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Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1244, 13 April 1880, Page 2

A rej'LY has at last been received to the telegrams forwarded by Messrs. Hislop and Shrimski, M.H.B/s., to the Minister for Public Works, with reference to the unemployed and the recommencement of work on the Windsor-Livingstone line. The reply comes from the Under Secretary for Public Woi-ks. It takes the form of an explanation of the oatjse of delay, and, so far as it goes, is satisfactory. The telegram states that the Minister was absent when the telegrams from our members weie received, and that the Under Secretary had wired to the engineer in charge of the Middle Island for such information a.s he could give with reference to the line before conuminigating with the Minister, but regretted that ho had received no reply, and had wired again. This is the substance of the reply ; and. while we must acknowledge that it affords An explanation that is somewhat satisfactory as rpgjirds the delay that has taken place in replying to the urgent messages from the members for the district, we are forced to the conclusion that there has been a woeful display of ignorance and neglect in regai'd to the line. We are surprised that it should have been necessary to seek information with reference to a line that has received the sanction of Parliament, and upon 'which a considerable amount of work has already been done, Wp are equally surprised that the engineer, who .should have given the required information q.fc the earliest possible moment, should ha?e npglected to • reply to the quiries put to him frofn the circumlocution office at Wellington, It appears to us. also, that the delay that has taken place in replying to the question as to when the work is likely to be begun ;s unpardonable. Had the Minister for Public Works been at the seat of Government, attending to his duties instead of buzzing about the country like a gadfly, he might long ere this have supplied information that w.ould have enabled the lxun.dr.e.d men who have been anxiously waiting to know their fq.to, to judge whether it would be advisable for them to remain here any longer in the hope that the line would ba speedily rer commenced, or seek employment elsewhere. These men are, as we have previously stated, on the point of starvation, and it is the height of cruelty' to keep them i.n a state of suspense for weeks, when their anxiety itjight easily be allayed by a few brief words iron} flip Government as to their intentions rpgardiijg fhc line.