REPORT OF THE TAPANUI RAILWAY COMMITTEE.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 83, 10 February 1876, Page 3

REPORT OF THE TAPANUI RAILWAY COMMITTEE.

The report of the Committee has beea forwarded to us by the Chairman foe publication. ■"•'••' <•-«•'• ; "'- , >-' '• ■ « Since its- formation at a public meeting held at Tapanui in . October last^ this Cbmmittee has communicated; liy deputation, with the Provincial Government,- and hasr obtained; thepromise $f the services^ a : •practical e ngineer lo make an immediate survey of the line from Waipahi station, Southern Trunk line, -to Tapanui. It has also collected the following' statistics. "* ' '" ' ' ir ! ; Acreage of freehold land (exclusive 'of Moa Flat "purchase), 73,000. "Prdclainied hundred in course of survey, 51,000. -.IV whole of this 124,000 acres is purely agricultural, and lies within ari average radius 'ot eight miles of Tapanui township, no portion being beyond' fifteen mile's; 1 ' * ' { ~} The amount of annual traffic at present available for the proposed line is as follows : — 2,900 bales wool. 5,000, skins. 300 hides. 2,750,000 feet timber. 1,500 tons merchandise*/ This estiiriateTdoes "not include many items' carried by Settlers, s 7 uch! as agricultural implements, parcels, &c 7 nor' mails and passenger traffic. - ; ; --. The proposed railway would pronde facilities for large export of > grain arid fat stock, which the district is eminently fitted to produce.- . Notwithstanding that the district is practically Without a ' i-bad; extensive improvements "have already been made ori freehold properties j which would be much; increased were there *proper com. munication established between Tapanui and the Southern Trunk line.

The Committee feel justified in stating the opinion 'that-, with a prospect of the itrimfidiate construction Of this line, the large tract of superior- land about to be offered would be taken up by : a great number of people,, which .would materially enhance the prospects of the line. It jvquld also call attention to the fact that -from the level nature of most part of the line, the construction would be : both cheaply, arid "easily performed.' It has abstained from gathering estimates of theractual cost, awaiting the report of the survey. Geo. B» R. Poynter> Chairman.'