The Southland Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26,1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1114, 26 February 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 1869.

Of the business claiming the attention of the Provincial Council at its coming session, the matter of the completion of the Railway will demand, from its present ; and prospective importance, a large share, of the attention of members. In the present position of matters, any course of action which may be taken tending to impede or retard its completion will be detrimental. The question as to completion having been definitely settled, and the necessary consent of the G-eneral G-o - vernment duly obtained, it will be much to be regretted should any obstructive policy prevail, and by the imposition of unnecessary and vexatious conditions, delay the same. Past experience urges, without doubt, the exercise of extreme caution. The heavy expenditure entailed on former occasions by want of particularity in specifications, and by loosely worded documents, is apt, however, to operate in a way that, from sheer anxiety to furnish no possible loop-hole for compensation, and to compel faithful performance, may err in the other extreme, and attempt to impose conditions which, because they are unjust and harrassing, must eventually tell against ■the work itself. The present favorable weather ought to be taken advantage of, and the fact that when harvesting opera; tiona shall have ceased, a large amount

of suitable labor will be available, is so much in favor of the honest fulfilment of the contract by the contractor as to lead to the hope that, for their sakes, the hitch, whatever it i»ay be between themselves and the Provincial Government, may be amicably settled, and the work at once proceeded with. It is the imperative duty of the Council, on its assembling, to investigate, with a view to their removal, the causes preventing the completion, and, should present stipulations appear unjust or unreasonable, to apply the remedy. Apart from the ludicrous aspect which recurring obstacles and their explanations have caused the railway matter at times to assume, there is a serious view of the subject, and to this it behoves us carefully to look. The degree of uncertainty so long obtaining, both as regards the actual performance of the work, and of the time at which it may be expected to be commenced, have prevented, and will prevent, as. long as this uncertainty shall continue, . business arrangements by which the general good of the province would be promoted. This is not only true With .respect to engagements more or less akin to contracts, or the execution of public works, but as to every class of business in a greater or less degree. As to the.former, it is probably the case that the long deferred completion of the railway has occasioned a loss to the province of population, which it was desirable to retain — as to the latter, its effects are so palpable as to require no illustration. We trust that every member of the Council will be in his place, and — whatever may. have been his opinions as to the necessity for, or desirability of the completion of the railroad — now that the matter is definitely settled, insist upon the completion of the work without further unnecessary delay. The arrival of plant, and its certain, although perhaps almost imperceptible depreciation while unused, with unavoidable expenses of storage and shifting from place to place of heavy articles, of which the permanent destination is uncertain, urge the necessity of immediate action.