The Invercargill Times FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1863.

Southland Times, Volume 3, Issue 102, 16 October 1863, Page 4

The Invercargill Times FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1863.

Tf there is one thing more satisfuctory thaii another to behold in this selfish world of our's, it is patriotism. " Dulco pf decorum est pro patria mom'," has been sung for many a day, and never yet p-lled. It was sung lately in Italy; its cadence may eveu now be heard ia Poland; it has giver, strength to the weak, and arnie-J the serf against bis oppressor. History teems with instances of patriotism, and, in the palmy days of ancient Rome, the senators wisely ncouraged the feeling-, and took care that (he rising generation should be made acquainted with the deeds of their ancestors. Brutus sacrificed his two sous for the sake of his country ; Marcus Curtius rode headlong into the gap in the Forum to benefit Home; Mutius Secevola burned off his hand to intimidate the enemy of his country. But noble as these men proved themselves, it seems that the Province of Southland can produce some equal, if not superior, in nobility of action, and in our future history, the name of John Clarke M'Kay will be found in letters of gold, as the brightest of this glorious band. Let Brutus sacrifice a couple of sons for his country, Mr J. C. M'Kay is realy to sacrifice his country for himself — the interests of the Province to enhance the value of his three or four hundred acres at Wallacetown. Let Marcus Curtiu sink hitnscU to benefit others ; our patriot cries, sink the country, let me be benefitted. Let Mutius Sceevola burn his hands for others; burn me if I do, gays our Brutus. We have long watched the career of this gifted, eloquent, polished, patriotic statesman, and Tuesday night was his culminating point. Would that our sj)uce enabled us to report him ver-

batim, with, all those little expletives with which he garnishes his speeches — the spice, so to speak, to the pud'ling ■of his thoughts. It would form an interesting addition to the volumes extant of " British Orators." We cannot, 'however, refrain from expressing our admiration at the cool crafty manner in which Mr M 'Kay has used the ltiverton public and the members *who supported him, in working out his own disinterested .purposes. .It vividly recalls to our re collection the celebrated picture of the monkey using the cat's pawto;get the ehesnuts out of the fire. Ho\\ r , after hearing the evidence given by Mr Heale and Mr Dundas, Mr Kogers and the other gentlemen could support Mr Al'Ka)', on the supposition they were benefitting ltiverton, is a mystery, unless indeed it arose from being overpowered and carried away by the wonderful eloquence of the gifted orator. If such were the case, they should, in deference to the interests of the Province, b^ve adjourned without dividing, until baltnj 7 ' sleep had soothed their overwrought nerves. They could have found a precedent in Parliamentary records, when the House, electrified by Mr Sheridtin's speech on the trial of Warren Hastings, refused to decide while under the influence of the charmer. The facts of the case were most lucidly detailed to the Council by the Chief Surveyor, but, as all our readers could not' be present, we will state the most prominent features. The entire length of the straight line of railway to Win ton, is IS miles 15 chains, j ! to diverge to Wallacctown, would make it 20 miles — 1 mile and 65 chains longer, or a difference of nine per cent. The absolute descent being 15 feet 7 inches lower than by the directlinfi. If a branch were taken off the mainline for the benefit of Riverton, the distance to Wright's bush from the Hue at Wallacctown is 5 miles; from the north of the Makerewa, as proposed by the Government, 6 miles and 15 chains. Thus, to shorten a possible branch by 1 mile 15 ch.u'ns, 3'ou lengthen the trunk line 1 miloGo chains, besides carrying it over worse levels and curves. A branch to join the liiverton road north of Wallacetown, as proposed by the Government, would be over excellent ground, cost considerably less than the proposed divergence to Mr M 'Kay's property, and save 15 percent, traffic expenses to Winton. Supposing that the Northern railway were to present on the map the pleasing and symmetrical figure of a dog's hind leg by going to Wallacetown, we do not see how it could benefit Hiverton half so much as the branch north of Wallacetown. Th ■ ground below the terrace at Wallacetown to the (Ken, is at least 30 feet lower than the terrace itself, and it is only a few years ago since the whole was underwater 15 feet deep, by thu overflowing of the Oreti ; thus, were an extension of the railway hereafter to be carried on to Riveiton by this route, it would run the risk of being submerged once in five years, and, in all probability, the embankment be carried away. There is certainly one compensating feature in this picture; tho la mi from YValLauotowu to the Ureti, through which the line would go, belongs to Mr Al'Kay, and he would naturally require a smuil (?) compensation, which a grateful countiy would be only too happy to give to ouT modern Brutus. By adopting the branch to the north of Wallace-town, all risk of submersion would be avoided; it would meet the Ltiverton road, and be the outlet nnd means of opening up a largo and fine tract of couutiy. Tnis matter is of far too serious moment to be lightly au>l hastily treated; it is the one great feature of the present Session. With Dunedin making all haste to construct a light Hue of rail to the Dunstan, with the recently discovered outlet to the West. Coast staring us in the ftice, it behoves all wi-hers of this Province to use every exertion to construct a railway to the iNorih, and allow nothing to impede the rapidity of that construction. Time iv this matter is ofvital importance. Of the ultimate prosperity of the Province, independently of any gold-fields, we never had much doubt; but we have now reached that stage when we must either secure certain great advantages nature has offered us, or see them usurped by a Province which has tenfold difficulties to contend against. Tlio Estimates to be brought before the Council arc prepared in the belief that we shall be able to keep that which we have already grasped. Our past expenditure, our present outlay, has been, and is still, based on that supposition; and, to enable us to maintain the position we have already taken up, it is absolutely necessary that we should have this railway to Winton made as sojn as possible, and by the shortest route. We are sincerely glad, therefore, that the members of Council who supported Mr M"Kay in thu first instance have, on reconside ation, seen the necessity of withdrawing their opposition, and, not influenced by a false shame of recantation, have adopted the nobler course, and acknowledged that they erred from a too hasty inspection of the subject. As for Mr M'Kay himself, we must congratulate him on having distinguished himself in the annals of all Legislative Assemblies as a most barefaced patriot. If any doubt e-cistcd in our minds as to his unblemished patriotism, or right to be considered a second Brutus, it has been dissipated by the report that he has lately pur chased largely in the vicinity of Wallacetown — of course, with a view of benefiting the Province.