The Chutha Leader. THURSDAY, DEC 31, 1874.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 25, 31 December 1874, Page 2

The Chutha Leader. THURSDAY, DEC 31, 1874.

We have reached once more the closing scene of another year ; a period in the progress of events when the mind, so to speak, is^ arrested in its onward ploddings, its forward career, and brought intutively to ponder over and sum up the past. The year now about to expire has been in many respects an eventful one. In opening, it gave indications of a return of that prosperity which had for a season at least deserted our shores. These indications have not been in vain Keal property and estate have, during the last twelvemonths, more than doubled themselves in value ; frade and commerce have shaken off their lethargy and become active, or ratfyer we should say brisk ; labor generally has been remunerative, and despite the accession of large numbers, in the shape of inbrought population, it has been upon the whole plentiful in all its branches. These satisfactory results have not been brought about by giddy speculation, or fevered excitement. They are not consequent upon one of those lucky de« velopments of auriferous riches, which past experience has shown, is prone to take wings to itself and fly away, leaving* a tram of disappointment behind, as depressing in its effects as hope deferred which sickens the heart. On the contrary, it is a fir^t fruit of that forethought in the administration of affairs, which planned, and thus far executed, a comprehensive scheme of immigration and public works. With the further development of that system still greater success will be achieved, and in that success, as a district, Clutha. must of necessity participate. As this is the point at which we desire to arrive, we shall leave the general aspect of affairs to be dealt with by those whose interests are more closely allied to it, and direct attention to the. purely local bearings ot the questipn. ' It is we believe conceded on all hands that, a through system of railway communication will have the effect of establishing centres of population in many cases, and in others, ifc will cripple, if not wipe them out altogether. Balclutha as a provincial town is bound to rank amongst the former. It is sufficiently remote from the centre of commerce to defy the Dunedin merchant, with all his commercial sagacity, to snatch away the trade from us. On the other hand, with the river as a boundary line, this place must of- nece.s : sity continue to be what it has so long : proved itself, a central depot, upon which surrounding settlements must be dependent for supplies. In the matter of agricultural pursuit, the district is unequalled by any other district in the province, and wool, more especially, the paddock-grown article, is rapidly becoming another of its established interests. Besides these, we hold, as it were, the key to other interests — a resources acknowledged throughout the whole civilized world as the very foundation . of commercial prosperity. We have the Kaitangata coal-fields whicji havo already made their mark upon public estimation, : despite the many drawbacks hitherto : experienced in their working. With railway facilities foi transit to market , towns and ports of shipment, the produce of these fields alone ought to be rendered a perfect mine of wealth to the place. A. branch' railway to con-' i nect these workings with the main line > ! is a matter." whi elf, must be taken in hand, energetically, and that -before long-. The subject has been already.

discussed, and if we are not misinformed, an adjustment of individual riffhts and interests is the only question which delays the work. The project, as. it has been stated to us,, is, that the line should be carried through the coalworkings down the river bank and round Coal Point : in the direction, .of Wangalo.a and the,.. Coast districts. That a line of this kind would-be a splendid feeder to the main line there can be. little doubt. In its present position it would he un.advisable to say anything further about the project- |f, however, it be not taken actively in hand soon, we would by all means counsel the district to. see. that the work is not neglected. On the opposite side of the. river we have the prosperous settlements of- South Molyneux, Catlin's River, &c. A branch, line from'Baklutha to these places is another work which we feel confident must occupy attention soon. A line of this kind would tap one of the finest timber countries in Otago. The bush at Catlings extends as far south' as the M-ataijira, and now that our available bush is getting scarce, facilities for working an extensive tract of timber country like thidj is a point of the very utmost impoi'tance. In the reply made by the Minister of Public Works tp the memorial from Waitepeka regarding the deviation of the main line, what must be regarded as a feeler was thrown out. Tt was stated that the expense incurred for deviation would go far towards constructing a branch line. That is a point which ought not to be lqst sight of. On the other side of the district we have the extensive plains extending away in the direction of the rising township of Tapanui. It requires no great stretch of imagination to understand that, the day is not far distant, when, the necessities of that locality will demand a line of rail to connect it with the main line. These are works which must fall in with the main traffic at or near Balclutha, and which together with the river traffic — small at present, but which is bound to increase in importance — will all combine to establish Clutha a busy, thriving, centre of population. Witlj prospects like these before us, we are warranted in entering upon the new year hopefully. Much, it is true, depends upon our own exertions. The impending crisis in the affairs of pro-vincial-ism, as a political question, may to a certain extent operate against the prospect of our success in getting these various projects set on foot by the Government of the province. That is no. season, however, why the idea should be discarded. The projectors of the Anderson's Bay Railwayat Dunedin have set us an example of what may be accomplished by private enterprise ; an example which we are sure, when it comes to be properly applied, will not be set i^ vain. We offer these few remarks at the present time, and upon the present occasion, merely for the purpose of showing the validity of the grounds upon which we tender the compliments of th,e season,