The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1866.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume I, Issue 249, 22 December 1866, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1866.

Whilst agreeing, on the whole, with the Examiner, as tc the importance of the railway to the gold-fields, and the necessity for urging on the work, we do not sympathise with the strictures he has thought proper to make, on the conduct of thej Superintendent in the matter. In doubting the practicability of the work, he has come to the same conclusion that has been adopted by a number of intelligent men, and in hesitating to spend the money of the province, without being certain of profitable results, the worst that can be said of him is that he has erred on the side of rigid economy. As the Superintendent has travelled over the site of the projected line, which not one in a thousand of those who advocate a railway has done, it cannot be said that his opinions are not based on facts, or that he -looks unfavorably on the scheme, without first having made himself acquainted with its merits by personal examination. Nor can we see that the Superintendent is to be blamed for not spending large sums of money in preliminary surveys, without being backed up by the votes of the Council, and the expressed wishes of the people. It is true that the Superintendent has not shown himself in advance ol the Council in reference to the railway, but he has at least kept pace with it, offering no obstruction to its wishes, but carrying out its resolutions as promptly and efficiently as possible. He has done more, for the last special meeting of the Council was called expressly by his Honor, for the purpose of suggesting to them an important idea, which they unhesitatingly adopted. This proves that- whilst doubting the feasibility of the scheme himself he Avas anxious to try the experiments suggested by others, and even to adopt plans. of which they had not thought, in order to give fair play to an enterprise which many thiDk necessary to the prosperity of the province. Those who think that it is the duty of a Superintendent, to plunge into expenditure and then come to the Couucil for a bill of indemnity, will charge him with slowness and unnecessary caution, whilst those who require a quid pro quo for all the money spent, aud object to an expenditure that does not ensure profitable results will endorse his sound aud cautious policy.

We are fully of opinion that the time has come when the province should put forth all its efforts to establish overland communication •with the gold-fields, but we can pardon the Superintendent for imagining that even a railway may be bought too dearly. The Council has not thought proper to suggest any expenditure for the purpose, then- why should the Superintendent be blamed for doing so unless urged by the public voice. Some sort of a survey ought to be effected before contractors can be expected to look at the proposal; but the Council have not shown that they will sanction an outlay' bf several thousand pounds for the -purpose, and till they have done sbthe chief of : the executive may be excused. for not taking the responsibility on himself. The circumstances will not be altered in. the event of Mr. Curtis or Mr. Blackett being elected, ythe same difiicul-

ties will stare them in the face, and should they be as anxious for a railway as the most ardent speculators in Nelson, they will not incur the responsibility of spending money for such a purpose unless well backed up by the representatives of the people. Much as a railway is to be desired the financial difficulties of the colony are such as to warrant extreme caution on the part of the Superintendent of a province. With a fearful debt hanging over us, whose interest has demanded increased taxation;, with, the example of Southland, Otago, Canterbury, and Auckland before us, whose executives are noAV experiencing the painful consequences of sanctioning expenditure disproportionate to their means ; it is surely complimentary to a Superintendent that instead of exhausting every shot in the locker, he can show a good balance on the right side ; that whilst other proviuces are driven to their Avits ends to raise the wind for ordinary purposes, Nelson can pay off some £20,000 of its debentures ; and that the contemporary press of the West Coast never cease to testify to the fact that no effort is left untried on the part of our executive to open up the back country in every possible way, and to facilitate the operations of the mining community. The flourishing state of the Provincial exchequer is the best answer that can be made to the detractors of the Superintendent. He" may parody the saying of the miser of old, "Populus me sibilat, at mihi plaudo ipse domi, dum nummos contemplor in area," the Examiner may abuse me, but I derive a secret satisfaction from looking at the money in the provincial chest. True, we have not the railway, neither are we over head and ears in debt. A flash Superintendent might make ducks and drakes of the peoples money, but such a one we do not want badly as we want a railway. Possibly the extension of the gold-fields and a judicious economy of our resources may eventually enable us to sport a few thousands for railway purposes, but it is the duty of our public men to look before they leap. Besides, there is such a thing as provincial bankruptcy, and if a lively Superintendent, being a jolly sort of fellow, should take it into his head to keep open house, spend a few thousands here, and a few thousands there, at the bidding of persons, who have no delicate appreciation of the distinctions betAveen meum and tuum, he might not find the same facilities that an individual would for passing through Judge Johnston's ■whitewashing establishment. His prestige would be gone, and his fair fame would be tarnished. Such, we are happy to say, is not the case with our present Superintendent. He is not a fast man, but he has kept things together. He has not given us the railway, but he has left the province in a fair financial position — a foundation on which his successor can build an ornamental superstructure, if he please. It would have been good taste in tbe Examiner to let the Superintendent depart iu peace, but this would be contrary to the nature of the animal Avho thought it a good opportunity to give him a parting kick, and indulge in an unusually louder bray. Such an effort, hoAvever. is perfectly harmless, as like the viper in the fable, the attempt to injure an old file like the Superintendent, can only result in the loss of teeth. We should think Mr. Curtis would not thank the Examiner for his stupid attempt to write him up, by writing the Superintendent doAvn. The opposite result is sure to follow. The resentments of the injured party will be bequeathed to his representatives who will act decidedly when the time for action comes.