The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1867. Mr. CURTIS AT THE PROVINCIAL HALL.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 38, 15 February 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1867. Mr. CURTIS AT THE PROVINCIAL HALL.

Yesterday evening Mr. Curtis invited the electors to the Provincial Hall, to listen to an exposition of his views, and the policy he inteuded to pursue, if elected Superintendent of the provinceCaptain Walmsley was called to the chair. There was a good attendance of citizens, The chairmain expressed a wish that the meeting would pay attention to wiiat the candidate had to say, and trusted that what he should say would meet Avith their approbation. Mr. Curtis said when he announced his intention of becoming a candidate for the ofiice of Superintendent, he waited with considerable anxiety for the hostile criticism his address was expected to call forth. He was surprised that it met with only one slight notice, and more surprised that the policy he stated it was his intention to carry out, if elected, met with little or no opposition from the large number of persons in the province, who acted with the Colonist and the late Superintendent. His policy during his past political career, it was hardly necessary to say, was in favor of promoting public works of use to the province. In seeking to effect this object, he had, from first to last, met with the most strenuous opposition from the Colonist and the Government, or had been treated by the latter with cold neglect iu bringing them forward. It was a matter of surprise therefore, that his recent announcement of the same policy drew forth no further criticism of a hostile character, than that he dealt in large promises, It was easy to see that had all the works been carried out which he advocated, the numher would have been considerable. He had not dealt in large promises, however, but only consistently urged, from first to last, the carrying out of such public works as were necessary to the well being of the province. The first work he referred to was the railroad, of which he had been a consistent advocate from the first discussion of the question to the procuring of the Act, in the General Assembly, of which he was a member at the time (cheers). This therefore he ought to be expected to support. The patent slip he had also advocated as necessary for the welfare of the province, and had always been opposed in it by Mr. Saunders -and those who acted with him. The waterworks was another thing he had always supported ; they originated with him in the Provincial Council of 1861 ; and iu this he was also opposed by the Superintendent of the day, Mr. Saunders, and the Colonist, who accused him of being actuated by all sorts of motives, but regard for the public interest. There were two other works he advocated, the bridges at the Hurunui and the Waimea, and supported them in the Council. They did not originate with the Provincial Government, the former being supported by the Canterbury Government, proposed by one ofthe opposition, and assented to by the Government. He would refer to a remark in Mr. Blackett's address, respecting specious promises, which he doubted not was meant to apply to him. Now, if this meant anything, it meant an assumption of a great deal which it was never intended to carry out, and could not apply to his promises. It might more fairly be applied to Mr. Blackett's own promises contained in his address, when he says, "The reference made in your requisition to the propositions connected with the interior development of the province, and for improving its internal communication of all kinds, shall receive my best attention, should I be elected to the office of

Superintendent." This appeared to be veiy much of the nature of a. specious promise. The internal communication was a subject with which Mr. Blackett was well acquainted ; the people, when they used these words, no doubt meant the railway ; and if Mr. Blackett meant to support it, it was his duty to say so. The subject was not a new one, it had beeu before the public four years, it was deemed by many essential to tbe prosperity of the province, and it was incumbent on the candidate in replying to such an address to express his opinion one way or the other, and not leave the public in doubt as to what his views were, lie had a great respect for Mr. Blackett as a man, but be would have had a greater respect for him as a public man and a politician, if he had given a decided expression of opinion one way or the other, on a question in which so much interest is taken. If he did not believe it was possible or proper to carry it out, he should have said so, and if he believed in its necessity and practicability, it was his duty to pronounce a decided opinion. A decided expression of opinion might have influenced the minds of voters one way or the other, but it would have gained respect for Mr. Blackett in his capacity as a public man (cheers). One sentence in Mr. Blackett's address had certainly excited his surprise, when he says, " I feel relieved almost entirely from the necessity of entering into a statement of my views and opinions, on all those subjects which most prominently interest its inhabitants, and on most of which my own opinions have frequently been recorded." He was at a loss to know where such opinions had been recorded. He^was acquainted with most of the sources of information in the province and familiar with the records of the acts of its public men, but he had failed to discover that Mr. Blackett had left any such record in speech or writing (cheer). Mr. Blackett, in his capacity of Provincial Engneer had no doubt furnished the Government with a large number of valuable reports, in which he had given valuable opinions of public works, which were honestly and well expressed. But this was not an election of a Provincial Engineer but of a Superintendent, and the question was wbere the candidate had recorded his opinions. After all tbe researches he had been enabled to make, he was forced to conclude, and thought the meeting would agree with him that Mr. Blackett had left no record of the kind. In reference to the question of the introduction of municipal institutions into the country, it was a question which did not bear on the present election. It was purely a question to be entertained by the General Assembly, who were alone competent to settle the question. No further reference need therefore be made to that subject, than what had been said on former occasions. Passing from these subjects, he would now come to the topics of his address. He had from first to last advocated a railway from Nelson to the West Coast. It was admitted that a railway was more expensive than a common road at first, but more efficient and economical after it was constructed. In a letter in the Colonist it was stated that landslips would be injurious to a line of railway, but he could not see what attractions lines of railways had for a landslip, or why it was more likely to bs visited by it than a common road (a laugh). He would not enter into the question of the necessity of opening up the country, and developing its resources that are supposed to exist. All were agreed on that, and the question was reduced solely to one of means, all would be glad to have tbe railway if it should bc found possible to get it. The great difficulty to be got over was in the value of the land proposed to be offered as an equivalent to those expected to coustruct it. Was the land of sufficient value to the contractors to induce them to undertake the work and encounter the risk. Several letters had appeared in the Colonist on this subject. They were well written articles, and from their initials he considered he violated no confidence in attributing their authorship to Dr. Irvine. They invited attention from the argumentative manner in which they were written, and they were free from the abuse too commonly found in such articles. He therefore considered them well worthy of attention (cheers). The first letter suggested that a commission should be appointed to investigate and report upon the Avhole subject. It was not easy to see what help a commission would be in the matter, or what information they could give on the subject. The land had to be given in exchange, and the question to be arrived at, was it of sufficient value. A commission could not furnish this information better than the Executive, who, by means of the officers and appliances at their disposal, were in a much better posirion to do this than any commission. An inquiry by a commission could not be so efficiently and promptly conducted as by the engineers of the Government ; it would only cause further delay, and probably lead ultimately to the shelving of the question. Another idea given was a calculation ofthe value of the land, and a railway in the State of Illinois was given as an instance of miscalculation and consequent failure of the scheme. He submitted, however, that there was no comparison between the two cases. The railway referred to was not, that he was aware, in a gold country like the one now proposed to be constructed here, and this constituted the great difference whicli would materially affect results. He was prepared to admit that our land was not valuable as agricultural or pastoral, it was absurd to present it in that light. The main value of the land consisted in the gold found in the soil, and this was a most important element in the calculation which the writer of the letters had omitted. But the land comparatively valueless for agricultural and pastoral purposes became of great worth wben regarded in the light of its mineral resources. In offering the land to a company as an equivalent for a railway, this important fact should be kept steadily in view. And not only should the land be offered, but the Government might offer the fees derived from the miners in the shape of miners' rights, in whole or in part, less the expense of collection as 'an additional inducement. A large revenue would accrue to the Government from an increased population, and the sale of land for townships and they would be in a position to treat with a company on advantageous terms. The case of a railway running through agricultural and pastoral land as that at Illinois might be, was not in point, and did not affect the question now at issue. The expectations of those who first proposed to develope the mineral riches of this pro-

vince four years ago had been fully realised by the subsequent results which reflected credit on their sagacity, and proved that they were more far seeing than their neighbors ; and there could be no doubt that the mineral value of the land proposed to be given in lieu of a railway would justify, in the results, any reasonable expectation that might be indulged in respecting it. It struck him also that the quantity of agricultural and pastoral land introduced into this discussion had been greatly undervalued. Notwithstanding the assertion of Mr. Saunders that Messrs. Richmond and Barnicoat had overvalued it, he held to quite the opposite opinion. He said they had estimated the quantity at 100,000 acres, which had turned out to bc 7300 only. Had this been really the case, it would have been an ugly calculation ; but it was not the fact, only two valleys out of the four rivers mentioned having been surveyed, about two miles of land on each instead of the 25 miles affirmed to be available (applause). Therefore the estimate made by Llr. Burnett could not bc reliable, f'or the reasons previously stated. Mr. Saunders said he estimated that the 100,000 acres would fetch £70,000, a part being worth only 10s. per acre. When the land was made accessible by a railway, a portion of it cut up into several large townships, and let for building allotments, and termini established at the most important places, the value oflhe land would be greatly increased, and proof afforded that the estimate now made was far too low. When a member of the Waste Lands Board and Committee at Wellington, which had the considering of the railway bill, he was asked the value of this land. lie declined to fix any present value, saying it possessed only a nominal value, and that if communication were not opened with tbe West Coast, it would not pay the cost of surveying. Being pressed to fix a value, he said it was worth only 2s. 6d. an acre, but if a railway were carried through it, all the agricultural land would be worth £5 an acre. He need not remind his hearers that a great part of his business was to act as a valuer of land in the province and elsewhere. And as valuer at the Amuri, Marlborough, and the Waimeas, he had acquired some experience, his knowledge was worth something. Though he had not seen an inch of a good deal of the land he had been called upon to value. From his knowledge thus acquired he was prepared to say, that this agricultural land when enhanced by a railway passing through it, would be worth £5 an acre. The value of the agricultural land would be greatly iucreased, whilst the land through which the railway would pass, would come from the gold and other minerals found on it and the fees arising from the working of the mines. Although coal had been hitherto confined to the Buller and the Grey, it would probably be included in the minerals yet to be developed. Taking such a view of the value of the land so enhanced by the railway, its advocates were justified in the expectations they indulged in reference to the triumph that would ultimately follow the grappling with the difficulties ofthe question, and were he elected Superintendent, he would exert himself to the utmost to achieve success (cheers). He felt confident that nothing would be accomplished by anyone that did not exhibit the greatest earnestness of feeling in the matter. Had the Railway Bill been treated in a lukewarm and indifferent manner by those who had charge of it, no good would have come of it. It was only a conviction of its importance that enabled its supporters to conquer the difficulties of their task. This was the feeling that animated him throughout, and enabled him to employ a large amount of pains, time, and labour to get it passed (cheers). He had seen in various articles in the papers, in the speeches of Mr. Saunders, and in his address to the Provincial Council, intimations that the railway was likely to burden the province with an overwhelming load of debt. He was at a loss to see how this could be the case, if the lands ofthe province were given as an equivalent for the work. He was unable to discover how a single shillin**- would be added to the provincial debt, or how it justified the statements made in newspapers, speeches, and addresses, that the position of this province would be assimilated thereby to the overburdened state of other provinces. It had nothing to do with the question. This province was not going to spend a single shilling for the railway, except in the small expense that would be required in a preliminary survey and so on (a voice not a shilling). A few thousands could be spared well for such a purpose. It would only be a month's revenue or so, and would not be missed out of the annual income of £100,000. Surely £5,000 can be spared for such a purpose, hi a matter of so great importance to the province, and to attain so vast an object if it can possibly be accomplished (applause). If the matter was left in the hands of such persons, as Mr. Saunders, who did not believe in it, it would never be carried out, and all the money spent in investigation and inquiry would lead to no results. He would pass ou to notice the next puhlic work of importance which he advocated. On this as on the railway the government had hitherto thrown'cold water, and regarded it with indifference. The measure was first yitroduced in 1861, — seven years ago, but nothing had been done in it. A bill was introduced to guarantee interest on £10,000 for the purpose of a patent slip. In 1862, he asked the question in the Council what steps had been taken in the matter, and was told the government hacl not thought it worth while to move in it, and the bill was transferred to the pigeon hole, nothing came of it. He suggested the government should take steps through ;Mr Jolm Morrison, their agent in London, to communicate with capitalists that would be likely to undertake the work. He moved a resolution " that the Superintendent be requested to take early steps to carry into effect the provisions of the 'Patent Slip Act 1861.'" This was negatived by a considerable majority, Mr. Saunders treating it as an attack on the Superintendent, and causing the motion to be lost by a great majority. Nothing was done. Some years after, about two years ago, he brought in another bill to guarantee iutrest for a patent slip, but nothing more came of it, the thing was allowed to sleep and would for ever, in the hands of the same parties. The other day an opportunity seemed to present itself, in favour of the patent slip. A dispute had arisen between the contractor for the patent slip at Wellington and the

Govern in etit of that province in consequence of the contractor having complained of the neglect of conditions on the part of the Government, and the slip was said to be offered for sale cheap. It was understood that the late Superintendent was favorable to something being done, and as he (Mr. Curtis) was going one evening to thc Council Dr. Irvine asked him to lend his assistance to buy the slip. He said he was willing to co-operate if the government approved of the measure, but said it was no use making the attempt unless theSupcrintendent was favorable to it. Dr Irvine said the Superintendent not only approved of the scheme but suggested that he (Mr. C.) should move in the matter. He offered to support the Government, hut refused to make a motion in favor of a grant of £10,000 to assist the purchase, unless the Superintendent suggested or approved the measure. He thought it strange, and suspected a trap was laid tor him (laughter). He had no objection if the Government approved of the measure, but thought if he moved for a grant of £10,000 and the Government should oppose him, he should be saddled with the blame of getting the province into debt. lie therefore, thought he would ask a question or two, and seeing the Provincial Secretary there that evening, he hoped he would correct him if he did not state the question fairly. On telling the Provincial Secretary that Dr. Irvine told him the Superintendent approved of purchasing the patent slip, he said there must be some mistake. Mr. Saunders had not said so, he had seen the contractor in Wellington, and it was not likely the slip would be for sale at present. The contractor asked if it was likely Nelson would be willing to give £44,000 for it. He found that he had got into a considerable mess (great laughter). He would have been opposed by the Government had he acted on the assumption that the Superintendent would have supported him. He was, in fact, completely sold (laughter). He regretted the purchase could not have been effected, ior from his position as agent to a shipping company, and on the authority of the manager of the Panama Steam Company he was prepared to affirm that the erection of a patent slip at Nelson would make an enormous difference to its trade, in consequence of the number of vessels that would be annually laid up for repairs here. He had authority for stating that had the slip been erected at Nelson, it would have been made the head quarters for that company's ships, and thus the town would have benefitted by the great expenditure their presence would have caused (cheers). The waterworks was another of the things he had advocated. It was his own proposition in 1861, when he \iad to encounter the strong opposition of the Government, the Colonist, and Mr. Saunders. He moved for a committee to inquire into the question of a water supply, and they reported favorably on guaranteering interest to a company furnishing a capital of £20,000 for the purpose. The bill was introduced in the Council, but, like that of the patent slip, it was defeated by the influence of Mr. Saunders and the Government. Years passed away, and the public feeling hecoming too strong tor the Government, they gave way, and a bill was passed in favor of the measure, with this difference — that, whereas he did not propose to borrow the £20,000, but only guarantee interest on it at 10 per cent., calculating on the rates to cover the liabilities, the Government proposed to raise a loan of £20,000, and carried the Act in 1563, which was followed by the Loan Act in 1864. It is now 1867, and we expect that some day, something will be done (cheers and laughter). It appears that the order for the pipes was made last year, but it was to be regretted that such delay had taken place, when the interests of so many persons were at stake, their health and property so seriously concerned. Any night the town left without water was deprived of its chief safeguard, and an imminent risk was incurred by town and province, for if a large portion of the town should be consumed by fire, the province would suffer, at the same time. It appears the delay had been caused by a letter going wrong, it being missent to Ipswich in Queensland, instead of to Ipswich in England. This was no fault of the Government, but they were to blame for r.ot'scnding a duplicate by the next mail, which would" have been done by any business house, which would have involved only the copying of a few plans and drawings. [The Provincial Secretary said the letter reached home by the next mail.] A delay of a month would have been saved had a duplicate been sent. Now we hear that the pipes have been shipped, the papers say by the Fairy Belle and Malay, the former of which left on the 24th November, and may be expected to arrive this month, or next. Hut what preparation has been made ior their reception, and what means made ready to lay the water on (cheer) ? Some preparations would be necessary, and a still further delay would take place in carrying out the works, in consequence of the course taken by Mr. Saunders in postponing his resignation, the Acting Superintendent not being likely to undertake any work of importance, but being content with keeping the machine going, oiling it a little and paying the necessary salaries (laughter). A great number of other questions must be delayed in the same way for six weeks or two months, till the Superintendent be elected (cheers). The remainder of Mr. Curtis's speech shall appear to-morrow.