The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, 6TH AUGUST, 1885.

Southland Times, Issue 8079, 6 August 1885, Page 2

The Southland Times. PUBLISHED DAILY. Luceo Non Uro. THURSDAY, 6TH AUGUST, 1885.

It will be seen from our Parliamentary report this morning that the Government were defeated yesterday on their motion to refer the East nnd West Coastrailway proposals to a select committee. This is to all intents and purposes the same thing as rejecting the proposals themselves. The Ministry accepted their defeat in silence. Tuey must have felt the blow very keenly, having moved heaven and earth to carry their point. But the result of the vote was a foregone con» elusion. Wo. never had the slightest fear that the offer of Messrs Meiggs and Co. would be accepted. The dfcision of the House is not, however, to be regarded as in any sense hostile to those districts which are interested in the projected lines of railway ; the bostility is entirely against the Government, and" especially against Sir J. Yogel. The statement which ho read the week before last was about the most imprudent thing he could have done if he wished to retain any influence in Kew Zealand politics. Messrs Meiggs and Co, have proved his ruin. The House wanted no more bargain!) nnd complications with foreign contractors, and it particularly wanted no such bargains concluded by Sir Julius ( Yogel _ The Colonial Treasurer's prestige wrb indeed rapidly declining, as the humiliations to which his Government bad been subjected abundantly show, but this latest defeat ia a hint about the meaning of which there can be no mistake ; and much bb we mny sympathise with the chagrin and disappointment of such an able man, we cannot help feeling that th© country is to 'ie congratulated on the good deliverance which, the House of Representatives gave it yesterday n.fternoon.