TO THE EDITOR.

Patea Mail, Volume VI, Issue 509, 17 April 1880, Page 2

TO THE EDITOR.

‘[Correspondents are invited to discuss matters of public interest, with fairness and brevity ; the Mail being an impartial medium of discussion and advocacy for all affairs relating to the County of Patea.] HOW THE MONEY GOES. Sm,—l observe that a northern paper i has .ab-cady sounded the warning note, re the enormous expenditure being incurred on the Waimate Plains. Already tills district is being alluded to as a favored one in the parliamentary sense, as regards expenditure, and doubtless we shall hear more of this when the House meets. The large sums voted last session, I fear, are being rapidly absorbed, and whatever is left will in a short time lapse, and be subjected to the dangers of parliamentary revision. And how is the money being expended ? It is being simply frittered away in a most foolish manner, firstly by keeping up a standing army, and secondly by making roads on a new plan, at enormous expense, with day labor, at a rate of speed twenty times less, and at a cost fifty times in excess, of what the work might have been done at by honest open contracting. And this is what is causing outsiders to grumble. But how about expending money on railway works It is time that we have the Ministers that the House will “no doubt” re-vote the sums unexpended ; but what guarantee will there be for that? Past experience is certainly not reassuring, and the attitude of our member does not seem to display an overwhelming desire to secure the due expenditure of the votes. In the present depressed state of the colony, the scramble for public expenditure will be greater than it has ever been before, and the Government will find it a difficult matter to retain its position without attempting to satisfy the claims of supporters. To do this, there will be one source that can be pecked and picked at, until the bare skeleton is left, it even that is allowed to remain—and that source is the unexpended money, voted last session to be expended in this district. We have the assurance of Ministers that. “ no doubt the money will bn reveled but there is a doubt, and a very serious one. We have been told, over and over again, that I lie five million loan is all but practically absorbed. A guarantee lias been given that no fresh loan shall be raised for three years, and the revenue is falling off in almost every department, to an alarming extent. Then whore is the money coming from to satisfy the Government supporters ? Oh, but it may be said “ the Government would not do anything so dishonorable.” Of this we can only judge by past expend* nee, which I repeal is not reassuring ; no more so than Ministerial promises. . What a striking proof of the genuineness of these we have just had! “The line wap to be completed to Hawera by mid-winter,” yet at the same time an extension of nine months was being given to the contractor for a section of the line. Wh it palpable daylight humbug ! What possible reason has there been for this miserable delay in the prosecution of onr public works? The money was voted, labor was cheap, and all kinds of material was at a low price, the season one of the finest ever experienced. In short, everything has been in favor of the Government. Then J what subtle influence lias been wo kb'g * against the best interests of tin’s district, and of the colony ? Have the Government thrown all responsibility upon the Royal Commissioners ? Are we once m ire to lie told that in sacrificing mir best interests, the district is being tiie best served ? The Waimate Plains are being rapidly shuffled away. Thesubsidiesto local bodies are wit bdrawn ; the bind lax is doubled,and a property tax, unexampled in its reptdsive inquisitorial nature, is about to be levied. And why ? B ‘cause Governments, past ami present, have failed to avail themselves of the natural revenue of the colony—the land. Millions of acres might amt ought to have been acquired, and thousands of settlers placed upon them. But that would not suit the land rings ; neither would it suit those who reap such rich harvests by fostering and fomenting quasi Maori difficulties. Welt, there is no hope for a better state of things until a thorough change takes place ; and let ns hope the good lime will be hastened. ANTI-HUMBUG.

THE RAILWAY QUESTION. Sir, —It was with amusement, and a'so with some regret, that I read the two letters in your last issue, signed respectively l>3' “ Fair-play” and “A sincere well-, wisher to the Swamp.” With amusement, because I was so forcibly reminded of the legal maxim, “ When you have noAtse, abuse the other side and with because, after I had so studiously refrained from imputing any unworthy or interested motives to those getting up the agitation which has so long delayed our railway, I felt disappointed that the replies should contain no answer to the arguments I brought forward, but merely violent abuse and ridiculous statements as to the other side of the river being an “almost bottomless morass or floating bog,” &c. This, however, might have been expected, as it * does not require the possession of much brains to vilify an opponent, and it is at all times easier than calm reasoning, which latter does not seem the forte of the two writers in question. There is only one part of “ Fair-play’s” letter that calls for any remark, and that is where he quotes my statement “ that tho engineers have been for some months employed in testing both sides of the river, and have decided to cross to the Whenuakura side.” These latter words he has 'talicised, and proceeds to accuse us of deceit in not informing the public at tha first meeting of the fact. Why, seriously Mr Editor, what would be tha use of informing the public of a fact well known to every one in the town several months ago? I may state for “ Fair-play’s” information, that Major Atkinson, three or four months! ago, as he passed through Carlyle, informedJfci the present chairman of the County Council and several other gentlemen who were conversing with bim, that prior to his departure from Wellington, the Ehgineer-in-Chief (having the surveyors’ reports before him) had informed him that, without s question, the line must go on the other side of tho river. “ Fairplay” also says, “ the deputation were appointed by a resolution, and neither the meeting noi the deputation knew any-

thing about the proposed site below Milxoy’s wharf,” inferriugby that and previous remarks that some information not made public must have been gained about the proposed sites for the Station. Here, again, has not Sir John Goode’s report on the liver been published, and does not that report state the proposed site for the quay on cither side ? It is known that the Station will be near the quay on the side chosen, and the Harbor Board had a good proof of it when the Government recently refused to authorise the construction of the quay on the town side until the site for the Station was decided upon. There is one point 1 may here mention, and that is, that while harping upon the question of the Whcnuakura side being private property, the Harbor Board apparently conveniently forget that they have a most valuable endowment there, known as the Green Island, containing twenty acres close to the proposed Station, at present leased to Mr McCarthy, which would be much enhanced in value if the Whennakura side is chosen. The Government also possess a reserve of five acres known as the Ferry Reserve, through which the line would run ; so much for the argument that only private property would be benefited.

In conclusion, I would again remind my critics that vituperation is not argument, they wish to convince unprejudiced mirms, they must bring forward something more substantial than appeared in their late letters. I did not suppose any arguments could convince pledged supporters to the town side ; and, if I had supported it, I see I should speedily have been undeceived." In a temperate article, you asked for replica to certain queries, and I have attempted, in the public interest, to answer them. Having done this, I shall decline to he drawn into any further controversy, The Government, being now in full possession of all information, will speedily decide this vexed question ; and, for my part, I shall he quite satisfied whichever side they choose, so long as we get the railway, I hough I certainly hold that the side I advocate is the best. 1 hope that the decision made will be for the eventual benefit of the town and district at large. I again have the honor to subscribe myself 'A Sincere Well-Wisher to the Town of Carlyle.

A CORRECTION. Sir, —Referring to your editoiial, and to your correspondent’s remarks, anent the disposal of two boys by their parent, I ■with others who are acquainted with the circumstances sec no room for the badinage which the case has been treated to, nor anything so extraordinary as to call for notice by your correspondent. The report as given to your readers is not likely to conduce to a very high opinion of the moral tone of the inhabitants of the district in which it is said to have* occurred, and you should not be surprised if the parlies referred to consider themselves illused, and more. Even those not directly affected feel more or less indignant at snob pci versions of fact. Aimless distortions but few will approve of ; but when the interest of a tale depends upon one or two features, as in this case, and they are known to bo simply untrue, then I would say that the originator is deserving of censure. I am desired to affirm that no money or other consideration was received in either case by the parents, and on careful enquiry I fail to obtain any evidence of qualms or reluctance to be mixed up in the transaction, as said ; but find instead a carefully preparad document continuing the adoption, for which a fee has been paid and this will be the ten shillings named by your correspondent in ihe matter of the elder boy. How otherwise could the affair bo felt satisfactory to the one who adopted ? Now, with respect to the younger boy, a verbal understanding alone was taken, and lie was to be returned to Ids parent as soon as the latter should be in funds sufficient to defray the cost of bis return home. Odium is heaped upon him for endeavoring to do bis best for the children. He seeks for these hapless ones a home that he has no means to supply himself, a home where they will escape illtreatment, a home where they will be welcome. Where now is the hideous aspect of the tale —the auction—the bidding—the sale ?—Yours, &c., S.C. Waverley, April 12.

STATION SITES AND PRIVATE ENGINEERING. SIK, —In the report of the interview between the Hawera deputation and the Public Works Minister, 1 note that Mr Blackett, the Chief Engineer, stated that the Railway works had been, delayed in consequence of differences about the site of the station. Mr Barleyman—speaking 1 presume, for the deputation—stated that he was unaware of any difference of opinion. Mr Blackett then alluded to an immense number of letters written to the Government on the subject of the station site at Hawera. Mr Middlemas, by his remarks, seemed to know something of these letters. May I ask if that gentleman was ever authorised by the public, or by any portion of the public, to communicate with the Government upon the subject ? Now as I am fully convinced that there has been a great deal of underhand work going on about railway matters, and especially in this district, I would suggest that Major Atkinson, as member for the district, would bo doing a public service by moving in the House that all correspondence upon Railway routes and station sites within this district be laid on the table, in order to ascertain whether the public interest does not require that an investigation be made into the whole matter. What objections—l mean what public objections—can there be to this course? The only objection to this course may be that our member may say that these communications were of a private and confidential nature. Does it not strike y®U, Mr Editor, as being somewhat peculiar that at Carlyle, at Hawera, and at Normanby an attempt has been made to place the-railway stations on private property, to the manifest disregard of public considerations ? Can you supply us with a little light on this head, or can you help us to get it ? Many others as well as myself believe that what this district has long suffered from has been a want of PLAIN SAILING.

DUNEDIN SHIP SUNK IN COLLISION. [.SX*ECIAL BY CABLE.J London, April 15. Ship Calypso, bound from Port. Chalmers, was entering Thames yesterday, when she collided with another vessel and sunk. The crew and passengers were saved. [later.] London, April 15. The Calypso collided with the General Steam Navigation Company’s Steamship Hawk, near Margate, month of the Thames. The Hawk proceeded on her voyage, and the extent of injuries is therefore unknown. It is stated that the Hawk’s lights were not burning at the time of the collision.