The Southland Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1870.

Southland Times, Issue 1302, 2 September 1870, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 1870.

Our readers are no doubt aware that the district surrounding Oamaru has latelybecome possessed of a second journal to " herald" its advantages and capabilities to the world. If report speaks truly, the editorial chair is filled by a gentleman who is well known for the volubility with which he discharges his senatorial dutieß in the Otago Provincial Council. We are led to mike these remarks by observing in late issues of the Oamaru Herald a considerable amount of interest 'displayed in the affairs of Southland. This is quite natural so far, when we take into consideration the close relationship which must shortly subsist between Southland ; and what is now the Province of Otago ; , j but we certainly do object to the I finger of scorn being pointed at this district, and to its being held up as 1 the " awful example" of every sort of | extravagance and mismanasement. For this, however, we have to thank those who have felt it to be their duty to publish to their utmost ability a doleful picture of our condition, in order that they might circumvent the object upon which they had Bet their hearts, viz., the annexation of Southland to Otago. To give the Superintendent credit, we feel bouud to state that he showed some sense of what was due to his constituents when, in the House of Bepresentatives, he administered a slight rebuke to the member for Biverton (Mr M'Gillivray), to the effect that that gentleman, in his zeal on behalf of the passing into law of the'Be- union Bill, had actually made out a worse case against Southland thau the facts justified. It is the custom of those who comment on the position of Southland to point to our large debt as an insurmountable burden, and to characterise our 40 miles of railroad as a " white elephant," but this comes with a very bad grace at a time when the " collective wisdom" of the colony have decided, upon initiating a comprehensive scheme of railway communication, and to 'borrow largely for the purpose of accomplishing that object. We would here take the liberty of saying that no more remunerative line would be found in the colony than that between the Bluff and Kingston, and we are sorry to observe that some delay is likely to occur before the two places are connected by means of the "iron horse." In fact, we* have, been informed by those who should be able to speak with authority on, such subjects, that the main trunk line, for ihe Middle Island should take that direc tion,. and ; we would seriously recommend to the members of the present Ministry the desirability of enquiring into this matter, when the flying surveys which they propose are being made. But to return ,to our friend of the Oamaru Herald. It seems that the Southland Times has incurred his displeasure, because it thought .fit to : enter a protest against any borrowed money being expended in fighting against -natr*T*e v -4;hn.t- 'a, in endpnynr'ng to makesafe harbors where only open roadsteads exist. To any reasonable person it would • seem a work of supererogation to .justify such a proposition; but where people are blinded by self-interest, and are actuated by an utter disregard for the' welfare of the colony at large, it can easily be understood that every effort will be made to accomplish the object in view. Take the following, for instance, as an illustration :—*...- The entire destruction of the Oamaru Jetty — it has not been -entirely destroyed — would not have .involved a much greater loss than the celebrated Mokomoko Jetty, Invercargill, which was never used, or the Oreti wooden line of railway, both of which experiments must ever remain monuments of Southland's folly. But there is this difference : Oamaru, in its first experiment at Harbor Improvements, was over-cautious. It had to its credit in the Provincial chest ample funds to construct greater and more stable works, and any loss sustained from this mistake has been its own ; it has not had to sue as paupers at the shrine of the General Government, or in asking the Provincial Government to sanction a further outlay, asked for more than was its rightful due. In insisting upon Harbor Improvement for this district, we are only asking for a legitimate expenditure of our own money — a sum, which if thrown into the sea, would not render us bankrupt, and beggars for the crumbs that may fall from the table of either the Colonial or the Provincial Treasurer ; Southland cannot say this. With profligate wastefulness it has squandered its substance on railways, jetties, &c., until it has been thankful to eat the rusks (sic) from its more provident kinsmen ; and now that it has been received by them again into the family, with the gratitude usually displayed by spendthrifts, would endeavor to fllch from others their little savings. We will not display the same spirit. According to our contemporary's own showing, Oamaru erred through being over-cautious, constructing a work which was known to be unsuitable. We claim, therefore, on behalf of Southland, the exercise of the utmost wisdom, because all her leading public works were planned on the most effective scale ; and had it not been for the unforeseen difficulties which stood in the way of their early completion, a very large and increasing trade, which was within the grasp of the district, would have been secured, and the railways would not have become the incubus on the people which has prevented Southland attaining ,'a leading position among the Provinces. As regards the Mokomoko jetty, it is to be confessed that it is how useless to Southland. Perhaps a paternal Otago Government may see fit to transport it to Oamaru. We shall offer no objection to the transfer. But, joking apart, as sensible and reasonable men, it becomes our duty to profit by the lessons taught by experience, and we have no hesitation iv repeating what we have already stated, that nature has affirmed in a manner which cannot be mistaken, that Oamaru can never be a harbor of refuge. We would therefore advise our fellow-colonists in' that district to give up the idea of " the great sea wall," and devote all their energy to securing communication with an established harbor by means of a railroad. We have said that our friend of the Herald gets the character of being very

voluble. It generally happens that gentlemen who are " too full of utterance" are rather careless as to their facts. AYe will close our remarks with an extract showing an utter want of knowledge of the history of the colony, and by stating that such ignorance is highly culpable in one who professes to be a leader of public opinion : — It was scarcely to have been expected that five settlements, each with its own peculiar class of colonists, would have at once shown that cosr mopolitan spirit essential to good government, still there is reason to believe that had tho New Provinces Act never been introduced, the Colony would not have slided into the state of debt and confusion, heavy taxation and public discontent, which is now its distinguishing feature. Southland was the first Province constituted under this Act, and it is fitting it should be the one to first yield up it 3 powers and the fgovernmental machinery, which had proved costly and ruinous in its working. Its history is that of the other three provinces formed under that Act. Marlborough, Hawke's Bay, and Taranaki, are even more deeply steeped in difficulties than was Southland, and each must sooner or later seek annexation to the parent province, or be taken over by the General Government. We scarcely deem it necessary to , correct the glaring mistakes into which our contemporary has fallen ; but for his sake we may inform' him that New Zealand was originally divided into six settlements instead of five, Taranaki being one of the original provinces. We have also to state that Southland was the last created of the neV provinces.