The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1872.

Southland Times, Issue 1594, 21 June 1872, Page 2

The Southland Times. FRIDAY, JUNE 21, 1872.

The Winton-Kingston railway was placed on the first schedule of the Public Works and Immigration Act of last session, but we learn from Mr M'Gillitbay's speech at Riverton that this concession was not obtained without some exertion, on the part of one at least of our local repre- , sentatives. It thus takes rank as one of the " main lines" which the Government are empowered to construct, without further reference to tbe Assembly. This is very satisfactory, so far as it goes ; a-nd bo iB the fact tbat a portion of the line is now being actually surveyed. But it cannot be too clearly understood that a great deal still remains to be done. The schedule referred to comprises lines in various parts of the colony, estimated to cost at least two and a half millions sterim S . Of thoso it is probable that works to the extent of one million will be placed in tbe hands of contractors before the meeting of Assembly, the Govern i ment being specially authorised to negotiate with Messrs Bbogden to tbat extent. It is true that there is no legal obstacle to prevent their entering into arrangements with other contractors for the remainder, but it seems tolerably certain that there is no intention of doing so for the present. It by no means follows because the Winton-Kingston line is on the schedule, or even under survey by tbe Government engineers, that it will be included in the list of tbose which are to be proceeded with at once. It is even likely that the construction of the Mataura line, wbich has now been decided upon, will be considered a sufficient concession to the wants of the district, and tbat the Winton-Kingston line will be shelved in the meantime. If the question of precedence were to be decided solely by the merits of the case, we have no hesitation in saying that tbe Winton-Kingston line would be among the very first to be placed in the bands of contractors. It is an easy line to make ; it opens up a larger available area for settlement than any other line wbich has yet been projected ; it connects the goldfields of the Lake district with the port; and it completes a scheme which has already been partially carried out at an enormous cost to the colony, represented by the forty miles of railway now in operation between Winton and the Bluff. But these considerations, sound though they may be, are apparently not the only grounds on which the Government are likely to make their selection of lines. According to Mr Caldeb, the policy of the Ministry varies from time to time, in accordance with the amount of pressure brought to bear from without. Mr Bbogden-, at Queenstown, spoke of lines promoted by log-rolling influences. And now Mr M'Gir.i.rrßAX tells us that it required some exertion to get this line placed on the schedule at all. The obvious deduction is, that if we want it made, we must exert ourselves still more. Mr M'Gillivbat professes the utmost confidence in the designs of the Government. Mr Caldeb, on the other hand, thinks tbat tbey are entirely influenced by " pressure from without." It is possible tbat the truth may lie between these two views, and tbat while they mean well by the Colony on the whole, tbey are not entirely insensible to the effects of a little political " pressure from without." If this be the case, we may be sure that the fact has not been overlooked in other districts, and that unless we take some active steps ourselves, we will have to be content with the barren honor of seeing this line in the first schedule of the Act. However creditable tbis result may be to tbe exertions of our representatives, as a beginning, it cannot be denied that it would form but a very sorry conclusion. To avoid such a fiasco, and arrive at some practical result, organisation is required. Our friends in the Lake district, who are equally interested with ourselves in the completion of this line, have already taken active steps in the matter, and committees are being formed in various localities to promote this object. There is a Railway Committee in Invercargill, appointed at a public meeting more tb.a.n twelve months ago, to watch over the interests of the district in connection with the railway schemes of the Government. Erom notices of its meetings wbich have appeared in the papers from time to time, this body does not seem to have been neglecting its duties, although, doubtless for good reasons, no great publicity has been given to its proceedings. As it numbers amongst its members the Mayor, and several of our most active citizens, we may fairly assume that its exertions have not been altogether in vain, and that our interests have not suffered in its hands. It is understood that the efforts of this committee have hitherto been almost exclusively confined to securing the adoption of the Mataura line, on the very sensible principle of doing one thing at a time. Now that its exertions in that direction have been crowned with success, we would suggest that the present occasion offers a fitting opportunity for rendering an account of its stewardship, after the fashion of committees, by presenting a report. And if in thus delivering up the trust committed to its bands, the committee could initiate a new movement, ■which might ensure a similarly successful result in the case of the WintonKingston Kne, we can imagine no more appropriate close to its labors, which we have no doubt will be rewarded by the hearty thanks of the public. The simplest method of carrying our

suggestion into effect would be for tbe members to present a requisition to tbe Mayor to call a public meeting for tbe purpose, at which the whole question could be considered, and arrangements made, in concert with other localities, for a general agitation. Time, which is of great importance, would be saved by adopting this course. But in event of our suggestion failing to . meet the approbation of the committee, there is no reason why the public should not at once take the matter into their own bands.