POLITICAL RAILWAYS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5949, 20 March 1880, Page 3

POLITICAL RAILWAYS.

The fate of two proposed political railways is thus shown by the Dunedin Star ; Amongst; what we may call, the postsessional Parliamentary papers which hare reached us lately, is the report of the Government Engineer relative to the proposed railways from the Taieri river to Kaitangata, and •from Outram to Clarendon. It nmy be recollected that a certain amount of'pressure was brought to bear on the late Government, in consequence whereof a reconnoisancai survey of these lines was ordered. The work was entrusted to Mr E. 8,. Ussher,of the Public Works Office in this city, who, it will be seen,, has very little to say in favour of either scheme. The line from the Taieri river to Kaitangata is a continuation of the line proposed in 1878, leaving the Green Island branch at Abbott Creek and extending to the Taieri at Hull, vifl Brighton and Kuii ’Bush, The construction ot this was never seriously entertained, as the advantages appeared hy no means proportionate to the expenditure which would have been involved. Mr Usaher estimates the total cost of the line from Green Island’ branch to Kaitangata, a distance of 45f miles, at £267,800, and he remarks thereupon— : : “Before concluding this report I deem it my duty to express an opinion with reference to the prospect there is of this line paying. 1 have now made myself thoroughly acquainted with the country along the coast from Green Island to Kaitangata. and also that portion lying between the coast and the main line. With the exception of a narrow slip of agricultural land, averaging not more than 40 or BOchainsin width, along the coast, I can truly say the country - between this and the Taieri and Tokomairiro Plains is very broken, and nearly unfit for agricultural settietnent. Certainly here and there small farms are, to be found, but as a whole the land is only fit for pastoral purposes. I am not aware of any Grown lands of value that would be opened up, nor any large tracts, of timbercountry. Coal, doubtless, maybe found along the route of the proposed line, but this, together with the probable groin traffic, would not, in my opinion, justify the construction of the railway for, many years to-come.” , ■ The proposed line from Onjtram to Clarendon leaves the Outram branch at Shands, and follows on direct until the main road is reached; thence to the township of Berwick the line generally follows the road. From Berwick to Clarendon the route lies along the shores of Lakes Waipori and Waihola, except just opposite the township of Waihola, where it is a mile inland; The total length is about 18 miles, and no engineering difficulties whatever supervene. The line does not in any place exceed the distance of three miles and a half from the main line, and in many places is within two miles. Mr Ussher estimates the cost of construction at £5260 a mile, or £ysooo, and expresses the opinion that the prospect of an adequate return is not sufficient to justifiy the expenditure of so large a sum of money.