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Lyttelton Times, Volume L, Issue 5459, 21 August 1878, Page 2

Thbbb seems to be a misconception in the * public mind with regard to the proposed extension of the raftway from Amberley.tetho Vfest Coast.. It is that the proposal must necessarily bo opposed by Otago.- People jiimp to (he conclusion: that because - Otago is striving to get a central trunk railway constructed, therefore Otago must regard the Amberley-Ahanra scheme as'a rivol to that project. It must be boms in mind (bat the two schemes are essentially different in their primary objects. The primary object of the Canterbury scheme is to connect the eastern and western railways of the Middle Island. Ibe Otago scheme was set on foot especially to develop the resource* of the interior of Otago. It grew out of an agitation got up at Ojamam last year for a railway, from l that Nourishing little town to the not far distant mining centre of Nasehy. Palmerston and Dunedin taking the matter up, a contest ensued, which resulted In the establishment of t|o Dunedin claim to precedence. It was decided, in short, that a line from Ontnun (Already connected with Dunedin) up this Stmth-Xaleri Talleyrand scrolls the Maniototo Plain to Naseby would open up more good country than any other'line.ftoitf .fliat tomihg centre to the sea coast. This idea'subsequently developed. It was felt in Otago that there *w|m more country in the interior which an extension of the proposed line would benefit, Id consequence (ho question of extending the line from Naseby by the Manuberikia TpUey to Clyde, and thence by the Talley of i ilje Clutha to theWanaka Lake was , mooted 'iijd introdtitod, ihto j Baritaihltot. successfully iyf Jit -.jiLi-ituiavtf and ilx ■*s*>)» .Xi**-.

Otagans thus adlrmod the aonM gtrueiing through, but for many yean to come tho Otagans arc likely to bo content to develop tho resources of inland Otago without easting >M; pp^ gr^^ frothing; btid lead Mwh¥to.' It II fiUSpQTIGg* interest of Otegotolromtirirefi'm. interior devoTopwnh-^ more or inaa dtsUnt fubuPe Wes Hand if(U' ';SWPS?’ t districts'*bly. two Urwa bt. meantime bo able toworktogetheramioahly.: tohoriwt the advent of * T '' fiii ! developnronl. v

{litanky’s corner ifAfatHWiir plaoo, infamous n the annate of the Canterbury. railway*: taomoqf to: ecablo it t»give theftwfoberofi i»to*tr<?pH'e«. .fHH.’ .hist’ fflffiidSt'', tn ’.<£s neighbourhood:’;Bat'pebpl«;h«vo'aqonfuwd; idea that the ie UiorottbduU ,«tb«V, constantly underwater,or being repaired tp ht 'it' ‘for‘going ' under- water-again. The" Oldest inhabitant, t)nd bis (wo rs% the of railway maolgomkhtj got [t into their'lliads, thaujes ( ttf‘flic engineer*; they thought, r that . railway embank want* in . ' Vieiri!l?y r of - (SKiifWJf'B Tfif., carryrailsatall. That was aseoondary consider, itionnnd an aftcr-thmightr-The-real obJeet' of iriimfaMfrp flcK)ds "iiß : the‘•Waimnkariri. What more natural,ddidrolbret -than to repair ha*te, tho emtanknienUr when damaged Jjy water f ' Tif _ tiio'Viyer'.wastop ttupid'Jto respect tbo fforks of science, it matte : b Jhis eras populftrly sapposed tobethe Spirit { |rbioh governed the" earlier' management of the railways.- ,• The? next ddTW»«i step “ p£a change of' tactics. Tho danisworo to disappear and piling Uldng tboir place. Tbo river was to have free passage triumphant but harmless. Chaney’s corner, however, continued to be inf amous nevertheless. Floods came and way Hue, and tlie cas h from'thO rail way department, - and. the pockets. of .the. lamenting agwoul-r tural interest. tk* attention of Parliament at last* tnd fs curious, state of things wne wmlcd i.bj’ a question., The Municipality of- ■ Xalapoi blamed-the BailWay Engineers because they had built a groin and embanbuients, and tho Railway Engineers blamed the Municipality of ; Kaiapoi because they had constructed soma kind of .protective works. The motiveitof<both were:believed to be excellent, but : through the idiotic; conduct of one side or the other (for they both Agree that one of them clidtit),, the Joed water ia 'conducted periodically oil over a smiling country to reduce it to a collection of sandheaps. At this;stage --Mrßowen asks -for- a; rkurn (or is to'ask for'one) of the. cost of dil this ruin; The knowledge be will.aoquire, if any, will be like .other knowledge, useful. ;But we hope Mr Bowen will' hot stop at this point. The country wants to find-out whether' .these, periodical conquests'of the railway by the'rtvor can-be-put iin- end to j if so, who is tb'blame'fdr their continuance, and-what is to be done to keep them in the region of post history." It is impossible.tonllow authorities; who aro.;empdwer4 by - law to do as they please,: togoon-pelting-ono another: with -reasons, and go calmly ; oh 'each in' -its .own course, while- public and -private - property goea steadily .to tlio.dogs. The case is serious' enough; as tho answers to Mr Bowoh’s ques-' turns will show, to require the services of a Boyal Commission for ifo settlement; - •».