The Southland Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1869.

Southland Times, Issue 1127, 10 September 1869, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1869.

The bane of Southland's life, since first sbe drew the breath of a separate existence, has been the management of her public works, more particularly thoss constructed for purposes of intercommunication. It has mattered little ■what set of men formed the Government, inaugurating or carrying on those undertakings, or how eminently qualified those were to whose scientific skill they were entrusted, disaster and enormous expense has ensued in every instance, where the work has been of any magnitude. To throw the onus of all such failures and extravagance upon the Government which happens to be in power when the calamity occurs, is a very simple way of accounting for the misfortune, and, to a British community, may appear a very Constitutional manner of venting their •■■->; • ■■ n nd disappointment. Unfortu;,;:T> i \, however, this method of shifting >•!,<• hlaine from one's own to somebody's rise's shoulders does not mend the matter, uur doc* it explain how it may have occurred, or how similar errors may be in future avoided. More unfortunately still, the great mass of the people are generally content with this superficial view of the matter, and, instead of bringing their combined sagacity to bear on the management of public affairs through their representatives in the local legislature — the legitimate channel — let things take their course until fresh complications arise, affording further occasion for dissatisfaction and renewed grumbling. It is only the few who look beneath the skin of circumstances, and seek to trace to their origin causes of-disaster which seem inherent in all young communities. Nor can it be said that even the enquiries of the thoughtful and observant lead to any r very satisfactory solution of the problem. Their unprejudiced consideration of the case in its various aspects may guide them to a more correct decision as to its merits, than obtains with the public at large. They may be enabled to discriminate mo re

justly, and to avoid censuring those to whom nothing culpable can be attributed, but the fact still remains that, in spite of the utmost vigilance, in the teeth of all precautions, in contempt of the rarest skill, and notwithstanding previous experience, mistakes, accidents, complications and difficulties will occur to defeat the object in view. The only conclusion which can honestly be come to in the matter aeems to be that ia all such undertakings in a new country, such combinations of circumstances may occur, such obstacles may unexpectedly arise, as no human foresight could have anticipated, and no ordinary sagacity or energy at once remove or overcome. Had road and railway catastrophes been confined to Southland, we might have hoped that with a change of men would have come relief from difficulties of that nature, or we might have looked for the cause in some geographical or climatic feature peculiar to the district. As, however, almost every colony has had the same blunders to lament and rectify, we must conclude that young nations, like young persons, have to purchase their subsequent prosperity at the price of individual experience. In the cod duct of their affairs, rarely indeed does either one or the other benefit much by the example of their older contemporaries. Some states, as some men, seem doomed to a larger share of misfortunes than others, and to this unenviable distinction Southland is apparently destined. Any one looking back at her history, during the seven or eight years of her existence, must be astonished that she has at all survived the accumulation of disasters which have come thick upon her. It must be conceded that having borne so much is sufficient evidence of (he strength and elasticity of her reaources,and affords

good grounds for assuming that with judicious management now she will yet surmount all obstacles, and achieve a position of steady prosperity. As we said at the commencement, her great difficulty has been road making. There was first the formation of the Great North Road, which, having necessarily to be made at the wetest season of the year, almost baffled the skill of the best engineers, and absorbed in its construction a fabulous amount of money. The East Road and the Bay ] Road were also most expensive works.

Then came up the Bluff Railway bungle, as it is called, which by its gigantic proportions, throw all other alleged bungles into the shade. Theae misfortunes have, however, all to a certain extent been surmounted. The Bluff line is in good working order, an accomplished fact — if even at a great cost — a moat valuable asset of the province, besides being a great present convenience to the people. The roads, North, East, and West, are also good for miles, and may now be extended at much less expense than hitherto. Lastly, we have the stoppage of the Oreti Railway, the present embarassment. The complications in which this matter has recently become involved, are undoubtedly most perplexing and annoying to the public, who looked to the vigorous prosecution of the works as the means of stimulating the trade of the province. Blame has of course been freely bestowed, without much regarding perhaps upon whom it may fall. Misunderstandings have occurred thereupon between the governing power?, between the Government and the contractors, and also amongst the contractors themselves, until the meshes enveloping the question have become so multiplied that it is probably difficult even for those most intimate with the subject clearly to comprehend the situation. Under the circumstances it would be as manifestly unjust to censure the Government for the delay, as it would be impolite, perhaps, for " them to make public, at the present moment, the course they intend to pursue. The public must, ■while vigilantly watching, quietly wait the issue of eveuts, and, we believe, we may safely assert that suspease will soon be at an end, and that before many days elapse, such arrangements will have been concluded as will permit of the immediate resumption of the works on the best possible terms for the province. [Since the above was written we are informed that the long pending arrangements for enabling the works to be more actively carried on, and for the payment of old outstanding liabilities in connection with the contract, are likely to be brought to a conclusion, satisfactory o all concerned, before t.ie close of the week.]