A SOUTHLAND RAILWAY PROJECT.

Press, Volume XXX, Issue 4094, 10 September 1878, Page 3

A SOUTHLAND RAILWAY PROJECT.

["Southland Times."] The public works statement, and papers, reports, and tables attached to it, constitute a voluminous State pamphlet of ninety-two pages foolscap folio, set in small type. It contains a fund of useful information, and a few rare things hidden in its recesses are only to be discovered by dint of olose searching. One of these is the following clause in the report on the railway surveys of the Middle Island by the engineer in charge, Mr W. N. Blair.

" In connection with the Gatlin'e Eiver end IMrOie branches, and ftflofchflf bunch that the Prarmotal CK>TerozQent o£ Otago intended Of the country woald not be better served by making in.teaJ. one through loop line Ir6m Green Hill on the Bluff Kailway via Toi Toil and Cafclin's River to the Clutha. Suoh a line would open up a great extent of rich agricultural and timber country. It would afford communication in. both directions to the districts traversed, and shorten the journey from Dunedin and Ohrletehuroh to the Bluff by fifteen or twenty miles. So far as can be ascertained without a regular survey there are no serious engineering difficulties in the way of its construction, the only doubtful part ii about twenty miles in the Tautuku Forest, not yet explored." A precious proposition truly, that in the face of exiiting facts, of which the already constructed line from Invercargill towards Dunedin is one, may be classed amongst engineering vagaries. No Government in iti senses, much lees one like the present, that plumes itself upon its economical leanings, would dare to squander public money in the construction of a duplicate main line of railway, for the sake, amongst other rtasont, of shortening the distance from Chrietchurch to the Bluff by fifteen or twenty miles. Another reason i< opening up rich agricultural and timber country which we may remark.is a great deal more " timber " than "agricultural" and will require lots of clearing to prepare it for the advent of the farmer, and which would be best dealt with by tapping by branch lines, one of which will be the branch from Edendale. Apart from this, however, the construction of such a line involves the diverting of traffic from Invercargill to the serious detriment of the town's interests. The proposition is a deliberate iniult to this community, almost equivalent to Br stab in the dark, which we are glad to see is to be promptly challenged and resented. We perceive that the Mayor has been called upon to convene & public meeting to consider and discuss the question, and we hare no doubt that an unanimous expression of opinion will be elicited that will induce the Government to pause before it pledgee itself to such a hair brained scheme as that pro* pounded by the Engineer -in-Chief of the Middle Island."