SOUTHERN PERSISTENCY.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 964, 27 November 1882, Page 2

SOUTHERN PERSISTENCY.

♦— They know how to look after themselves in Otago. One day last week when the Hon. W, Johnston was in Dunedin he was waited upon by eight deputations, each with an axe of considerable magnitude that required grinding. First of all came the merchants led by the veteran Vincent Pyke, M.H.R., who introduced the deputation to Mr Johnston with the remark that its members represented the commercial light and intellect of Dunedin. Those gentlemen used the well worn arguments in favour of the Otago Central Railway, and tried their best to pledge the Minister to do all sorts of impossible things with regard to it. Notwithstanding the fact that the first section in hand is a fearfully heavy one, containing as it does, “ seven bridges yet to ho constructed, five tunnels to he formed, and nine rocky points to be removed,” the deputation was most, anxious to have more contracts put in hand. They even had the effrontery to ask the Minister if he could not sanction the spending of money in anticipation of whatever might he voted next session. But we are glad to say Mr Johnston could not see that at all, and said it was impossible. The incident shows however to what length the Dunedin folk would like to go in farthering their darling project—the Central-Railway, We cannot but admire the persistency of the Otagahs, and wish that we had a little of the same spirit amongst our public men here. If they had a question like the Patoa Harbour to deal with, the Southerners would give the Government no rest until the money was forthcoming from, somewhere.