The Evening Star. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1881.

Evening Star, Issue 5590, 7 February 1881, Page 2

The Evening Star. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1881.

Tub Tincent County Council have taken the initiative in again bringing prominently before the public mind the question of the construction of £he Otago Central Railway, and have asked the cooperation of the Councils of Maniototo and Taieri in the appointment of an independent Commission, consisting of three disinterested gentlemen, whose function it' will be to examine and report on the public benefits to be derived from the railway,, and the capabilities of the interior districts of Otago for settlement. The Taieri Council at its last meeting agreed to co-operate, and will endeavor, it is understood, to induce Mr Donald Keid to represent them on the Commission; and there is no doubt that the course proposed will meet with warm support throughout the Mount Ida district, which forms the more important portion of the Maniototo County. If tho Otago Central line is not to bo burked altogether, or, which amounts to much the same, relegated to the limbo of indefinite postponement, there is no doubt that action is necessary, and that such should bo intelligent, vigorous, and de-' termined. It will bo fresli in the memory of our readers that the Rail way Commission of last year did! not report favorably with regard to this H»e, They expressed the opinion that the circumstances and requirement* of the Colony did not warrant the construction, and stated as facta that " a "very small.proportion of the land "through which the route has been *'surveyed is at all fit for agricultural " purposes, and the population spread tt over the district is far too limited to '* afford encouragement for an expendi- •' ture so large as that proposed." The opinion of the Commissioners on what , jja. substantially a matter of policy is. of j '' course to be estimated at what it may be worth. This value we are not prepared to assess; but statements df. fact are clearly open to investigation, and We need hardly say that those wa have

quoted above hare been challenged and contradicted in both Hcrasesof the Legislature, and generally throughout this Provincial district, both on the platform and in the columns of the Press. Mr Vincent Pyke, in moving a resolution last session to the effect that the report of the Commission, in so far as it condemns lines the construction of which has, after due consideration and careful inquiry, been sanctioned by the House, "has no sufficient foundation, '.'and should be regarded as a merei ?« expression of individual opinion hastily "formed, withoutfany special knowledge <"or experience of the subject," gave an analysis of the principal evidence wHh regard to the quality of the laad. The hon. gentleman, we think, proved to demonstration that this evidence was distinctly opposed to the conclusions arrived at; whilst, in regard to personal observation, it was notorious that J-he gravelling members of the Commission 'went through the interior of Otago like astreak.of lightning; did riot evenfollow 'the route proposed for the railway during many miles of its course, and when they did, according to Mr Pyke, were shut up in a coach " with all the " curtains down." Our space precludes entering into the details of the evidence, which, notwithstanding the manifest .desire of the Commissioners to turn Jomewhat'in the direction of their own preconceived views by a series o& heading questions, is Btronglyin favor of the line. These details have, indeed, more

than once been fully Bet forth in our columns, and are well known | and understood in this part of; the country, where there exists no doubt whatever that the Commissioners, possibly in default of proper observation, misstated facts, and unfortunately just that set of facts which were likely to have sOme influence with tho Government and the Legislature. Tho Taieri County Council, by no means a demonstrative body or addicted to up-country « blow," at once, ; ,on learning the purport of the report of ithe Commission, passed a series of resoKitions most strongly condemning the statements and recommendations with regard to the Otago Central. These resolutions, which are too long to quote, say in effect that tho inspection by the Commissioners was so extremely " superficial and hurried " that £he 'Council could not admit thai tliejr were justified in stating that a very small proportion of the land was suitable for agriculture, and that they appear altogether to have lost sight of the benefit ttes raitoay would prove in developing the gpldfieKls and .other mineral resources of the 'interior. The Council further poinq out that "a comparatively small " outlay wilj open up tho fine to Strath i « Taieri, where good Crown lands will !" be opmpd v$ and a large increase «of value thereon immediately be 11 realisable." We take iL in truth as' a self-evident proposition* that, presuming tho government to have accepted the statements of the Commission, they have been most egregiously misled. The action of the Vincent County Council seems therefore to be exactly in the right direction, since a statement of, actual facts Is"' the only possible anfj&ote to the poison oj misrepresentation. A thoroughly reliable report such as it is proposed £o obtain will put the construction of this" line, we believe, in quite a different light, and satisfy Ministers and the Houso of Representatives that not only will the

direct and indirect benefits involved in the close settlement of the interior country be material and immediate, but that economically the Work will pay for itself in the increased value of the land which will become available for disposal. The financial aspect of the question, however, is one to which we do not close our eyes. We quite realise that bricks cannot be made without straw, and that the Colonial Treasurer cannot coin money without the necessary bullion, or issue negotiable "greenbacks" on the security of loana already hypothecated. As we frequently insisted, the Otago Central stands in a different position to that of other projected lines. It has an endowment, so to speak, of 400,000 acres of land, at present held under pastoral licenses, which determine, we believe in 1882-3. _ This land has been specifically set aside for the purpose of meeting the expense of the construction of the line, with the full, approval of Parliament. We concede that there can bo no reasonable doubt

that the estimated costr-i 1,100,000 of completing the line to the Wanaka would be more than recouped by the sale of the 400,000 acres, leaving ou| of consideration the largely-enhanced value of the millions of acres of Crown lands which would be opened up. Canterbury always seems to be more alive to its own interests than Otago. During the course of last month a public meeting, largely and most influentially attended, was held in Christchurch in reference to what the local papers call H the great colonial question '"of the speedy completion" of the West Coast Railway. It may be recollected that the Commission disposed very curtly of all the proposed routes, saying that the construction of any or either

of them was out of tho question for '" Eome years to< come." The idea has recently been mooted at Grey mouth, and ardently taken up in Christclmrch, that a company should be formed to construct a line from Recffcon via Greyrnouth across tho ranges to Am-* berley by a new and comparatively easy route stated to have been dilcovered by private surveyors. The proposals elaborated at tho meeting referred to, and subsequently submitted to the Premier by a deput#ion, may bo briefly stated as involving the getting aside blocks of land jlong the route of the line, the Company to act as contractors for the construction, taking land in payment instead of money. It was further very coolly suggested that whether the Bill which wiU b© necessary to give effect to the proposals should meet the approval of Parliament or not, the Government should pay the cost of the detailed survey to be undertaken by engineers appointed by the* Company. It has been suggested that the Otago Central might he proceeded! with on or under somewhat similar We therefore, take an early opportunity of discussing, the scheme on its merits, the principles involved being of the very gravest importance,

According to the' Dunstan Times' Mr John Bathgate has consented to act as » member of the Counties Railway CoronuV eion.

The Wetheratoneß and Cromwell rchool committees have voted for Messrs Eider, Shand, and Begg for the vacancies on the Education Board.

The Chrlstchurch Bicycle Club races have been postponed till March C. We underatand that a team of seven will represent the Dunedin Bicycle Clnb at this meeting. At the Port Chalmers Police Court this forenoon, Mary Baker, for drunkenness, was fined SJ,5 J, in default forty-eight hcurß' Imprisonment. Mr J. Mill, J.P., presided.

The Mayor of Caversham, accompanied by Councillors Barron and U'Rer, had a long inteiview with the Minister of Publio Works this morning in connection with the old question "of the re-buildiDg of the railway bridge across thekCaversJiam road. No final settlement of the a mafcter was, however, arrived at.

The ' World' frtatea that the ex Lord Mayor of London, Si* Francis Truscotfe, has been recommended by his medical adviser* to take a voyage to Australia and back in a sailing dipper, Lady Truaoott, that paper adds, "remains In London, »nd for the present will do the honors/as Lady Mayoress during the aeolusioo of Mrs M'Arthur. Chlorodyne would seem to bo as bad as brandy when imbibed to excess. A woman and family of destitute children, who were found In lags and ornery, being brought before the Lyttelton Bench on Friday, the police stated to the Court thai the hutbai-.u had informed them that h's wifd was in the praotioe of drinking oblorodynie to the value of from LI to 22<j per week, and that thw unfortunate circumstance was the cause of their present destitution, T*here was an excellent downstairs attendance at the Queen Theatre on Saturday night. Tho performance commenoed with "The Corsican Brothers," in which Horr Baudrrann gave a dignified rendering of the pari of fcho twin brothers &d wj-h twoj called btf jre the curtail. '' E*st Lynne followed, but we do n.-.t oonsidor n a wise selection for a Saturday-night uudieDca. " Monte Cristo ". i* announcod for to-night, and a complete representation of this romantic drama may be reckoned on. A collection ef waxworko was exhibited at the Temperance Hall on Saturday, and will be on view for a short season. A number of the figures we recognise as oM acquaintances, but Boveral interesting groups havo been (i added, Including models of the Kelly gang in the act ef oommitting some of their colablooded murders; Ned Kelly in the act c f being captured; the death of the Prince Imperial at the hands cf the Zulus. A largo dumber of visiters attended tho exhibition on Saturday evening.

A very good little rush has lately taken place at Wbiteoha'peV Flat, ab'cu*; three miles down the Arrow from Arrowtown, The discovery (says a correspondent Of the ' Dunetan Times,' was made by the road party engaged making the road to the new suapenaion bridge crowing thoKawarau ,River. The sinking is very shallow—from 2ft to 4ft—and some of the parties are making by box stoloing from L 3 tt> LC per week. There is a large area of ground to bo operated on, and »QP ** occupied dttri0 S the coming winter nroafchs,

At a summoned meeting of the Dunedin branoh of the Amalgamated Soolety of Carpenters and Joiners held on Saturday ovening at the Worktng Men's Club, the president. Bro. J. Taverner, In the -chair, there was a good attendance, The looation of the District Offioe was discussed, and Chrlstohurch being the most central plaoe was chosen. The treasurer reported having a surplus of funds, wnioh showed a better state of things in the labor market than haß prevailed ef late. Th&questlon of investing Sheso funds was deferred until next meeting. "In oonnection with an application for diecb»rge by a debtor a'o Court thto mornicg Mr Juajic'v:Wi]li*me mad some important remade .ff,.sting :Js<, v■■.-.■ lions of the Land Ac I ', Hu sai«! *j M ...iov a deferred payment holder had a seplw. which was likflly to produoe a good crop, the Legislature did not intend that a bankrupt shtmld reap the benefit of the orop, and became a rioh man at ther expense of Ms creditor. The application was adjourned till the re*uHi of tho crop was ascertained eo thafe » compromise nvgat be etiecled with the creditors.

One of those awkward Slips " 'twixfc cup j and lia,"th»t make the many grin & tho calamines of tho few has just occurred to a well-known Timaru resident. After a five years' courtship in tho Old Country with a j view to matrimony, tho young mao, who is somewhat part'Ube nee of puberty, went to ; Lyttelton on Monday last for the purpose of! meeting h!e adorable and tying the connubial ■ knot. To the surprise of hia friends ho has, returned aa he went-<i bachelor, fhoficklo j ono-a new arrival-had taken time by the . forelock, and acting on she principle that j "a bird in the hand is wmrbh two in the; bush," she got moored for Me to tho second, officer of the vessel In which" ehe took heri passage. The 'South CantorJwy Time* adds that the jilted one is inconsolable.

The Otago Aoclimatkation Society disclaim leaponsibility for the introduction of the sparrows, whose destruction of grain crops 1b loudly complained against by the farmers; and aa to the greenfinches, winch are equally troublesome, the SoqieVappea* to think that the damage done by these birds to the grain is counterbalanced by their destruction ©f Inseots and grubs during the greater part of the year. Prior to the Introduction of English small birds, it was rmposaible to grow barley, owing to the ravages of the oaterpillar. As the Governor has removed the protection to them, far.mers and others are now at liberty to destroy sparrows and greenfinches, We regret exceedingly that, through a miaoonoeption, tho term " rather stalo " was applied to one of Reuter's telearams on Saturday announcing the death of Mr J*mea B'aokwood, of the firm/ of Dilgety, Blackwood, and Co,, of Melbourne. We had assumed that the announcement was similar to that made through the medium of tho 4 Argus's' cablegrams nearly a fortnight ago; but we now learn of our error. The death of Mr Richard Blaokwood, which was very sudden, and ocourred during a visit to the i'-earner Protoa In the London Docks, was that telegraghed fc» the «Argus.' The deoease of Mr James Blackwood, his brother, who resided in Melbourne, and was the head of the firm of Dalgety, Blackwood, and Go., and for a long time before joining that firm was manager of the Union Bank In Melbourne, was not unexpected, as he had been i in very Indifferent health for months paot.

Memberß of All Bml t3' cfaotr a>e requested to moot for praotjo on "Wednesday evening, Thursday being Clival Soriafcj'* reheatxal.

The Rev. F. Seaborn will to-morrow evening give readings and recita'icus from favoiite authors In the Eattray street O.dfelloW Hail, the proceed* of iln entertainment going to the St. Matthew's Sunday ScWMis E. V. Maopherson ...,\ ~ m»d .. . tlv: to the flunedin School Committee oi a Jr;e 'lesson on cookory for the benefit of girls attendinK the public schools, the Committee have n ooptedthe same, and have fixed on Saturday at eleven o'clock as the tlmo. The ossonw 1 be eivon at the Itftttray stroot Oddfellows Hal), and will be opon to scholars over thirteen years of ago, and also to teachora at the public choaltr. We are glad to inform our raadera that a want in regard to our diinkfng water which for a Jo ig time has been felt in Danonin ha 9 now beea ■applied. We have inspected the new patent cirbon hlgh-pressure tap filter, which for s<m Dliolty of construction and df.cttvcneis n '• cannot be surpassed. ItcanbgrtiilJly appHed by anj plumber, either to the njmu snpply pi»3 or any ordinary tap, all that is nericMMy to cbtain a supply of pure and fi.tered WJiter being io turn the top in the u it »1 manner, whan the water then pwcm thn.ugh a mw<* and spcclally-prepared t obui-c i-.. luorganlc of tae purest o.v;u-:.ci<;>, "■ JM .-':? dlifjreut from any other crroop. tor ..si.-.v it ia very maoh more •*- ".;; : ' : '" l ';';'' gcefttcr degree than :uij y' us " in , : '" a "!:'! tiuueus oxvdliii'g j: f,w '-'. •>';"' : ->' ; ! ~ ::.;S "• purifying powora for yean-. vvtUwt r Jac •• i. «Ul thu-r rwdily b) e.ien that in uea 1 flitevH are o.mbined every - t'o*. while their simple comtruotion- pe-t neatness, a-ifl excellent fimsb ms.wnn »ppioval. They are !.«r in pr.ee <h* a any in thu market, and can bj readily otoa»,ed. Mr R. Laurence, engineer, has been appainted 1010 agent for NewZoaUrd. aud the fitter can bo seen at work anl wfoiination obtained, at hh promUos, Bt. Audrow street, Dunedln.