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Evening Star, Issue 3077, 30 December 1872, Page 2

There is a class of grumblers m this world who seem to think nothing is right that is done by those on whom they have what is popularly termed “a down. They are seldom open-minded, fair-deal-ing opponents, that can be grappled n ith in a manly struggle. They are like barking dogs that rush from side to side and turn about here and there, hoping to escape the eye of an antagonist, that they may get a grab at him, No matter what mode of covert attack presents itself, so long as it is a stab m the dark, it is adopted. Chief amongst these cowardly fault-finders may be classed our contemporary. the Dally Times. No inattei what theme crops up, nor how weak the weapon it attacks with, so long as it can hit a feeble blow at the present Government, the opportunity is seized upon. There are plenty of subjects that must be taken up; plenty of suggestions that must be made for improvement ot our position, to which, sooner or .ater, attention will have to he called, that might better engage the Press, than a punv effort to cast discredit upon the doings of men whose duties are so arduous as those of our Colonial Executive. There arc occasions, no doubt, when public opinion must be expressed with regard to faults or mistakes: and then there should be no mincing matters; party considerations must ever give way to the paramount claims of public duty. But what good can result from such misstatements as are implied, rather ( than expressed, by our contemporary on Saturday, in his essay ou the battle of the gauges ? He must he, or should he, perfectly aware that, after an exhaustive inquiry, it was long since decided by Parliament that all railways constructed by the General Government are to be on the three feet six inch gauge, and that the lines in Canterbury and Southland were formed by the Provincial Governments at a time when so comprehensive a scheme of public works as _is now being carried out was not before the country. The disingeuuousness of the article in question m shown by the flourish with which a statement of facts is eoneluded, “ Can it be doubted that the day is approaching when the Government of New Zealand will be called on to deckle which .shall be the gauge for the future P ” Good Daily Times! is this innocence, ignorance, or duplicity? Do you not know that the decision has been arrived at, and that the original design of the Port Chalmers line was altered, at no small loss to the promoters, in order to comply with that decision ? We think it quite possible there may bo here and there a farmer, or perhaps an isolated squatter that puts trust and confidence in jyiip jnuendoes, and who may therefore imagine that there is some truth in your insinuation that the General Government is wasting' pnblm money in carrying out a haphazard or ill defined' scheme. For the sake of truth and morality set him right in your next leader, and tell him either that you did not know wii&t you were writing about, or that you are sorry you had attempted to lead him to believe a lie. You have a perfect right to put fir-ah in Mr Walter W. Evans, C,E., of New York; although we take leave to say we have ehgmfers in Now Zealand equally competent io give an opinion as to what the Colony requires as lu We do not find fault with you for publishing his opinion, although in our judgment it hj utterly worthless, and quite as well founded as that of the man who, about a Year or two ago, labored hard, in the columns of a scientific journal, to prove that the earth is not a sphere, but an extended plain. 1 Wo cdhdemn iho tone of your remarks, hecansb they are disingenuous, not because they arc mistaken. You know well what, with such’ seeming unconsciousness of wrong, you pretend to consider problematical, that it is intended ultimately to have a main trunk line extending the -whole length of the Middle Island, and that very possibly in tho end it will be found advisable to alter tjic jdiort lines already constructed in Cantcrbmyyud Southland to tho 3 feet 0 inch gauge';''and you know, too, that the object and intent df youv yc.focr is to endeavor to exeiie public diseoiit’ent K'fih ibc Administration ou fafro pretences. Tu Hie year 1.805, under date November tlie JHtli, tbc estimated cost ot the Cluliui line, which was to be laid with 101b. rails, on u 5 feet 3 inch gauge, was £(1,730 a mile. Notwithstanding tho increase in the price of iron and rolling-stock_ since then, we venture to predict that it is not likely to cost that amount, notwithstand. ing the opinion of Mr Evans, C.E. It .£<3a not require a railway engineer to nudcxNti.iid that the wider the gauge, the heavier* gfr ,th'- r°Hing-stock must he ; and that if waggons, s priages, and engine adapted to a 3 feet dutch hue arc equal to the traffic, io have them large,! heavier to suit a wider gauge is adding To the first cost by useless material that requires paying for, and increasing the expense of working a line by hauling about 111e country a dead weight that contributes nothing to safety or efficiency. ‘

A well-attended meeting of tlUe citizens responded to the invitation of his Woi'ship tho Mayor to arrange for giving a Citizens' Ball to his Excellency the Governor and Lady Bowen. It was resolved to invite big Excellency to a ball to be given in the Volunteer Drill-shed, 0:1 Monday evening, if convenient, From the unanimity evinced, the the ball is likely to be very successful.

Between August Ist, 1871, and September 30th, 1872, thirty-three Societies were registered under the Friendly Societies Act 1807 ; two had alterations of rules, and two changes in place of business registered. The societies in Otago that were registered were —The Otago Provident; Loyal Waipori Lodge, M. Oil. O. 0.F., Loyal Cromwell Lopge, do. ; Court Star of Tuapoka, A.O.p’; Loyal Waitajmna Lodsc, M.U.1.a0.F.

We are informed that the General Goyernment have remitted to the Provincial Executive the carrying out of the Sludge Channel, projected at Aaseby, and that the work will be immediately proceeded with, in order to have it forwarded before the winter sets in.

Wo observe to-day, in the introduction by our contemporary to an account of the overland journey to Martin’s Bay by Mr Warden Beetham and party, extracted from the Lake Wakatip Mail, the following statement:—“Wo give this account not only because it is the most interesting one which has been furnished, but because we have been precluded by the action of the Provincial Government, or rather by that of his Honor the Superintendent, from publishing the official report of the trip winch was sent in by Mr Warden Beetham. ’ Wo have no hesitation in characterising this statement as a wilful and deliberate falsehood. The report was given to us, as customary, for publication in the Evening Star, and appeared in due course on Saturday evening, in all cases of this sort, our practice is to scud the manuscript to the Daily Times in time for their issue in the morning, but in this instance the report was specially requested to be returned, as it was wanted, and the only difference to the Times was that they would have to print from the Evening Star’s copy instead of from the manuscript. We have further to remark that to our certain knowledge his Honor the Superintendent had nothing to do with the matter.

Mr W. J. M. Larnach is about to build an elegant house on his property on the Peninsula. It will cover a superficial area of 85 feet by 65 feet, and is three stories in height, the tower being carried up an additional story, the turret of the tower reaching in all the height of 70 feet from the ground line. The two lower floors are to be surrounded by a richly designed iron verandah, 14 feet, by 12 feet in width, at each salient angle of which view-turrets are arranged. The building is to be erected with stone obtained on Mr Larnach’s property, and closely adjoining the site, the dressings being partly of Oamaru stone, and partly of sandstone, also obtained on the property. The style adopted is that known as the English manorial, winch is peculiarly suited to the picturesque nature of the site, it is intended to appropriate tire lower floor to the k.tchen, offices and other kindred apartments, the first floor being occupied as the chief residence floor, and approached by a broad flight of stone steps leading into and through tire tower to the principal entrancehall and staircase. When erected, tue building will be the most commanding o. ject within view of Dunedin Bay, will also he well seen from the sea-board, and in style and external aspect will compare with some of the most extensive mansions in older settlements, it is noticeable as being an evidence of the confidence of one well qualified to judge as to the stability and prosperity of this Province. The present contracts for the building include the erection of the external walls, and the enclosing of the entire structure ; the interior finishing being left for a future occasion. Mr I\. A. Lawson of Dunedin is the architect.

A meeting of Director of the Caledonian Sociely will be held at VV ain’s Hotel tomorrow (Tuesday) evening, at eight o’clock. The next monthly meeting of the Standard Property Investment Society will be held on Friday evening, in consequence of Wednesday being a holiday.

We have been requested to mention that owing to limited accommodation, which the promoters regret, no invitations to ladies for the opening of the railway have been issued ; but that each gentleman possessing an invitation is at liberty to take a lady with him on the trip to the Port and back which will constitute the formal opening.

Some time during Saturday evening, two unstamped letters were deposited in onr letter box, addressed, one to “Marie Gleditsch, Fredrikstad,” and the other to “ Names Teilmau, Christiania.” The abo\e were evidently put into our box under the impression that it was the proper place of deposit for such articles. I f the sender will call at ,our office he can have them.