The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 187, 10 October 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1866.

From all that we can learn the Government and the representatives of tbe people intend to let the Sydney Government have their own way in reference to the removal of the terminus of the Panama line from Wellington to Sydney. Great as the misfortune is it appears to be looked upon as a matter of course, the poverty of the country and not its will being the assigned cause of the cousent "to the arrangement. The N. S. W Government have made the placing of the terminus at their city a condition of their payment of one half of the subsdiy. They require that during the continuance of the contract the New Zealand Government shall not suffer any letters or parcels to be received from auy other colony which does not contribute its share of the subsidy; and say that if mails are transhipped at Wellington from any of the colonies that do not contribute to the subsidy, the Syduey Government will release itself from its engagements in respect to the Panama service, in payment of its proportion of the subsidy up to the date of the violation of this agreement. That the removal of tho terminus of* the Panama line to Sydney, should have been consented to, after so much time and trouble have been spent ia its establishment here, is a misfortune that cannot be sufficiently deplored, depriving New Zealand, as it will, of the numerous advantages it hoped to gain by being a party to the costly contract, and at a time too when it needs all the extraneous aid it can possibly avail itself of, in order to extricate itself from the sea of troubles that threatens to overwhelm its material prosperity. It is the last feather that breaks the ciamel's back, and the loss of this advantage Will be as great a source of annoyance to this colony as it will bo of satisfaction to the other party to the contract. It is scarcely necessary to remark, that although Nelson would not have derived any direct advantage from the terminus of the Panama line remaining at Wellington, it would have gained indirectly, as well as the other * provinces would, from the expenditure of so large a sum of money in the colony, as the Panama Co. would be compelled to enter into. The sura expected to be expended by the Panama Co. at their terminus is variously estimated at from £200.000 to £300,000 per annum. Had this been the case at a place so near us as Wellington, we must have shared to some extent in the ad vantages, and must feel a proportionate disappointment at the loss sustained. It is easy to see how the victualling, repairing, and coaling these ships would have employed labor, developed enterprise, stimulated a number of industrial pursuits, and thus compensated the country to a great extent for its serious outlay of money for postal purposes, at a time when its finances are at the lowest ebb. Such an expenditure of money ought to have benefitted the coalminers on the West Coast, added greatly to the incomes of the farmers and stock owners of the surrounding provinces, and increased greatly the wealth of Wellington, without injuring the people of this province. As the Panama line extended and brought passengers, wealth, and trade to the country, the advantages would have been proportionately increased, and the influence ou the prosperity of the colony would have been equally distinguished. We are told by the New South Wales Government that the while affair is one of works hops, and hence the pertinacity with which they demanded that the terminus should be fixed at. Sydney. It was equally

a question of the development of a vast' number of industrial enterprises with ua, and the advantage ought not to haye been tamely surrendered by tne Government or the representatives. It is to be feared that Provincial jealousies have prevented any broad and enlightened view from being taken of the matter. Auckland and Otago has each demanded the terminus for itself, and expressed great disgust that the honor should be conferred on a "fishing village like Wellington." Influenced by jealousy they made no vigorous effort to secure the termiuus for* the jrood of the colony, and because they could not each secure the whole advantage, refused to accept a part. And when it became a question of providing slips for the repair of steamers, without which no company would consider Wellington suited for a terminus ; the people were disputing among themselves as to how the improvements should be effected, and allowed the golden moments to pass away, of which their rivals took advantage. It has been urged that the New Zealand Government would have been justified in throwing that of N. S. Wales overboard, and saddling themselves with the responsibility of the whole subsidy, iv consideration of the great advantages to be derived from the retention of the steamers here. It is argued that had the £50,000 per annum been lost from N. S. Wales, it would have beeu compelled to pay £10,000, aud Victoria £10,000 or lose all connection with the Panama line. The balance would have been- made up from other sources in time, and New Zealand which has had all the trouble and risk hitherto, would have had the principal share of the advantage, which it richly deserved to have. It is too late, however, to avert the misfortune of losing the terminus here. Provincial jealousies and antipathies have created a semi-despotic government, which does as it likes, either in incurring expenditure or sacrificing advantages, and all the people can do, till they get a different class of representatives, is to griu and bear it.