The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1883.

Timaru Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 2830, 18 October 1883, Page 2

The Timaru Herald. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1883.

Thk French Government have done the right thing after all iv connection with the outrage at Madagascar. The statement iv the telegrams that they have agreed to pay ,£b'o,ooo as compensation to Mr Shaw, the missionary at Tamatave who was so harshly treated by Admiral Pierre, is- evidently a mistake. ,C(!000 would probably bo nearer the mark ; or, porhaps, the figures are correct, but the denomination should be francs iustcad of pounds. 00,000 francs are fc:UOO, a small enough sum to compensate a man for being dragged about the world as a prisoner, placed m fear of his life, and subjected to all Borts of indignities and sufferings ; but yet a substantial solatium from a pecuniary point of view. The more important tliiug is that the French Government have consented to make formal reparation to Great Britain for tho conduct of their officers m Madagascar, and thus removed the ground of that ill feeling between the two nations which was rapidly approaching a dangerous stage. There is, of course, nothing humiliating or derogatory to a great Power, m giving satisfaction of this sort. On the contrary, it is tho privilege of the greatest Powers to be able to do so without fear of being misunderstood ; and m this case Franco has raised herself much more m the eyes of the neighboring States, by behaving becomingly towards Great Britain, than she could possibly have done by any blustering swagger or any discourteous evasion, of her duty. It is a matter for congratulation that the cloud which recently hung over the relations of the old allies has passed away ; and it is to be hoped that Franco will benefit by experience and endeavor iv future to restrain that spirit of aggression m distant parts of the globe, which is always a source of danger to a proud and sensitive people. « The Royal Commission system is .surely approaching the last stage of absurdity •when we find the Government appointing a Royal Commission to enquire into and report on the route of the Mount Somers railway extension. The Mount Somers railway is a little branch line which, like many other lines m NewZealand, has remained unfinished, and therefore unreiuunerative for years, through local jealousy as to the exact direction it should take. It was from the beginning scarcely anything better than a political railway, and it ought properly to have been constructed by private enterprise. But the line having been made at the public cost, it was clearly the duty of the Government to do the best they could with it, so as to make it as light a burden on the taxpayers as possible. Instead of doing that, however, they carried it on to a point on the plains, up to which there was no dispute as to route, and there they stopped. The railway is scarcely of any use to the settlers, whilst it does not nearly pay working expenses. It was long notorious as one of the worst paying lines m the colony; but, as the department have now ceased m include it iv their periodical returns, we presume the traffic on it has been suspended. Meanwhile, we are assured, it would not only be of great advantage to settlers, but would also give access to a good deal of new country and pay fairly well, if it were carried a few miles farther to the hills. The interests of the landowners of two rival localities m that neighborhood, however, are conflicting; aud the Government have ucver yet had the strength of mind to determiue the route of the lino on public grounds, lest they should lose political support, or give offence to somebody whom they wish to keep on good terms with. They have ended by evading their legitimate responsibility altogether, and have consented to the appointment of a Royal Com mission to take evidence as to the local conditions on the two proposed routes, and decide between them. The whole affair is a mere bagatelle, and the Minister of Public Works ought to be able to settle it impartially m iive minutes on the reports of his owu officers. As it is, the residents are forming Committees, aud organising m the usual way, to cram the Royal Commission with information ; and there is as much fuss

to be made about the thing as if it. were sonic iiiouicutous question surrounded * by political, scientific and financial difficulties of tho gravest character, t The Dunedin gaol enquiry cost £700 ; t and wo suppose this Mount Somcrs ' Railway Commission will also run into ' a very pretty sum. , — : ]