public generally were not slow in expressing in no measured terms its opinion on what was conceived to be tin- obstructive action of the Government. Ti.e local and even the Dunedin Ptv-s took the matter up warmly, anel t le.rams were ilished from here to Wellington, fro :i t'.ie Empire City to Dunedin. ami from the Commercial Capital of .New Zealand to Oamaru. The Enginecr-in-Cititf wirul to IheD.puty-Superintenrtent, that functionary Ukgraphod to t'.ic Provincial £t.erc'r.;y for Lands, and lie in t;irn c;:i!;mtu;':eati.d witli our District U:igii»e-.v. Lui what Las been t'.ie result of all t' u;e elect r:e.d communications ' Ni>t. r (i:*g but smoke, duise smoke. That b really what titey have ended i:i. Now let us s..c tow t ..M »!• .-not -ing styU* of action las boon t about. There are i;-j who think t :--it :':c fault l;e.s wit.: ike contractors, that they have not com-

tl;- ii' c .ntrac;, and, as a consequence, the Government are justified in refusing to take over an unfinished job, Wtic this the case, of course the Government cuititl not be blamed for refusing to open tie iine ; but we take leave to diLier with those who hold this view. It is true,. t!:e Kaka Bridge is not in a tit state to be handed over as completed, but, at the same time, no sane person would dispute the fact that the line from Oamaru lip to tin's bihnoir of the Government is in splendid order and perfectly fit for immediate traffic. Messrs. Bkogdex and Sons' offer to hand over the line to the Government on certain conditions was, ws thinK, a most reasonable one, and we cannot but believe that it is nothing but some petty obstructive spirit which prevents the public enjoying the advantages of railway communication totheKakaatthepresentlime. As an instance of what we term ' "petty obstructivencss," we may mention the fact —and we have it on the most reliable authority—that the Government have actually employed an officer to examine the fencing posts along the line to see if they are planted in the ground the contract depth. Further than this, the number of dogs in the sleepers are positively being counted, in order to ascertain if the. sufficient quantity have been driven in to secure each particular rail. ZSow, when such paltry conduct a-s this is resorted to, it is not difficult to see that the opening of the iine, on these flimsy pretexts, can be delayed for montlisandmontis—in fact, if traffic were not to commence for twelve months we rjliosi tl not be surprised. As exponents of public opinion we feel sure it will be admitted tha" we have done our share in tins mr.ficr, and it is for the citizens no*v to at: ion, and p! icj their case in a fair and impariia! uiv.v.xv.v before the GoVijfni.tvni. it has been incidentally mentioned that the Mayor will be requisitioned in a day or iwo, ashing Li.n to call a public

meeting to discuss ihis Vexations question, and th n v.e hope our Lading business nun will come forward and freely express their views o:i the action of (he Government i,! conncc'hm with tlia delay amending the opening of the Oamaru-Mooraki line.