INDIGNATION MEETING AT MOUNT IDA.

Otago Witness, Issue 1499, 7 August 1880, Page 9

INDIGNATION MEETING AT MOUNT IDA.

(FKOM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT;) Naseby, July 29fch. The Railway Commissioners' report was saverely criticised and condemned at the County Council yesterday, as being 'incorrect and prejudiced. The following resolution was unanimously passed :—" That this Council is of opinion that the report of the Commission on Public Works, so far as it relates to the Otago Central railway, is not reliable, that it is misleading in its character, and utterly without foundation in its statements. That the aban- j donment of works as recommended by the Commission would be a serious blow to settlement in the district, and against the best interests of the Colony." The Mount Ida Chronicle to-night, in a leading article, says :—" The first feeling one experiences after reading the report is one of consternation at the injury the Commissioners may have done the line. But on reading it through again, the statements made, and reasons given, appear so palpably incorrect, that although there are a large number of members in the House who are only too glad to have an excuse to oppose anything Otagan, and a still larger number who are anxious to kill any railway scheme, thinking that they will then have a better cbonce of securing a portion of the spoil for their constituents or themselves, the House must be oonvinced, even if against its will, that the report is untrustworthy. No doubt the Commission had a grand opportunity to give a blow to Otago, and we had good reason to fear their powerj but in endeavouring to completely crash the Otago Central railway they have, we think, overshot the mark. The statements they make are so manifestly incorrect that no member of the House, let him be as ignorant of Otagan affairs as he may be, cannot but see that the report is not reliable. Nor can Ministers fail to be aware of the fact, however much they may wish for the bliss of ignorance on this occasion, for the Hon. Mr Rolleston lately inspected the route much more closely than the Commissioners did while the two Dunedin representatives, who are members of the Cabinet, are at least sufficiently acquainted with the matter to be able to condemn the report. We therefore think that Parliament will not adopt the recommendation which the Commissioners make, nor will it coincide with the Commission in the opinion that it will be the best for the Colony to abandon the line altogether," and that ' the undertaking was uncalled for and should not have been commenced.' But if by any mischance Parliament should agree with the Commissioners, there will only be one course open for Ofcago to pursue—namely, to Agitate 1 agitate 11 agitate 111 We are confident that right is on our side, that the line is the most important of all the lines in the construction of which the Colony is now engaged." The Chronicle takes the same view as the Times re the Oamaru recommendation, and the opinion is general that efforts are being, under cover of the reports, to favour Oamaru at the expense of Dunedin.