The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1880.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 1292, 28 May 1880, Page 2

The Oamaru Mail. FRIDAY, MAY 28, 1880.

Some discussion was occasioned at last night's Municipal Council Meeting, by the recommendation from Mr. Blair anept the site for the new station. That gentleman suggests that it would be better to change the position of the Gasworks, and utilise the space thu3 afforded rather than follow the scheme that it was understood had met with the approval of the Commissioner and the Government, and which we have, perhaps with some impatience, daily expected.to see pojnmenced. IE Mr. Blair's suggestions were adopted by the Council, and met with the approval of the Government, the new station would be situated somewhere between Wear and Coquet-3tret. At last night's meeting his Worship expressed himself of the opinion that there would be no opposition to the proposal of Sir. Blair on the part of the public. If so, the Council should use every exertion to realise the consummation of hope so long deferred. We cannot, however, help thinking that there is a great deal of finessing m the operations of the Government in regard to this work. Ko one for a moment disputes that it is a necessity. The present station and its concomitants are years behind the times, and if trade had "been good the railway department would have been subjected to such pressure during this grain season that this would have been conclusively demonstrated. The shed which is dignified by the title of railway station, has for several years been viewed by residents with djsgust, and visitors with mixed wonder and amusefpept, The heads of the railway department depmed it as inadequate to meet the requirements of the business of the department, and with apprehension because of the want of room and thecopzeqnent impossibility of carrying oat a perfect and easy system of management. Successive {?oy.ernjnents have concurred in these views, The Qiey Government failed to keep their pledge tfcst this work should be carried out, the excuse being that the state of their public funds would not warrant the necessary expenditure ; and, perhaps there was too much validity in that ■ excuse. The Hall Government then came into power, and flrmed with L 0.000,000 of money—emulating their great prototype, the continuous Ministry implied that they would see that necessary public works, sucli as our railway station, were carried out. There would be none of the bungling, procrastination, and deception of the Grey Government. Under their rule all wrongs were to be rectified, " the desert would rejoice and blossom as the rose," and the people wopld be happy, because prosperous. We are waiting for all these things to come to pass j bujb, though it may appear strange, we would I be satisfied in the meantime with our long-promised railway station—whilst the Government are in a fearful.and wonderful manner working to bring about such magnificent results. We are apprehensive, however, that the vote has been allowed to lapse by thg considerate, indefatigable, and honest Hall Government, in which case goodness only knows how far we sure from the fulfilment of a work that it 13 generally conceded should have been performed years ago. The House during the present session will be occupied by consideration and discussion of grjept colonial questions, apd, indeed, it is quite on the cards that tfte Hall Qo- [ vernment may pay the penalty of its 1 incapacity and wrong doing, and _ give place to others. We are of opinion that sending a surveyor here is nothing more than one of those pieces of political strategem to which all Governments seem to resort to a, greater op lesser degree. The amount of surveying, &c., fcfeflt has been performed in connection with th 9 work must have cost the country a considerable sum of money. If the public do not object, and the Council should adopt Mr. Blair's suggestion, we shall soon know whether or not the Government really mean to for once perform an honest We have not yet forgotten the beautifully painted cattle yards and platform at Corriedale and the same appliances that ure to be erected at Sfgapara.