The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, 11th DECEMBER, 1879.

Southland Times, Issue 3580, 11 December 1879, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, 11th DECEMBER, 1879.

Tflßi Public • iV^orks Statement, # inarii-| festo second in interest only to thet Budget, •wai ;; laM^-b r #ke' oiir readers yesterday moi-nin^, Tips a very exhaustive document, an-i-reflects undoubted * credit' on the Minister, Mr Oliver. •; It will iiot be expected that we; should attempt- a re*u^;oC-rabj(e^s:_stf7'^ulti-farious.as the embrace^ /.and we may-fairly conclude that, without comment, intelligent attention will be given to them byT. ithe.-public., -A gl&npe at "the details of works in prpgres^willr. show that'7the:pridd'smceiMrTVlacandrew gave his summary has been characterised by, considerable activity in the"dVartnient,;l»tli JitlieTN.pvt]! X^m^l and in the, Soutli. iTojlook.nea^ home,, and to look forward r -we are informed? thakthe lines from Otautaii to nNigiit- ,- ca|te,7ffrom. Lumsden^7B^ra^,-7tedf ■ froM7Rivert<m ;to.pr^lfJ ! :v^^^ carried on^, the' line frojn Edendale^. to Toi Tois -wilt 7also be" proceeded with. n !We know that theThorobnryrOtautau branch is on the eve of being ojtejaedi so that (Southland has the TproWpect ; oi, ft speedy, 7and,7 riot 7 TMideserved, jadditipri ', to her raiiway'facilities. lurningrto the working railways] we 'find an unsatisfactory account for the quarter ended September, Avail hopeful-anticipations that -a. good harvest -will'^ring .a i;estoration of traffic. „ The .entire earnmgg of~th§. - wbrlung ' railways 1 for " tlie ' past c .jffi amount to.the large sum of L758,C»96 " 8s 2d, whie&, lifter decfactioirof working expenses, leaves a surplus -be interest of ;L212,617*13b 2d, lieing at'tbfi rate on I the average cc#tiof:jconßfeuctif>n of 2,154 per cent. The Minister of Public j Works adiriifef? tbe7 fdrity devolving on_ jGbverntnenf of 'endeavoring- by skilfu^ iand, econofnicalf m^ria^m|ritHO;inake^u^ railways pay a larger coritributibn towards , the cost," and there is ample room for

Vuch an endleavor. In avowing J^ffaf - determination, with the same op|jt, •of subjecting to a rigid scrgny jail fatal c proposals for new p|i|Avays, and declaring the intenti|]^of « Government to apply to Parliamenl%g % a Royal Commission to report on tfieC value of works commenced and proposed, 4i£^lk^o^dQl^ ? l^nngoTtne countiy. 757sl.^e r^flt of i sacb a report the Minister pro^BMy j |a ! plan for the prosecution of public w*ks . carefully adapted to the circumstanoe|^f - f ,^.imgMßibp^ not to De steuck with 'tlie^ipne'o¥prudence,_.c^ rnent ; wheii! m^cAtin^^ei foture bl iraik? Wy cbhstruefcr^n anft i maria^iaait; ■■/. If- ; jpromises;: and , inteptibns ]'bs7. $§ffJs7os< i frm-tess^we m^rex^ hazard system to-which we have been accustomed- 4fiki%f statestaanlike, method^ ; 5iKl a sagadty 5 a result eminently DejieJGtcial to tne finances bf athef colony;r 7 MrcOliver'si^proposaisr: for the future" aire crani{Sefc and subdued by the fact, previously known to the publiCj that^f^^SjOOQ^dbO^oS J¥>^ certain" to be floated^, only tbe sum oof L 1,872,646 has not been -forestalled by : (existing contracts and other liabilities. In a strain of melancholy he informs the IHouse that owingjfcyLJ-bis heavy absorption, the new works for which lie will jaskiaßSbbprity *%ilfc jibt^ be mari^ i iIT EHj& loan is to be obtained on the understand ing that for tliree years jfclie colony is not to appear as a borrower in the English market. What money we now receive must ti-reford be spread judiciously over i that period of time. The Minister ap- j pologises, in.; -the-, name :of r jbhe Governpient, for the magnitude of the demands he has to make^.from the ffe Ho)we by reminding it that'lilF th^ese rib less a sum than L 2,356,729 7s is "for liabilities \ |«vhich they found in existence upon their of office, and a large portion of the remainder. ,is. „for wc>rks which are riecessary to make available those sections already in course of construction." ! A notable feature iff our attempts at railway construction is the breakdown of Ithe efforts njade $nder,the District Rail-/ ways Act. The financial depression and the defects found in endeavoring to work the Act are made responsible for this general collapse. The Government, wisely as most will think* iproposesltp -take power to treat with such companies as have begun works and are unable to complete them, and upon satisfMfeojy arrangements, to purchase them for the colony. The power of rating the, Respective districts will be-re'tam^ the residents have already evidenced their willingness to be .taxed is. assumed as a reasonablo guarantee of the undertakings being attended ..with. cpnimerciaL success. In the abounding zeaFfbr railway^ roads have not escaped the attention of the Minister of i Public Works.c He' insistson the necessity for these, in the north, on strategic grounds, and wittt/a view to - settling the country^ a nd generaUy, under the conviction that unless roads are made ; to feed therailWay^arid^o'givecommuniI cation where no railways exist, it is hope-. | less to expect the_j:ef*dval of colonial ' prosperity. The compliment which Mr \ Macandrew so gracefully, paid to his suc--5 cess6r will rib doubt be "endorsed' by the country, and the hope will be entertained l that under, the fnewiMinisteivi. thei Public 7 IWorks Policy will be sound, prudent, and f successful. ■ -'-' ,; '--•- i -- '