THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7781, 7 February 1891, Page 6

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

. .*» PROGRESS OF THE WORK.

(Bt Otjr Special Rkportkr). The work of constructing the Midland Railway is going on steadily, and.most people would be surprised to see how far the work has progressed. • Nearly all the earthwork needed for the Springfield section has been done. The bridge for the Kowai, now being built by the Messrs Anderson, will shortly be erected, and the bridge for Patterson's Creek, in the Walmakariri Gorge, will soon be commenced.

On the West Coast the No. 5 contract, or the section between Ahaura and Totara Flat is practically finished, and the ballasting there will soon be completed. The section between Totara Flat to the Little Grey, or Mawheraiti, is making good progress, and that from Mawheraiti to Square Town is being pushed on steadily. The difficulties with regard to slips there have been practically overcome, and good headway has been made towards opening out the tunnel oo the south slope. Between Kaimata and Lake Brunner the Stony Creek section has been completed, but the larger works there have been stopped on account of some difficulty with regard to the deviation round the northern shores of Lake Brunner. At the Nelson end of the line from Belgrove the work of construction is going on rapidly. Much of the earthwork has been completed, and the mouth of the main tunnel is being opened out. With regard to the section between Belgrove, at the end of the present Government line from Nelson, and the Motueka Valley, Mr Wilson, as representative of the Midland Railway, offered to complete it quite soon if his Company were allowed to use the Abt system over such places ai the Spooner Range Pass —a pinch well-Known to travellers between the Owen and Nelson. This Abt system has been growing steadily in public estimation since its introduction and there are many arguments in favor o.? its use. For instance New Zeala ders expect that the Midland railway will be greatly used by tourists who wish to see our Alpine scenery. If tunnelling is much used the tourist will frequently have to look at dim oil lamp 3, while he breathes smoke and cold air, and whilst" going through the tunnels will miss all the finest sights on the line. The Abt system would carry the same tourist over all the high places, and allow hlrn to command a continual view of the surrounding country. Besides this the cost of construction would be greatly reduced—a most important argument in its favor, as it will permit the Company to carry at cheaper rates, because they will have a less outlay of capital to pay interest on. Mr Wilson made the valuable suggestion that the country between Arthur's Pass and the Taipo River, containing the Olira Gorge and some of the finest scenery, should be set apart *_s a public park after the fashion of the Yosemite country in America. Then not only would the : beautiful forests be preserved, but a fine holiday resort would be secured for the community. Owing to its rugged nature, this part of the country is valueless for : settlement, and, owing to its natural j beauty, it should be preserved iv its natural state. Reserves could be set apart for hotels or boarding-houses, and the public would feel that it had a right to picnic there whenever it chose. There is no doubt that the tourist traffic will be a most important feature on the Midland railway, and if people will journey from Melbourne to Sydney for tbe purpose of seeing the zigzag over the Blue Mountains, they ought to travel from Australia to New Zealand for the sake of seeing the Abt system in the Southern Alps.