The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. SATURDAY. 15TH MAY, 1880.

Southland Times, Issue 3712, 15 May 1880, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. SATURDAY. 15TH MAY, 1880.

*We believe that very few years will elapse before the ci amenities" of Invercargill will have been multiplied to an extent that will astonish not only the Old Identities, but those also who have never known the town' but as a place fit to live in. A day can be remembered, within fifteen years, when a cannon ball fired along one of the Dee street footpaths might havi had heavy odds given that it would lodge somewhere in Waikiwi Bush, without ever having tpuclied anything human. It is those wltocan go back to this state of things that can, appreciate the sight of our leading-street, say on a Saturday, when the- railways hive! poured,' in their contingents, to market or for spcial enjoyment. This is a revolution, but it is only the beginning. We are but waiting a notefrom Longwood— a note that is pretty sure to come some morning — signifying that a new source of wealth, and therefore of trade and increase, has opened for Invercargill. But, without reckoning on a goldfield, there is enough to justify what we have said as likely to be the result of steady progress. The Corporation and the ratepayers have already takeii ' courage, and the L15,l)00 just voted for street improvements Will work wonders for the comfort of the citizens, and increase the attraction we can hold out to new-comers. But we have specially in view ah institution that we seeui to be justified in contemplating even before any further advance in wealth and population. . If any one wishes to see the area that is covered by the town and its suburban municipalities, he has only to ascend Messrs Tre^ and Hall's tower,, or take ak>ok about him from, the pleasant, heights of North Invercargill; * He will probstbly be astonished to find from what distances those who practically form one community have to find their way to a common centre.- We are not going to Say a word against the climate of Southland or of Invercargjll.; It would be ungrateful to do so after a year of weather that has been nearly perfection. But "we cannot escape • winter, and ordinary winters are not pleasant to travel, an^ * Above isa; ■ and uncle* f*oi *tfen . with all our road-making, there Avill be enough, when abided to distances that are, so formidable, to make travelling from endto end and from side to side of Invereargill a weariness to the flesh. We want something that will meet this state of things, and that something is tramways. Tramways, ramifying in every populous direction, would at once equalize comfort and distance over ey^ry .portion of the iarqa covered by Invercargill ,^nd Its • suburbs. .: This is another: way of saying that theywould increase the value of every >ere of land \tithiri a radius 'of one '■"or imo mile^ from the centre of the town. Taken in all its extent, such an. enterprise would be a work of time, but it is well known that a local company is willing to start it, and 1 proceed as cir-,. qumstarices may warrant. We like this policy of trial, and hope that the company will carry out its intention of at once laying tramrails from the railway station to Waijiopai bridge, as a commencement. We learn that the Governor's Order in Council, dated

! February last, has been received, allowing two years for the completion of the tramways for which sanction has been given. There is everything to enc&nrage ibe company ho proceed. Tbe lines can be laid down at a c'oß%"we are told^pfjess tnan"£l2oo j>er mile. We hear dr^ihe' Dunedin enterprise being a financial success, and that notwithstanding the difficulties of^ouna^'^RoslyTS id ta have its tramway commenced^ without, delay. ItiieJpropoSeditp .hayiDthbri^power here, and horses, we are informed, m® grttdtiaily I * s *^ Dunediai .■•">;. It; wjll. be seen from the prospectus that the company contemplates carrying- goods as well aVpassengers, and we should expect the 1 former traffic, especially along the north line, to be considerable. It may be said that there is no one in the whole ''district whose Comfort and con venience would not be served by the success of the 1 tramway undertaking, and the promoters , have therefore a fair claim on the assistance of the ; whole community. Eyen should the dividend be inconsiderable in the early years, the indirect benefit will be a compensation of great value. The shares are only £1 each,and are thus within the reach of almost everyone. It might be a good plan to keep the share-list open, and extend the line as shares are taken up. We hope very soon to have to record the inauguration ,of this spirited and most legitimate undertaking.