THE WAIAU RAILWAY.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16462, 4 March 1919, Page 7

THE WAIAU RAILWAY.

"*0 TTTE EDITOR OF "trE TRESS." Sir, —Weird and wonderful are the ways of tho Public Works Department. Should any of your readers doubt this statement, let them come to Waiau and make enquiries concerning the Culver-den-AVaiau railway extension, and thoy will assuredly bo convinccd of its accuracy. Some time back in the far distant past this railway was authorised after long nnd porsistent agitation on the part of the residents. Three and n lmlf years ago the rails had boon laid to a point some two miles out of Culverden. Hope wa« high in tho breasts of those who had lived for so lone; in what is commonly termed the "back-blocks." Onlv eleven miles! No engineering difficulties in the way! Suro'v in about twelve months' time we will have our cherished ra'lwny! But, oh, how slowly, how very slowly, less by far than a

snail's pace, did those rails wend their wcarv, weary way towards W.tt length, however, the lme reached its terminus, and hopo, which had _ , died, sprang into life again- But much work-and work. in tho hands of thO Public Works Department takes an alarming amount of time—had to do performed in the station yarid be buildings could bo erected. Ana 6om of the gravel here was of snch a doi " cato structure that it had to be removed in a barrow. "What a shame i would have been to crack some of those beautiful pebblos by rough handlingl And so the months paesed by, but the lino was nearing completion." Then timber arrived in tho yard; carpenters appeared on the scene; and quickly two structures, a goods shed and a railway station, roso into being. That tho Public Works Department discovered, when the station was almost comnletod, that it hnd planned tho building too small, was a mere incident. Hero was set an oxamplo of liow work should bo done, hut it would never do for the Public Works Department to copy that example. It must perform its work in its own way. Mennwhilo an engine-shed was being erected of parts brought from another pi arc. But what a contrast! Slowly it rose into shape, and then, as it would have been a crime to shut out tho pure air and tho glories of tho honvons abovo. it was left for months without a roof. Most things como *o an end. but. never the tardiness of the. Public Works Department. Now, tho residents had something to wonder and marvel at. They had. a railway station, they had a goods shed, not to mention the roofless ongino-shed, and they wero left in calm and perfect peaco to Anew these wonderful works of art, and the road to tho railway station became the favourite Sunday afternoou "constitutional." But tho novoltyworo off. No longer was tho station yard an. attraction, so it was desorted by tho residents, and tho birds wero left in unmolested chargo of tlio buildings, and a most congenial nesting place thoy found them. Again tho timo had arrivod for the Public Works Department to proceed a little further. I'onders wero called for tho building of tliroo houses, and in timo tlio placo once more resoundod to the tap of tho hammer and the biza of the saw. Theso houses wero quickly erected, but they aroused no intorost, and people marvelled not that thoy remained tenantlusa, and even now they begin to lose their appearance of newness. i The residents now havo a railway, they havo a goods train —sometimes, but tho freights are so high that they almost wish they had tho old carrying days back again. Thoy still travel to , and from Culvordon in the same old. way. and as they gaze at tho railway track they see a waste of weeds hiding tho iron rails. "It cannot be opened until tlio lino is ballasted." Why, a few workmen could have dono the work , in the years that havo gone by with "liarrowsj and the Department has the barrows, wo know. _ Why has it not called thom into requisition? Many times have tho residents been led to suppose that the railway would bo ready for opening at an early date, but the months pass by, and tho years,and the happy day does not eventuate. For many weary years have I lived in. hopes of travelling to Culverden from. AVaiau by train,, and have looked forward to experiencing that inestimable joy before I cross tho Great Divide, but now, alas 1 I almost despair. -In the long years of weary waiting and , longing my locks havo grown hoary, my ardent wish is still unfulfilled, and my feet aro tottering to tho grave. Mayhap my grandchildren, or greatgrandchildren. will exporienco tho -joy whijch lias been denied their aged ancestor. and mayhap, in the dim and distant future, public works will bo carried out more expeditiously. My feel-' ings, sir, overcome me, ppd I must lay down my pen trusting that my children's children may not have to pass to tho Great Beyond'with, such- a terrible disappointment weighing upon them.' — Yours, etc., _ 3 nr»TTTTr tt k T.T> Ci

GREY HAIRS