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Oamaru Mail, Volume III, Issue 715, 25 July 1878, Page 2

Wis litre no more desire now to act as an alarmist than we had several months ago, when, on the opening °f the Blueskin section of the Southern we pointed out the dangers that bcaet the traveller who trusted his neck upon it. But that portion of the Blueskin section cut in the side of a mountain, with a precipitous mass of crumbling rock above and a giddy depxh below, is not safe, e\en at the crawling pace at nhjch the train proceeds over it. The accident which occurred on Saturday last was of a n.vuir*} such as to make the stoutest heart rjunil. Otir fears, and those of many others, were realised ; for masses of rock fell from the hill-side, and landed near the line at a most critical spot. A little nearer, and the train arA its denizjiis could only have escaped destruction by a miracle. As it happened, the .steps of the carriages came into contact with Uiaj obstructions, and fortunately, being fragile, gav* -ay. or rhe whole tabric wt»md have stood a >/ei\ good chance of topping over the precipice. There is no philosophy in closing our eyes to the fact that there is actual danger that an appalling accident will one occur on this section of the line. The of a heavy downpour of rain upon the material of which the hill is composed wilt be to cause its disintegration :Mid precipitation on or near the line. Tii.s will alwavs be a cause of annoyanse and' danger ; and as there are so many turns in the line at the spot referred to, we would recommend that one or more men should be stationed there for the purpose of inspecting the line, and giving the alarm if necessary. They should also have at their disposal pangs of men to effect repairs to any shaky pieces of line, and to keep the course clear. This would be terribly expensive ; but the necessity for it arises" out of the far-sighted policy of the Government during whose reign the line was constructed, ami the exjtoordinaiy, and now generallyadmitt<3|ability of the mag who planned it. If the fctain had come to when nobody was in it but the Engineer-in-Chief, people would mourn his loss, view it as 3 clear case of felo de se, and console themsfclves with the idea that the epoch of jim-crack railways and bridges would t'i. n ce; se to be anything but an historical face. But the late Engineer-in-Chief only travelled once or so on the line. He did not care to*isk his mortality too often on the result of his own peculiar notions f j nor will anyone else, unless exceeding can.- j be taken. •r*l v

We are gratified to find that our contemporary agreeß with the public and us that a Town Hall should be built, and that the Council should build it. We are strongly of this opinion, provided there are no financial difficulties in the way. But, even if the Council has all its available funds locked up in other works, there is no reason why it should not undertake the building of a Town Hall. For the sake of its own convenience, to say nothing of dignity, it should by this time have become heartily sick of the present erection honored by the title of the Municipal Council Chambers. For the public's sake it should exert itself to provide a comfortable and commodious I room for public meetings, amusements, \ &c. With all respect for the Council, we assert, that had other towns in the Colony far less prosperous than Oaniaru been similarly situated, they would, loug since, liavt; built a Town Hall. There is the sire, than which 110 better could be found in all Christendom; there is the stone, which cannot be surpassed ; and there is the money —at least, if they have it not actually in hand, we are sure that their credit is good at their bankers' ; and, above all, there is the necessity. Then why not undertake the work, and remove the only reproach that seems attachable to the people of Oaniaru. Why, believe that the people themselves would subscribe an amount sufficient to build a Hall, should the Council fail to take the matter in hand. It is so apparent that the building, if arranged as we suggested, in a previous issue, would pay interest on the outlay and something to the good, that we need say 110 more 011 this score.