Thank you for correcting the text in this article. Your corrections improve Papers Past searches for everyone. See the latest corrections.

This article contains searchable text which was automatically generated and may contain errors. Join the community and correct any errors you spot to help us improve Papers Past.

Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image
Article image

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 1864.

If further evidence is required to prove that our previous remarks on Mr. Tahltoit were fully -warranted "by facts, it is supplied by the Provincial Treasurer himself, in his second letter, published in yesterday's issue of the Southland Neios. It is difficult to understand how a man in Mr. Tabitos's position could have penned such a mass of ignorance, presumption, and malice. We certainly gave Mm credit for being a better tactician, although our 'estimate of his character was not a favorable one. "We will, in the first place, notice briefly some portions of the official letter which Mr. -Tabltos- addressed to the Superintendent, on the 19th March, 186 i, and which he. caused to be embodied in his effusion of yesterday. Our readers may be sure hhab we shall advance nothing that cannot be easily substantiated. Alluding to the sleepers for the Great Northern Eailway, Mr. Tablton says :— " Besides any of the kinds required by " the specification, there are red pine, "white pine, mero, and even bukaka. " More than the half of all. the sleepers " are mero." At the time the above was written, none of the sleepers had been passed, and subsequently, on the inspection of a competent man (recommended by the Commission to inquire into the manner in which the contraei; was bemg carried out) .only 351, out of a total of 17,744, were condemned as not in accordance with specification. The numbers were as follows : — • 75 condemned as red pins. 205 " white pine. 6 " bukaka. The number rejected does not exceed the . per centag'e of inferior material generally thrown out on such an inspection, and the statement of Mr. Tari/ton, is shown to be altogether false. "VV ith regard to the use of white pine rails, it seems now to be generally thought that an error of judgment was committed by Mr. Chalmers, but there is not a shadow of ground for supposing that he was: influenced, by other than the purest motives for the public good. He could; derive no benefit from the departure from' the specification, and it YVaS Strongly re-presen-fcecL to Kirn. that "to insist Upon Tasmam&n or ma-tai tiintter only would tend so to /delay; the construction of the line; as to absolutely prevent the coin-; pletion of the contract within the specie fied time." "When it is remembered that rapidity of 'construction -was the ; universal cry in order to secure the Lake trade, it is not surprising that the Deputy-Super-intendent should have yielded. : ' We ; dq not say ; he judged rightly;, but let him have/fcha^ jfair-play of wKicK "Englishmen are ever fond, and" until 1 it catibe shown! that he was : 'biased in Ma ; decision by his own private 'interest, ; or, at least unfcil some, fair: ground of 'suspicion is ; furnishedj such 'traducersasthe provincial Treasurer; should be scouted by all true men. "WitH reference to the ruinous said to be entailed upon the' Province by "ttte'iu? of this much-abused white j)ine~ it would seem that about three miles of rails — or in money value about thirteen hundred and fifty (£1,350) pounds worth; is all that was used. "We- are sorry to learn from this '/ thoughtful, trustworthy " man that that sum will, and indeed, has, entailed ruin and desoW tion on the- entire Province, "We may ,'on this point add that it is not yet known that ■ this departure from we specification will be attended CwiijU the yesujta which haye been flflti-

injury from the action of the atmosph 3 and from rain, it seems probable that the defect is more than compensated by its peculiar toughness and springiness - — qualities which render it eminently suit- i able for rails. That is, however, another j question altogether. Proceeding to the long rigmarole oh the "cuttings and embankments," with which Mr. Tarlton favored the Superintendent, we find utter ignorance on the subject treated of displayed by this self-constituted -judge. Mr. Taelton says that the gravel from the cuttings should, have been used, and that peat has been substituted to the great detriment of the work. " I need " scarcely remind you that the embank- -" ments are formed on low grounds or in " valleys. That such low grounds, " whether plains or valleys, are swamps, " consisting of peaty, fibrous matter. 1 " wiJl not argue whether such material is " equally well adapted to form an-em- " banktnent as that obtained from the " cuttings through the' higher grounds. " It would be disrespectful to your un- " derstanding even to suppose it possible " you could entertain such an opinion " Thus Mr. Taeltost preaches, but Ms doctrine will scarcely be accepted by those who know anytning of the matter. "We quote a passage, which treats on this point, from a well known work on the construction of railroads. '"■ It was soon '■" found that, as the materials (gravel and " clay) were laid upon the moss, the " whole mass gradually sunk ; and when " the embankment was 'finished, although "the actual level of the. railway was only " four or five feet- above the original " surface of the moss, the quantity of the " stuff deposited would have formed, on " ordinary ground, an embankment twenty " four or twenty five feet high. . . . " The quantity required, and the con- " sequent expense, would have been " enormous. Mr. Stephenson had re- " course, therefore, to the moss itself for " materials to form the embankment, which j " by its inferior specific gravity, xoould not " sinlc to such an extent as gravel or clay." He used " peaty, fibrous matter," and a good and far less expensive road was made in this manner. "We see that Mr. Stephenson held and successfully acted on an opinion which Mr. Tarlton considered it disrespectful to attribute to his Honor the Superintendent. It is utterly out of our power, in the limited space at our disposal, fully to expose all the falsehoods and • absurdities which characterise this precious production of the Provincial Treasurer's feeble brain, and we hasten on to that portion of it where he makes further calumnious statements with regard to Mr. Chalmers. "We quote Mr. Tarlton's words .- — " Mr. " Chalmers' acceptance of a tender for " the construction of the Mokomoko jetty, " while ' Deputy Superintendent,' at an " amount which was so excessive, that all " the laws of sound judgment were per- " verted and set at defiance by such an "' entire disregard of the fearful conse- " quences which must follow. . ' There " WclS an approximate estimate,' said Mr. " Chalmers a.t the Theatre, 'that the " Mokomoko jetty should cost £6000.' " Yet when Deputy Superintendent he " accepted, on the 13th of December, a " contract from J. M'Kenzie & Co., for " £22,214 10s. for this very work. The " best comment on the matter is that the " Province has at the present moment to " endure the lowest depth of humiliation "on this account." * What will our readers think of this man — this honest, thoughtful, straightforward friend of the people, this man whose tender conscience would not permit him to sit at the Council Board with Mr. Chalmers, — what will they think of him when we tell them that 3£r. Chalmers did not accept the tender for the MolcomoJco Jetty, and that, although in the Executive, he was not consulted in the matter. The tencler was j accepted by His Honor the Superintendent on" the 22nd of " July, and Mr, Chalmess was not appointed Deputyi Superintendent until the sth of November following, which may be proved by reference to the Gazette of the 7th of that month. Ignorance and presumption we might pardon. Some men are too imbecile to learn, and nature may have made them wilful and arrogant ; but deliberately to state what is false of another for the purpose of injuring him in the eyes of his fellows is an offence for which there is no pardon in a civilised community. Mr. Tarlton could not but have been aware of the circumstances under which this tender was accepted, and the person who accepted it. It must be confessed that owing to the base statements ,maJe by Mr. Tarlton the popularity of Mr. Chalmers has declined, but now that the object has beon shown, ami the- falsehood clearly proved, a British community will see that justice is done, and will turn their anger in the right direction. Let Dr. jMTe^kies' name he substituted for ; Mr, Okai/mehs', and how will tlie matter stand? If Mr. Oir aimers would havo been to blame in accepting the extravagant tender for the Mokomoko Jetty, how shall we look on the conduct of the Superintendent who was the real culprit? By Mr. Tarlton's own showing, his chief, hi s idol, his divinity, must have , perverted all the laws, of sound judgment, "and set them at defiance "by sucK an entire disregard of the fearful consequences which must follow." Should Mr. Tablton succeed in gulling the electors ; into the belief that lie is fit to represent them in ,the Council, let, him remember that he has said that Br. has pl.unged the Province .into "jite^ 'lowest depth [of hvniiUatioii" and then let'him' record his vote in his favor if he dare. ;<■>''•'^ ■ To show>further how utterly .untaust-j ■worthy are, .the statements , which j\£ri TabiiTOK' makes, we will refer to the limp Session of the Provincial .Opuilr ciL : $fr. " Tarlton read &''cosf of a ' report^' said by him to' haye 1 been

' obtained from Mr. Ogg, one of the inspectors 'of the Northern line, in which that official (alluding to the execution of certain of the railway works) was made to say that they were done in a disgraceful manner. Mr. Pearson demanded a, full investigation, into the matter, but Mr. Tarlton declined, as he did not wish to occupy the time of the Council. Mr. Pearson, however, insisted that no man's character should' be impugned without having an opportunity to defend himself. At the next" evening sittings an official letter from Mr. Ogg- to the Railway Engineer was read passing the works in dispute, and stating that they were executed in a manner creditable to all concerned. Mr. Tarlton raised his eyes in pious horror, and said, " I never heard the like of it." He was found out. We do not care to disguise our sentiments where plain speaking is required. Mr. Tarlton has seen fit to deny certain statements we brought against him. "We proved our case, but- he returned to the charge, and sought to strengthen his position by further assertions directly opposed- to the truth, and we have again been obliged to expose him. If this is the sort of person to represent Invercargill, we had better, as our contemporary I advises, cut the knot of our difficulty by throwing the management of the Province into the hands of the General GcOy vermnent.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST18641116.2.8

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,779

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 1864. Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 2

The Southland Times. WEDNESDAY, NOV. 16, 1864. Southland Times, Volume I, Issue 73, 16 November 1864, Page 2

Help

Log in or create a Papers Past website account

Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.

By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.

Log in with RealMe®

If you’ve used a RealMe login somewhere else, you can use it here too. If you don’t already have a username and password, just click Log in and you can choose to create one.


Log in again to continue your work

Your session has expired.

Log in again with RealMe®


Alert