PUBLIC OPINION.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXX, Issue 14982, 30 April 1909, Page 7

PUBLIC OPINION.

FROM YESTERDAY’S NEWSPAPERS. (By Telegraph.) AN INCONCLUSIVE APOLOGIA. What the people of Otago want to know is why the Government has thought fit to pounce upon the Law-reuce-Roxburgh line and stop the work of construction, in cynical disregard alike of the ministerial pledges of three years ago and the local conviction regarding the payable' potentialities of the undertaking. The desired information was not supplied yesterday. Of tlie pledges, indeed, Sir Joseph made light work. Ho applied the epithet “amazing” to the Mayor’s statement that the people of Dunedin were not satisfied with the treatment they had received, but a stronger adjective would be required to characterise the contention that the present Ministers ought not to he bound by engagements entered into by the Government of 1905 (when, be it remembered, Sir Joseph Ward was Minister of Railways).—Dunedin “ Star.” AN UNPAYABLE RAILWAY. Residents in cities and towns have to provide security for loans raised for tlie prosecution of works undertaken by local bodies. Is there any valid reason why land-owners in rural districts should not do tlie same thing for the railway loans they urge with such great persistence? Wo do not think there is. If the people served at a loss by the Roxburgh line will not respond to the offer the public will be able to more-fully appreciate the action of the Government in refusing to load the general taxpayer with what the locality declines to be responsible for. If it does accept the proposal and gives the security asked it will be an objectlesson that might with advantage be copied elsewhere. “Times.” RAILWAY POLICY. This stand by the Prime Minister gives promise that the Government’s Railway policy in the future is to be more practical than political. The resolution about Lawrence-Roxburgh must have au effect reaching far beyond the bounds of that area. Otago may be trusted to take care that the medicinal sauce deemed good enough for the Otago gooso should he good enough for the ganders of North Auckland and other regions consumed with a railway hunger.—“ Evening Post.” ENERGETIC MUNICIPAL ACTION. • There is very frequently evinced on bodies like the Auokland city council a tremulous disposition, to forget that Auckland is becoming a great commercial and industrial centre. _ From this cause arise those spasmodic attempts to check legitimate expenditure and stop necessary works with which we are all acquainted. These panics become less marked as the public mind, beooming more accustomed to the progress of Auckland, reflects itself even in the weakest representative, hut we may still expect them in Auckland municipal affairs whenever the progressive element relaxes its grip upon the reins of authority and ceases to hold public attention and'approval by energetic action upon the promising lines agreed upon.—“ New Zealand Herald. LAWRENCE-ROXBURGH RAILWAY. Sir Joseph Ward is to be congratulated on tlie hold stand he has taken in the matter of the Lawrence-Rox-burgli railway. We have already discussed the question at some length, , and we have pointed out that the line on which work has now been stopped was a deviation from the route originally chosen and that if Lawrence is to be connected with any other district by rail the line should run rather toward the south than up toward Central Otago. Happily the Premier and the Minister for Railways have satisfied themselves in time that the Lawrence-Roxburgh. connection is not likely to pay. Tlie work already done represents a very considerable outlay which is nob making and is not likely to make any reasonable return for the public money invested there.—" Auckland Star.” ■