The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset". TOKOMAIRIRO, JANUARY 28, 1879.

Bruce Herald, Volume XI, Issue 1062, 28 January 1879, Page 5

The Bruce Herald. "Nemo me impune lacesset". TOKOMAIRIRO, JANUARY 28, 1879.

Ths distribution of free tickets for the first through train between Dunedin and Invercargill seems to have excited unlimited dissatisfaction. Last week we referred to the complaints made at Balclutha, but I «re now find similar complaints cropping ev eiy where. It is true that at Bai clutha the railway authorities, or whoever had charge of the matter, are only to blame in that they permitted •? local Dogberry ta supply them with a list of names of persons to whom tickets should be furnished. And this gentleman, true to his nature availed himself of the opportunity 0 f wreaking bis petty spites. Of course the authorities are to blame in this ; but as after all they only did evil by deputy, the chief opprobrium falls on the person who authorised that they should do the evil. But, as we have said, outside Balclutha altogether the complaints come tbick and fast concerning the manner in which tickets wel*e disposed of. We learn that Mr J- C. Bbown, who represents himself as having put in the Ministry, was especially > active in this ticket business Though the Grey Ministry owe their accession to power to an agglomeration of political accidents, and though they have shown their ability to retain office since 3fr J. C. Brown himself is firmly convinced, or at least has so often assured others that he has at last convinced himself, tbat tbe Ministry are indebted to liim for place and power. Under these circumstances no one will be surprised to learn that Mr Rbown- has come prominent 'y to the front in this ticket business, aud railway officials, being ouly afier all human beiogs, no one will be surprised at learning that Mr Brows procured quite a number of tickets for his friends. It would be so difficult, not to gay so dangerous, to refuse tickets to a man who had made, and who possibly might at any time unmake a Ministry. No wonder then, that Mr J. C Brown, nominated, so to speak, a -large number of excursion sts, and that to places like Milton, one or two tickets were allotted, and those only such tickets as could not weil he denied.

No important reforms, no great improvement was ever yet achieved, but that there were numerous croakers who immediately saw ruin and desolation staring them in the face as the inevitable consequence of that advance. So it is with thia new railway line ; numbers of these miserable and whining proDbeta are parading the streets of a township and with lugubrious visage and melancholy howl, will tell you Balclutha is doomed. Why should Balclutha be doomed ? Why should additional railway communication hurt its commercial or social position ? Is not Milton a flourishing township ; does not the railway pass through it 1 Instead of a baneful, we believe this line will have a salutary effect. 'Twill open additional markets for , N >ur produce, and by giving increased celerity *"/** *mr communications with the large centres i}{ population, and enhance the value of landed property in the district. Balclutha flourished before there was a railway line open to Dunedin, flourished after that line was established, and wil] flourish tenfold more now that it is also connected by rail with Invercargill. As for those abominable evil foretellers, we believe, that Bhould any of them by a miracle ever reach Heaven, they'll go about howling like insane donkeys, buttonholing every unfortunate seraph they can lay their hands on, and prognosticating the speedy downfall of their celestial abode, and the ultimate supremacy of Saiu*- and Bulphur.