The Southland Times. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1872.

Southland Times, Issue 1574, 7 May 1872, Page 2

The Southland Times. TUESDAY, MAY 7, 1872.

Oue Queenstown friends seem to have been more successful than the Invereargill Kailway. Committee in getting Mr Bkogden to impart his confidences. The genial influences of the " banquet," as our Wakatip contemporary is never tired of styling it, which preceded the speech, may have contributed in some degree to the frankness with which matters were discussed. The proceedings at Queenstown, it is stated, were not " purely formal," any more than at Invercargill, " the party being of a social nature." The report of Mr Brogden'b speech, formal or informal, however, occupies nearly two columns of the Wakatip Mail, and contains one or two things which it is interesting to know. We may pass over the announcement, however satisfactory, that " his firm was independent of JSew Zealand or any other colony." We may even hear with equanimity that he had written home to release "a million of money," which, had the Assembly been more unanimous, might have been employed in New Zealand. We can understand his firm conviction that the country would have done

better to have come to them to make good lines of railways on terms, as they had made them elsewhere. The lines would then, he said, have been made where they were really required, and not, as in some instances, " lines promoted by log-rolling influences," to quote words he had heard members use in "Wellington about these railways. It is very likely ; but we have to deal with things now as they are, and that is not the arrangement that has been sanctioned by the Assembly. We venture to say that no such arrangement, on a large scale, will ever be adopted ia New Zealand, or in any other country possessing a popular government. The position of affairs at present is simply this. The G-overnment are authorised to proceed at once with the construction of railway works to the extent of one million sterling. The special lines to be selected for this purpose, out of a schedule comprising lines of the estimated value of two millions and a half, are left to the absolute discretion of the Government. They may choose whatever suits them best ; whether for party reasons, or with an independent view to the general good. Mr Bkogden has agreed to tender for any or all of these lines, to the extent ol £1,000,000, and in event of his tender being accepted, to maka them. Should the G-overnment prefer it, he will proceed at once with any works for which they desire him to tender, on the basis of receiving a profit of ten per cent, on his actual outlay. One small railway has already been put into his hands in this way. In event of his tender being accepted, the work thus done counts as part of the work done under the contract. If the tender is not accepted, the work so far as it haa gone is paid for, and discontinued, or continued on a fresh arrangement, as the G-overnment may decide. These arrangements may be good or bad ; but they are the arrangements which up to the present time have been made by the G-overnment, under sanction of the Assembly, and it is very unlikely indeed that the Miuistry will fail to avail themselves to the fullest extent, before the Assembly meets again, of the powers they have received. The point of practical interest for us in Invercargill is to know whether the Winton and Kingston line is likely to bs included, or not, in the works which have been authorised to be proceeded with. The Mataura line, according to Mr Bell's definite statement, has already beeu decided upon. Had the Assembly adopted the common-sense course of confining the schedule to the amount authorised to be spent, there would have been no room for doubt ou the subject. As it is, Mr Brooder's view of the relative merits of the Winton and Kingston line, as compared with others, however interesting in itself, is of less moment than the intentions of the Ministry regarding it. Mr Bbogden, it appears, thinks it would be better to go on with the main lines first. To this we reply, that the Winton-Kingston line is a main live, au.ll was distinctly roeognised as such by the Government in bringing down the schedule to the Railways Act, 1871. Argued simply on its merits, the question of proceeding with the construction of this line, amongst the very first in the colony, admits of only one answer. From the configuration of the country, it is not only one of the easiest to make, but it opens up a larger available area than any other that has been proposed. It stands, moreover, in the unique position of being a continuation of a line of forty miles of railway, already working, in which a large amount of the capital of the colony has been invested — an investment which would be rendered vastly more reproductive than it is at present by the continuation of the road to the Lake. It would appear, however, that such considerations are not the only grounds on which the selection of lines is likely to be made. Mr Brogden made use of the expression " log-rolling influences " as one that he had heard employed by members in Wellington. Whatever there may be in this, we are at least obliged to him for the information that in the North he had been advised not to go to this island at all ; that in fact it would be better for him to go away home than to do so. From the reports he had heard of the South, he was quite surprised to find so much good land available for settlement. We are really very much indebted to our Northern friends. Now that we see the sort of influences with which we will have to contend, we shall be better prepared to meet them. The matter really lies in the hands of our representatives ; and it seems highly desirable that no time should be lost in obtaining an expression of their opinion on this subject, with a view to some immediate united action. The decision, as we have seen, rests with Government whether they will proceed with this line or with others. Of works costing two millions and a half, from which they may choose, they are to select works to the extent of one million. The Winton and Kingston line, considered on its own merits, stands second to none. If party reasons or local preferences are to be brought to bear, it rests with ourselves to see that no trouble is spared on our part to secure justice to ourselves ; and we must make up for our distance from the seat of Government by the persistence and energy of our efforts.