The Press. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1866.

Press, Volume IX, Issue 1095, 12 May 1866, Page 2

The Press. SATURDAY, MAY 12, 1866.

The Southern Bailway is progressing if not rapidly at least steadily and satisfactorily ; the permanent way is laid for about eight miles from Christchurch, where a camp is established in the old Waimakariri river bed, near to Parish's hotel. The whole of this old river bed is a mass of shingle to a depth unknown; and wells which have been sunk, we believe to eighty feet, have discovered no change in the formation. From this unlimited reservoir of good metal the contractors are at present drawing their supply of material for ballasting the line, and one engine is constantly employed in drawing the ballast to where it is required. The line is perfectly straight from the Chrietchurch station for about six miles, where it takes a turn to the southward round an easy curve with a mile radius; after which it takes another stretch of many miles in length in a perfectly straight line. The part which will now shortly be completed is fenced in with a substantial fence of strong posts, with five or six wires surmounted by a wooden raiL The roads are all crossed by level crossings with gates. The number of these gates in the first mile from the station is somewhat surprising, and not only adds considerably to the risk of accident, but will unnecessarily increase the expense of working the line, as each will require a gatekeeper. Considering that a public highway has been reserved on each side of the railway, and that horse and cart traffic would be turned but little out of the way, one or two of these gates might have been dispensed with, leaving crossings for foot passengers only. It is impossible not to see the work which is being done on the line at present without being struck with the unnecessary magnitude of the scale compared with the requirements of the population, not only at present, but for some time to come. The average load brought by the traina from the gravel pits in the old river bed is, including the weight of the engine and trains, about 100 tons. And, although the present speed of the trains is of course slow, as the line is not yet ballasted, the engine is sufficiently powerful to attain the average speed of trains on the English railways. In order to form an idea of what carrying power is required in a new country, and at the same time one so rapidly changing its condition as regards population and settlement, it would be desirable to take some fixed epoch as the maximum for which we ought to provide. Such a period is naturally suggested by the time when the sleepers of the line will be decayed and will have to be replaced. Sleepers do not of course decay all at once; they have to be taken up gradually as they become useless; but a time arises at last at which the great bulk of the old sleepers are worthless, and when the annual work of replacing them by new ones becomes considerable. Let us suppose that that time will be ten years hence. If at that time the state of traffic will admit of a larger line, larger engines, carriages, waggons, «fee, the line can be changed from a narrow to a wide gauge at comparatively email cost. The sleepers are worthless, and the expense of relaying the line must be incurred in either case. The rails and rolling stock are ail available for constructing new lines over parts of the couutry where a large line would not pay. Tho loss therefore

of changing the gauge of the hne would be but trifling, and the expense of laying the new rails would be inconsiderable, because they could be j placed along the line by the existing railway. But the saviug in the interest of money would be very large. If a difference of £3000 or £4000 a mile could be saved in the first construction of the line, the interest on such a sum for ten years would amount to a verylarge sum —one far greater than any loss which would be experienced in the change of the gauge, when all the old materials, except the sleepers which had perished, would be immediately used for new lines. Assuming, then, ten years as the time for which it would be expedient to provide, what are likely to be the requirements of the province by that time. The population on this side of the hills is about 40,000 ; that in Westland not much less. Considering the vast creation of wealth by the goldfields it is not perhaps too much to say that the population may exceed 200,000 by 1877. That is allowing a very liberal increase. The question is, would not railways with a three feet or three feet six inch gauge, and with engines capable of drawing twenty or thirty tons on a level, do all the work required by the population for the next ten years. To settle this question it is necessary to have accurate returns of the existing traffic. We believe such returns were compiled when the extension of the line to the Bakaia was contemplated, but they were not published. If, as we hope, steps may be taken for forming a company to construct a railroad to Kaiapoi, the first step would be to obtain an accurate account of the present traffic. Until that is done it would be impossible to say with certainty whether any railway at all would pay.

Action ! Action !! Action !!! — (See yesterday's " Lyttelton Times.) —In obedience to the appeal so energetically addressed to them in the columns of the " Lyttelton Times," the friends of Mr Moorhouse held a public meeting yesterday evening at the Sawyers' Arms, Fapanui. About ten persons were present. Mr Moorhouse himself did not appear, and after waiting for a quarter of an hour, che meeting dispersed.

Accident. —An accident occurred yesterday morning on. the Yictotia bridge to a horse belonging to Messrs Cresswell and Chissnall. The horse, ridden by a boy, had just been watered, and when upon the bridge the shaft of a passing cart, belonging to Mr. Mem, came into contact with the animal, passing completely through it. Mr. Hankins, the veterinary surgeon, on being called to visit the poor beast, ordered its immediate destruction. It was valued at upwards of £40.

Pbesbytebian Chttech. —To-morrow (Sunday evening), the Rev. Charles Fraser proposes giving some account of his recent visit to the West Coast, and of the exertions that have been made in connection with the Presbyterian Church to obtain a settled pastorate.

Kiccaktok Road Boakd. —A meeting of the ratepayers of the Riccarton district was held yesterday at the Plough Inn. Mr. Shand occupied the chair. The meeting was called for the election of two members of the Board. Messrs. Tisch and Nantwill were the only persons proposed, and were consequently returned without a poll being taken.

Publicans' Booths. — The Bonifaces of Chrietcburch are reminded that the two booths under the Grand Stand, being the only sites for furnishing "creature comforts" to the expected three thousand visitors at the forthcoming grand steeplechases, are to be sold to-day, at twelve sharp, by Mr. Barnard, at his repository.

Futb Abts.—We beg to draw the attention of euch of oar readers as may have the means to indulge in a. taste for art, to productions of a far higher class than we have hitherto met with in Canterbury. We invite them, with Mr Schaw's permission, to his studio adjoining the Mechanics' Institute. We may particularly mention some very charming miniatures, and a very pleasing and highly-finished water color of a girl in a Spanish dress. Aβ an engraver, Mr Schaw's name ha* been long recognised, and his last work, evidenced in a proof copy from a picture of Noel Paton's, stands as a very good diploma of hie standing as an artist at home. The subject is one of a lingular and sad tenderness —the death-bed of a girl, beside which kneels her lover absorbed in agony of grief. An open arcade above the couch admits a back ground of a rocky bay, sympathetically overshadowed by an evening sky, mid which a star sheds its mournful radiance. The treatment of the picture is eminently poetical, and the engraver's rendering thoroughly artistic. Some very taking little country sketches of .English scenes struck us aa particularly eligible for the walls of our country houses. On the easel we noticed a companion picture to that of Oxford terrace, now to be seen at Mr. Cook's shop, taken from Hagley park, where the college buildings form a picturesque feature with the ever lovely Port hills for a back ground. We understand Mr. Schaw proposes disposing of these pictures in a raffle, and we can very confidently recommend a venture of a very little to obtain the chance of securing these mementos of our local scenery.