The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1869.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 401, 26 August 1869, Page 2

The Star. THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 1869.

The Consulting Engineer of the Government seems to bo unable to come to any decision about the Kakaia Bridge, or, perhaps he has decided, aud the Government has - forgotten to announce the fact. The Press stated the other morning that Mr William White had obtained the contract. Where did the Press get its information ? Was Mr White the informant, aud, if so,

how did he manage to learn all about v it ;■? Which of the Government offic ials lefc him into the secret ? Why should the public be the last to be . how their money ia goiug to be spent, and who is to do tbo-' work ? Why all this hesitation tgul mystery ? :It looks like a second edition Of the tuunel report, which, by the way, has never come to light yefc. Y^We suppose that some time or . in spite of the natural hesitation of the squatters the period will be reached when it will be impossible to delay any longer bridging both the Bakaia and the Kangitata. The Government cannot defer the decision upon the various plaus sent in for bridging the former river much longer, and the Timaru Board of Works will now, we hope, be compelled to use the money which has been lying idle bo long, in building ab ridge over tbe Bangitata. These formidable rivers once spanned, it will not be long before the lesser streams which intervene will ■be bridged also. Then there will be an 'uninterrupted highway* from' one end of the province to the otherX As it se3ms highly probalne that, in spite of the efforts. .of many of our members, we shall obtain the sinking fund of which we have been temporarily and most unfairly deprived, the opportunity will then be afforded for making another strenuous effort to obtain :a railway to the Worth. The fund about to be restored amounts to £20,000. • This, added to the £30,000 already reserved for the railway, will create a guarantee fund sufficiently large to induce contractors to undertake the work. But in order to obtain a railway, we must be in earnest. The action of the present Government has been that of men who do not desire to see such a work completed. This must be rectified if we want a railway. Either the Government mu9t be induced to undertake the business in earnest, or men must be found who will take their place. The last opportunity that is likely to occur for a long time now offers, and a strenuous effort should be made to take advantage of it. With the main rivers bridged, and a railway to the North, we may hope to see a renewal of that prosperity which has been wantiug so long.