The Sonthland Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1866.

Southland Times, Issue 589, 9 November 1866, Page 2

The Sonthland Times. FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1866.

The subject of railways has almost been worn threadbare in Soutbland. Almost every person who bas seen a railway in any part of tbe world, and whose fortunes may bave led bim to tbis locality, bas graTely commented upon tbe way in wbicb tbey ought to be made, and tbe expense necessary for tbeir construction. But yet, it is a wise provision tbat in a British community out-spoken candour, when unaccompanied with vituperation or coarse abuse, is tolerated to its legitimate limits.

The late discussion on railway- has elicited a good deal of information upon matters which the public were but im* perfectly informed. Mr Ibvine, a gentleman possessing engineering experience, although he entered with perhaps a little too much personal feeling into the discussion of tbe merits of the late E ailway Engineer, Mr Maeohant yet, never* theless, has been the means of doing great good in exposing glaring deviations from the specifications of original contracts. Later, when it was stated that the contractors for the present unfinished portion of tbe Bluff Eailway, 'Messrs Smyth, Hoyt and Co., sought to bring pressure to bear on the Government, in order to prematurely open tbe line, tbe expression of pubb'c feeling, although we believe misguided, was bealtby in tbe extreme, and was tbe means of strengthening tbe bands of tbe G-overnment. It is therefore with tbe object of cultivating tbis public opinion, and directing it 'to its proper and legitimate channel of supervising and keenly watching tbe direction tbat events may assume in tbe discussion of railway topics, at tbe next meeting of tbe Council, tbat we thus introduce matters long disposed of, and tbat has perhaps passed away from tbe minds of a great many people. We learn tbat offers, in someform or other, arenowbefore tbe local Government to finish the line of railway to Winton. "Whether it is proposed to finish then, independent of all Government aid, and at tbe sole expense of tbe contractors, who only would receive as an equivalent tbe lease of the line, we are not prepared to state, but we think tbat it is due to tbe public tbat tbey should be informed of tbe negotiations — if any have taken place — tbat have passedbetween tbe rndividnalswho hay© made the offer and tbe Government. Where secresyis observed in questions affecting tbe public on so important — for it is a bigbly important subject tbe finishing of au extensive line of railway — it is tbe duty of tbe press to step in and learn tbe cause of sueb proceeding. To tbe peculiar position to wbicb Soutbland has been brought — placed as she is at tbe lowest of all the Provinces, without influence or money — may be attributed to a great extent tbe pernicious influence that has been made to stile inquiry. Take for example tbe Eailway Investigation Bill. Tbis Bill, if we remember aright, provided tbat the Superintendent should appoint a commission to inquire into alleged abuses in connection with the railways in this Province, and yet we find tbat, notwithstanding chat tbe sum of £500 bad been placed on the estimates to defray tbe expenses of tbe inquiry — notwithstanding that a petition had been forwarded to tbe House of Representatives to ask of tbe supreme legislature of the colony to give tbat justice wbicb a large section of tbe ir habitants considered themselves entitled to, tbe inquiry was suspended— we will not say stifled — by those wbos9duty it was to have acted differently. We do not wish to cast a slur on tbe present Government for tbis remissness — because we believe tbem blameless — but we do say tbat tbe reason tbat an inquiry was not held long ago was on account of tbe evil of allowing tbe farce of Constitutional Government to exist in tbis Province. We candidly acknowledge tbat for some time we have felt tbat tbe principle of Constitutional Government, as. applied to Soutbland, is a mockery, a delusion, and a snare — and tbe sooner it is abolished tbe better for the community at large. What is tbe use of having Ministers with portfolios tbat possess no real authority. Eatber would we see one man of independent spirit, capable of conducting, with the aid of a couple of clerk 3, tbe business of tbe Province, as long as it remains one, than witness the lamentable spectacle of a large number of irresponsible officials playing _ at Government. We trust in conclusion that tbe Executive will be prepared to lay before tbe Provincial Council at its next sitting an offer of a definite description — such as Mr Shand stated at a public meeting tbat be made to tbe Superintendent — and that tbe question will be finally disposed of, but we also affirm distinctly tbat no public money should be spent in tbe formation of new lines of railway as long as tbe roads of tbe Province are in tbe wretched condition tbey are at present.