Tuapeka Times AND GLODRIELDS REPOREER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25,' 1874 "MEASURES NOT MEN."

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 333, 25 February 1874, Page 2

Tuapeka Times AND GLODRIELDS REPOREER AND ADVERTISER. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25,' 1874 "MEASURES NOT MEN."

Whait hafr it been all. about ? • This ques- . tion naturally arises before us on reading an account of the so-called railway riots at Launceston, Tasmania. It appears that the population there have been in a state of considerable excitement for. -some months past over the levying a railway rate, and that on the 7th curt, it burst out into open riot. The crowd mustering in force went to the commissioner's building, pulled down part of the fence, and scattered about some hundreds of battens. They next amused themselves by wreaking their murderous intention on an j effigy. That was followed by the more serious business of breaking the windows of those who had paid the obnoxious rate, or had signified their intention of so doing. Then followed the- smashing of three large squares in the post-office and windows of the Shakespeare Hotel. The crowd became so formidable that the police and special constables were afraid to act, and arrangements had to be made to strengthen^he local police by concentrating a body of reliable men from a distance. This aroused the wrath of the "Launceston Examjner^" who recom- . mended the Municipality to resent the indignity, which means, we suppose, that the town should be given up to mob violence, and that mob, not the aggrieved ratepayers, but the " larrikin classes," who are only too glad to have any pretext for riotous conduct. And it is not greatly to the credit of the town that the Mayor's attempts to restore order were very inadequately supported. Such is the summary of the news. Now, we ask, what is it all about ? and what are its lessons 1 We believe the people of Tasmania, like the people of New Zealand, went in for borrowing for railway works ; that they possibly had very sanguine expectations that the railways would be reproductive. But, ere borrowing, it was necessary to show the lender what security he had for his money. . We have not the Act to quote from, but judging from our own Rail-way Act, the people of_ '* Launceston and Western Railway District ' f were rendered liable by Colonial Ordinance for the payment of the interest. There being no surplus for this purpose from ordinary customs and revenue, the needed interest must be raised by railway rate. Whether the people in that district protested against the construction of the railway with this before them, we are not informed. If they did not, it is too late in the day now to act. They have allowed themselves to be saddled with railways, and they must allow the trucks to be loaded with the interest. Were the mob in this instance to have its way, repudiation, as has been set forth by one of our contemporaries, would be the result ; and that would affect the credit of all the sister colonies of the South. But wh.it are its lessons to us? We believe we are correct vhen we say that our railways are to be a provincial charge. It is true the Colonial Government are to pay the interest, as the money is borrowed in their name ; but they look to the provinces to recoup them ; fir3t, from the land revenge ; failing that, the money is to be stopped out of the head money the colony allows the provinces, to be spent by road boards, progress committees, &c; and failing that, there is no other resort but a railway rate. So far as we are yet concerned, we have no fear of a railway rate. But let us go further, >as was indicated in last session in the direction of the Provincial Borrowing Bill, and then we may come in for it. We are among the number who are thankful that these measures were delayed another year, to allow the country to think over the matter, and to make up its mind as to whether it is prepared for the contingent of taxation in this particular form. If prepared, now is the time to speak out. It will not do to allow ordinances to pass, and to pledge ourselves in the face of other people to support a policy and then then back out of it, as the Tasmanians have done. To allow the matter to pass without opposition is to give our consent. Mere grumbling against it will not do. For our own part, we think that within certain limits Public Works, even if the interest should be supported by a rate falling generally on property holders, would be an advantage even with the additional burden. "We will continue this subject in .our, next issue.