NELSON AND COBDEN RAILWAY.

Westport Times, Volume IV, Issue 751, 17 December 1870, Page 2

NELSON AND COBDEN RAILWAY.

The following comments upon the circular forwarded by the Superintendent to the members of the Provincial Council are from the " Colonist."— " All recent advices show that the money market recovered from its fright. Foreign and Colonial debentures rapidly improved after the shock. Even mining shares of California,

Nevada, and Brazil, rose in the market. The rate of discount speedily declined. "When the war ends, as it must quickly do, money will look for investments. It is already known that a well-known contractor has offered to construct the colonial railways on a moderate guarantee, and, therefore, appearances are favorable to such enterprises in proper hands. It will be ohserved too, that Mr Brogden speaks about the proper time arriving "for renewing the affair." Doea the Superintendent possess other information, or what leads him in the face of this suggestion of " renewed" negotiations to put such a question as the first, itself seeming to point to, the desirability of instructing ' Mr Morrison to suspend any further action for the present?' But the suspension ' for the present' is an accomplished fact, if Mr Brogden's letter means any thing, for he says it is ' impracticable' to proceed with it at present; and, if the termination of the war, and the improved condition of the money market (the latter already being a fact) are to lead to any thing as was expected, they should lead to a renewal of the negotiations, if these were worth renewing. But are they? The Superintendent states nothing to guide the individual recipient of his circular as to these things. Suspension of these railway negotiations has not been a rare occurrence. First came Col. Maude and a host of men unknown on 'Change, who, we were gravely assured, would now certainly Boat the work. Then his place was taken by Sir Thomas Parkyns, and then—Allah be praised ! the railway was at last secured. But Sir Thomas ' jibbed' serenely, and at last bolted because Mr Morrison was negotiating with some one else. Some one else comes—Mr Brogden, of Bridgewater election fame; and now, finally, this is positive, ' nothing could stop us getting the railway." This was actually said by some whose supposed knowledge of business implied somewhat of judgment. And now this, too, collapses; and, in the face of all these failures, the Superintendent sends a vague circular, without giving a single word of explanation as to what has passed, or what are his own suggestions, and on what they are based. To this the Council was at least entitled, if the Superintendent expected an intelligent opinion. The " Mail" writes on the same subject : " The Superintendent finds from his London correspondence that the negotiations for the railway are not likely to prove successful, and although he is empowered bytheCouncil to actenti rely upon his own judgment in carrying on, or bringing to a close, these negotiations, he thinks it but an act of courtesy to consult the representatives of the people on so important a question; but instead of putting the Province to the expense of an extraordinary session of the Council, he adopts the more simple method of asking the opinion of the members by letter. Such a course, says the " Colonist," " is unusual and seems unconstitutional," but even in the face of such an authority we are quite sure that the people at large will be of opinion that it was the right one to adopt."