The Temuka Leader TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17, 1880

Temuka Leader, Issue 235, 17 February 1880, Page 2

The Temuka Leader TUESDAY FEBRUARY 17, 1880

When’ the Minister for Public VVo'ks pfi*sf-d 1' rough Tim.\rn the other day, numerous deputations, -wait—l on him to state the great injustice it u lie red by neglect of a former Gr ycrnmert, and. r viable to make out a good case lor sympathy and consideration, on the part of the gentlemen now in offi e. The-leading men in Timaru nr-' no* slack in j referring c They will nut be Jong ri obtaining re dress, if importunity will do it. We must give the people of Timaru great credit for vigilance, nothing that is in the least cal' ciliated’ to increase the importance < Timaru is lost sigln of, whether it be a railway shed, a deputation of English farmers,* baby show, or even a clog show, if it wii! give greater popularity to their good town it will have their most attenti n. But woe to the man who wiU say a,word or lift a finger against it. In this matter the people of f’maru are wiser in their generation than the people living ic the inland towns. Not only have they utilised our member for the Assembly but they are also putting forward all their strength in (lie way most calculated to tell upon some of the members of the Geraldine County Connell, in the hope that they may lie able to secure t’ eir influence in favor of the meetings in Timaru. If this can be accomplished there will not be a word about economising expenditure. Fine buildings will be projected and everything clone upon the largest scale possibleWc venture to state that even the local journals will see a necessity in spending ten thousand pounds for a suitable suite of offices, but were any of the inland towns to.make u proposal of the sort, the | Government organ would sound the alarm and cry, ‘shame.’ Now. there is just one | little matter connected with this subject that we deem it our duty to refer to, and that is the apathy of the member for Geraldine. Where lias ho gone? What is he doing for the district ? What has he dime for it since he was elected by the Christchurch co tingency, defeating the;nit re popular candidate ? If anything is wanted to prove more conclusively the Interest that the lion gentleman takes in Timaru affairs, as compared with the interest he takes in what is for the benefit of his constituents, it will be found in his neglect of those representations made to him from time to time, and the total indifference which he has shown to the district in the matter of the Temuka-Oxford Railway. A bridge over the Teinuk i River, costing nearly £5,000, will soon be eomp’eted, and what then ? Is it to remain, like Mahomed’s coffin ? Is the money that was voted to make a portion of this line to remain in the Government chest till the next Financial Statement is mad >, to allow Major Atkinson to show how much better the finances are in his time than they were when the Treasury was committed to his keeping ? Great a tivity is shown in the matter of tile Fuirlie dreek Railway. Money is beh.g expended upon this work without stint, yet the Timaru■ people arc still crying for more, and are even,we hear, hinting at straightening the Oxford-Te-tmika line, so as to im.k ; it lit on the Point line, .and thus make-it.-become a direct feeder to (lie great gourmand of the South. In view of the Assembly meeting in May next, surely it is time that our member was called upon to give an account of his stewardship, ami if he cannot give abetter account of himself than do the chronicles of the Parliamentary debates, it is time that, like the gamekeeper and the king, ho were summarily brought to hook, as it will not do to have our interests thus trilled with any longer. This brings us again to repeat what wo cannot state too often, that the interests of the districts ai’e best served by being united, and working together fur the good of the whole. As we have stated over and over again, so will we State once more. Every additional institution established in Timaru is an additional drain from the district, and will show itself by an additional deterioration in the value of property in the inland towns, while everything that strengthens nr helps to stimulate the growth of any one of the inland, owns, helps to enhance the value of property,not only in, but around these towns even if ihe town itself is not immediately connected with it. For this reason,therefore, we advocate the Council meetings being hold in any of the towns other than Timaru, because wo believe the interests of the districts will be more studied than the aggrandisement of any town. We do not, however, see what good reason can be shown why the meetings of the Geraldine County Conned should be held in Timaru, orgwhy they should not be continued where they were first established It has been remarked that a great jealousy exists against Teiuuka ; this is true. Why and from whom has it sprung? From Timaru, we say, and why ? Because Temuka, for a tium, was watchful of its own interests, and would not allow Timaru to have all its own way. This is the sole cause of all the spile shown against Temuka ; ibis is the cause of all the unholy intrigues that has been carried on against us; this is the reason why Timaru keeps us back whenever she has the opportunity Timaru can brook no rival ’’n tin South ; Tcnuika fliwarted lu-r in her attempt to

..•rfiaulisii a Fioviiicuii Oonnon oy opposing separation, .imi l.m . s..vod the co ony u.iotlier show oi a mimic Q'men ivi , 0’ uncil, with Hi-! llon -r 1. s Super, and a, ! burly-headed parson iuahin.tr f mockery of ( saying prayers.- Temuka again ciieo:- d j ex'rnvagance at playing ‘t h übours, and, - although by'.onio mysterious uiae.iiuaiious by tli*• pmv r "f vested inter •‘• ts, or oUier j rause.slie has managed for a time to quash iho Milford Ha j hour Scheme, yet it is not d -ad iat sici-peth, and only waits to see the prediction of eminent engineers. As to the futility of expending monies iu harbour works at Timaru, is a predicliou well founded, before practical steps are taken to make Milford Harbour a fact. For these and many other reasons,Temuk-a has brought down the ire of Timaru upr u her head, and by the unprincipled- procedure of men who have been trusted with the keeping of her interests, she lias become a prey to all sorts of plots and underhand dealings by men which we warned her were not capable of acting lion orably to her. The Geraldine County Conn cii hold their monthly meeting, for the despatch of general business on Ihursdav first at the Road Board office, Temuka. It is time for Temuka to wake up, and back up Geraldine in her protest against removing the Council meetings to Timaru. If Temuka has become a town of bad odor it is for the reasons stated above ; of such reasons her sons need not he ashamed Nay ; rather it is a proud position to be in The envy of others is a sign of prosperity in towns, as well as of individuals. Let Temuka look to her laurels ; a bright future is yet before her if she will only be true to herself. If she will but be united, and as one man show a bold front to the enemy, she will succeed. Let her remember that unity is strength. We could point out some of her weaknesses, but it would come better from -another quarter, and we hope they will be pointed out, and that her inhabitants will yet do their duty, which includes looking after their own interests.