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Lyttelton Times, Volume XVII, Issue 984, 16 April 1862, Page 4

That select portion of the public which includes the readers of the ' Press' has been favoured with another specimen of the peculiar style of composition which rendered the earlier writings of that journal so conspicuously famous. On Saturday last, rather more than three columns were devoted to the almost threadbare subject of FitzGerald v. Moorhouse. The object of the writer appears to have been to prove that Mr. Moorhouse has been guilty of egregious vanity in taking credit to himself for carrying out the railway scheme, so far, successiiilly. To show how ridiculous is such an assumption, the article in question labours to prove that the present railway scheme was recommended, years ago, by the former Superintendent and his surveyors, and that the highly prosperous state of the province, which enables the work to be entered upon with safety, is entirely owing to the wise legislation "of Mr. FitzGerald. There is something about these biddings for popularity which forcibly reminds us of the ridiculous displays which catch the eye at the corner of every street in the cities of the old world. They are, for all the world exactly in the same style as "This is the original tea mart," " No connection with the house opposite," or any of those flaunting advertisements common among the lower class of tradesmen. As a matter of course, Mr. Moorhouse is freely bespattered with the style of abuse which appears to be ever ready to the wants of the vigorous writers in the ' Press,' nor does the ' Lyttelton Times'escape. While the former is accused of " gross misrepresentation," " inflated egotism," and " inordinate vanity," —an amusing proof by-the-bye that two of a trade can never agree,—the latter is declared, by its writings " to have degraded the public mind, and shaken all faith in the honor and integrity of, public men." From an expression used by the writer, it would appear that the. article in question was written, by consent of Mr FitzGerald, if not subject to his personal revision. We may be permitted to hope that this was not the case, and that it was the unknown production of some warm but indiscreet friend. We cannot think that Mr. FitzGerald would allow himself to be put forward as claiming any part or parcel in the credit attaching to those who fought the battle of the direct Ly ttelton and Christchurch Railway. The most, ordinary perception on the part of that gentleman will enable him to see at once that he has been placed in a false position. We cannot doubt that he would remind these indiscreet partizans that, as late as the earlier months of 1859, he was, publicly a warm supporter of the railway vid Summer; in order to carry out which, he was prepared to go so far as to suffer Lyttelton and its interests to perish; that, during this period, he was wont, in his correspondence, to use terms regarding the supporters of the tunnel, indicative of his doubts as to W1 sanity, and tliat, so late as June last, the organ .lie is supposed to be connected with, in an article lie is supposed to have written, statestthai(t i( we think it an undertaking1 so far beyond the resources of the Province, as to imperil its credit, and delay its progress for. many years.

We shall not follow the example of our contemporary, and state that " this article contains a gross misrepresentation of the facts of the case," though we should not be very wide of the mark in saying' so. We haci rather believe that the writer is strangely ignorant of the facts we allude to ; that he had never heard that Mr. FitzGerald looked upon the supporters of the tunnel as monomaniacs, because he was himself possessed with a mania for carrying out the Sumner line. It this had been known to the writer in the ' Press/ we are convinced he would not have attempted to make Mr. FitzGerald ridiculous in the eyes of the public by seeking to invest him with the credit due to the promoters of the present Railway scheme. As the matter now stands the former Superintendent must see that he is placed in a false position, and that the public will naturally suppose that he" has silently acquiesced in a line of action worthy only of an impostor.