The Clutha and Mataura Railway

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue I, 1 October 1874, Page 5

The Clutha and Mataura Railway

DEPUTATION TQ SUPERINTENDENT.

On Mont ay a deputatiori waited upon; his Honor the Superintendent in reference to the route. of the Olutb^' *nnyd y I^taura. Railway. Among those present were' Messrs. Tolmie, M.H.I*., J. M'Neil and D: Henderson, M.P.a-*s, A. G. Begg, H> F. Hardy, Robert Banks, John SomeryilleV David Whytock, and Captain M'^enisie. Tbe deputation was in traduced, by ' Mr. Thomson, M^Hiß.i who explained that the gentlemen had ,been7api pointed a. deputation by a recently held meeting to wait upon his, Honor regarding the proposed deviation df the Clutha and Mataura line, their <ob*ect -being that he should bring tbe m^ttyr^ofgcially nndar.tbe;: notice of the ©enyrarrGoWrnmepti \Jr3e* further explained tbatMr. Brunton made a flying survey ofitheline.- It was originally: understood that its. route would he by'wayi of -Waitf peka, but when he^^TTHoiiisp-B^ returned from 'iVvrellmgt6n^iie r t4''xiyW" J S : ' letter i'toia. Mr. Brunton, of whwh the ioUo*iit>g was a cppyj-r- -':.-y- : S>>yAt,(\ ' ■ ' " «- ,Worits Office, InvercarrflJ, i ■--■-• ' <' ■ -' 25th A«gU«t,'1874i'-' : > .,&H V..?'- :*■ J. W\ Thomson, E50..,".-': .1 ly „'■ -*y&\, y v , --.'.. v '• Dear * Sir,— l have : aficurate surveys " made fbir 4 .railway diversion, as recoiraaended by -ybd to the Hon, the Minhte'r'for Public'^Vorks ; also, In your.' iavo'r to, myself, 23rd* Dece'mper, 1873. I find the.diversion* will be about three quarters of- a mile. longer t,hah the original' line M set ont;' TJrlJl efftattl .extra expense' in" ear fft works: "f6Ti he extent 6f~; Ll2'ooorahd much steepjer^gramerits iwill be' re-; , quired." 'As, ,in time, there Ib sure to b« a branch fine* rpnping,- tc7 Port;:M6lyneux, ; ,wo*nldGnrt; that? . glve'mdjit bt the settlers who woald 'be*, aoeommo- ' datesd by the .diversion 'aHSthV advantages' tliey require; as I Cannot see my way t© recommend suchan increase of expenditure ? ....-••.-* yy'_ ''"■•' - -' • -"J.W.^T-sjaw-** ; ] Jl would therefor© lsssl& i-

line by way of Waitepeka would be onr*/ three- quarters "of " a ■*, mile, longer' than by ■^: , WM>'«*--B&--iSfl^i^^«Wa as to, the two other objections, that there would be an v extra ejqierisVaq-regarded the earthworks 'of L12,a00, L and' thai the gradients 5°™ d be steepen .the settlers acoaainted' with ! the;'ldcalitv7^yj^^i^^^^il^^- :. ,w^s '^flying survey, the data da v which ,Mr. Brunfeon ha* subuiitteli - W*i^a^ T*? J Wr*-> garded the !r .€xtrar;expens^^jMid;;- sleeper gradients. The lineal it camp by way of 'Waitepeka worild be ctf (mriier^e^ &vanffiJ o the^settlera & the-Pnerua, .South k? a ; ,*«, ai # . X*- re i- a v; if it.wept that way, the line wbrildcateh'tfie' traffic, and trie receipts be much larger * than^trfey w<*mld be btberwiae, If,, or* the^otheE haad^the railway went near balclutha, it would, entail, .feven ; to the: nearest; pettlers,* a distance of fron} five, tp, six miles extra carriage, which Was 'a* serioriV- Waiter. A large proportion also of the carriage^ouUl g^Sm&M™® '*» « vJwHpiior had well consWredV and be perfectly understood the matter. Of ,co»rg,«j it was.a matter with whj(*£ the Provincial Government had nothing whatever to do. The railway J was being made by the General Govei-nmept^but stood tb,e deputation were applying to tbe General Government in the matter "by petition^ and, so far is any^ inftueripe he. (the Superintendent) could bring to' bear wsuls go, he would be happy to follow up the representations of the deputation by writing to the general Government, strongly urging that the line should go by way of Waitepeka. He understood that the adoption of that course would bring the bulk of the actual settlers at least four miles nearer the railway than if *t was taken by way of thelFour-miie Creek, t J Mr. Henderson : More than fbur miles. I think. -..',' •• ■ •••■ , -

His Honor: Well, that ought to £c considered a strong recommendation in support of yotar petition. ' 7 ' "_'--' Mr. Henderson said it was doubtful whether there would ihe a station nearer than Balclutha, which, ; would niakp the distance seven to eight miles. ' '" ' ' - \ His Honor remarked that there was no question as to which route should \>e' | adopted, and he would, of course, make a, strong representation in the matter. It also appeared to be in .the fortunate position that by adopting the recommendation of the deputation nobqdy would he injured. •••.<-.= -■- - ... ... .. * Mr. M'Neil : And the additional traffic gained by tapping that portion of the district alludedto will more than compenr iate for the outlay. „ Mr. SomerviUe wa£ understboaV to say that the carriage of the goods which be sent to Dunedin annually amounted to L6OO. *" *'■'*' A member of the deputation also reminded his Honor that by taking the railway as.^proposed by 'the deputation' there would be considerable tra% gainefl in fhe coal trade. ' His Honor : Just so ; those are the - paints to bring out, and those are the things I shall make use of when -writing to the General Government. ''.'.".-'•'. Mr. Thomson saicf it also appeared, from the direction of' the roads at; Waitepeka, al| Jea#pg as they did to, a point, that there must be a station (there some day, so that there would be no e?tra expense on jhajs account. . .. . •* • His Honor : Are you sure it is proposed to alter the route of the line ? Mr. Thomson : Yt-s • the surveyors &]*s on tbe ground making a new survey — a correct survey of the route by way of the Four-mile Cre,ek. ' '' His Honor having again promised to communicate with the ..General Government, the deputation thanked his Honor, - and withdrew.. , . .*...", \" 7 The following is the petition for presentation to the General Government :— « To the Hpn. Edward Klchw-asori; Minister of Public Works. V yhe meiftbrlal of settlers ny Warepa/ Waitepeka, ' Puerua, South Clutha, and Ahdrlrl districts humbly showeth — "' "' ' •'

, "That your memorialists -have learned with regret, Irom a letter addressed to their representative, James yv. Thomson, Esq., by William Brunton,, ICaq., District Engineer, that he cannot recommend the construction of the Balclutha and' Mat'auf a line - -of railway by way of Waitepeka Valley. ' • ,r • , ' "That, in regard to the objections raised by Mr. Brunton against the Waitepeka route, "that -ft will r b'e about three-quarters, of a mile longer than th<* original aft Bet out,' your petitioners are of opinion jthat this Is not a valid objection, considering the great advantages that would result to the district in which your petitioners reside,' and ' the larg£ revenue that would accrue to the railway by'lthe adoption of this route in the increase of traffic, '«■ That your petitioners do not desire to arguewitli Mr. Brunton the various points raised by him, hut, ii-bra the general knowledge which your petitioners have of the Jive of the two routes, they' should expect ,that the earthworks by way of -Waitepeka route "would cost considerably less than by the other route, and that the gradients would' b* easier. Your petitioners, therefore, are unable tb understand why the Waitepeka route will entail extra expense' and earthwork to the extent "of 11-12,500, and muck steeper gradients. ' ■' •' ThatTeveft gtanu>g r th4^ th,f line by'iway of * Waitepeka' would. cost more than by ths original ■ route as set out, which, however, -your petitioner*-^"* are' not prepared ,fo admit, yet, considering the. traffic by way of Waitepeka. route would be very much larger, than by .the., EourJnil*'..' Creek, - v -.the ' Government would be amply Jiiatlfled in 'incunirig ' extra expenditure. -.■,;.,-,, -A-yr( '-»•; y---.- .'< That your petitioners believe that by the route of which the- flying ,survey.4s7made ffi!iere v w.ill be numerous sharp curves, whilst by 1 way of -Waitepeka there iWU^e few if aay curyes. : "'™'Ty'' 'i ,?T ,"-" < .?'That-'the-roate'*'laß , *.brt}^hally''Bipt out' passes ' through a district in which thereiftre few settlers, 'ftp land^beiiw ocenpied chiefly for .pastoral pur- „, poses, wMlst^the line: takes the; W^^ ;i it ; wi*l c catch,-the, trafflo not only ot thY Warepa. . Waitepeka, aad Paen^lHßtrictiC s *hut;Bf?the Districts beyond, in the dirwttohxpfPotf- Molyneux "fin>l CatlhVs BlveTyDlstHot^«To ! thMe^lM»td-jto^ proves very advantageous, vl t brines railway' com- r frunicatloa six(infl^ nearer to themr *^r *-"» w! .* ' M ' J^pM^^M^h^mephuM *^ h^A t - w *^.P"'?P^ d *- w ■t«t*lon>liouiabe€r«sked •-f&i^¥- ?^'*^--- ,^i <^ a^ fttuatedfthaf th'p T whole traffic Of the surrounding Districts woiiid naturally flow to each »t*WnW%&Wy, y^ ,^Thafc,urflM!K%^ ths greater partol theselMitrfcS will go 'Dpieal-fflh at present, and therefore, because o* distance from ' K ■ ■ *1i - T hat/ whilst many pf yo-» p<tlticm*&: enjoy the of wa^ ea-^Mertyet conßiderihe the vinooDVenienees ; «onpeeted with' jffi'mewf&.wti' ■yey-uw^bttldmn^-ft^ way cbmmunicijlbn. -. Si-^^^yZyr^^y^B:'.r j ; ■. moat of the settlers :Wbo woula?b>7a^mmodatfed '"-:-''? bylthe divers onslisthe adwtage«7tbey reaulre? Such a branch Una would b^oC^twt^hift^rWitff^^ the scttlers-of W'f^^'-W^^^oi4^S^^ • Diatrf&aj lnumaeh ■^uUm^mMSS^^M^; paw..thrQugh,ornw.itfd>lM^ • '-.That f^~peti^nmfm\io^m^W^^^'M : '" wveroment^e-rea^na^ and the way in which^W^miti^'^M-WjMS.y - pel^.\Valfey tos^-7;apTa'TO :-miralcatid^by^'^gtn''^'^^^'^^^^l^^ ea>bled , to go. Ma7/fon*eit&:t-ra jrou|r^s^it7^>te;aK>^ «W-ahd^^^ ;f|tt|^y7l-*^ I , JTp : iihe^menioKiß^^^PaiiiiKiM'^^^^^