THE The Northern Advocate. "Sworn to no Master, of no seet am I." SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1893. RAILWAY SLEEPERS.

Northern Advocate, 2 December 1893, Page 4

THE The Northern Advocate. "Sworn to no Master, of no sect am I." SATURDAY , DECEMBER 2, 1893. RAILWAY SLEEPERS.

We publish below an extract from the West Coast " Times" referring to the 1 quality of the white pine sleepers being sent here from that district. An attempt is made to show the Government officials here iv condemning the sleepers are actuated by local prejudices. This is a cowardly charge to iriak'e against officers who cannot defend themselves: they are merely doing their duty. The sleepers aent here from the South would never be passed by any Government Inspector in these parts. These sleepers are not up to measurement, they are sappy and are not square, and some of them actually show signs of rok One has only td look at the sleepers being supplied locally — all heart of totara, Beautifully square and of full measurement— t'd see the great disparity between the two classes of sleepers. The veiy best of the Southern sleepers are not nearly equal to the worst of the local ; in fact no local supplier would dream of asking the Inspector to look at such rubbish. It is scandalous that such sleepers should be sent here and it really looks as if gross jobbery was being committed. Here the specifications say that sleepers shall be all heart, cut square, and of a certain measurement, but these Southern sleepers are mere sticks — small saplings — cutintolengths often 3 or 4 inches under measurement and many of them have portions df the otiter sap updn them. These sleepers cost in the South 2/10 each, lid freight to bring them here and Id railage to works, making 3/10 each, while the best puriri sleepers are being supplied locally at 3/9, or Id less. Totara sleepers are being supplied at 3/, 3/5£ and 3/6. The puriri sleepers at 3/9 are better value than the southern white pine would be at 1/ each. This matter requires an investigation and that immediately, The West Coast " Times " says : — All persons familiar with the nature and excellent qualities of silver pine sleepers, must have been of late gratified to notice that this valuable timber was, through the instrumentality of the Minister of Public Works, being extentively used in the construction of the railways in the North Island. The many thousands that have been brought to the wharves of Hokitika audGreymouth, for both the Commissioners ot Railways and the Department, clearly demonstrates the great appreciation in which this class of timber is held by these experts who are capable of forming a correct opinion of its value and who are not prej udiced by local influences. The few cargops that have left here have been pronounced as of first-class quality, indeed it required no great discernment to arrive at such a conclusion, for, as an extra precaution, each sleeper has been minutely examined by an officer of the Department here before it was passed for shipment. It Vtowever appears tnat complaints are now being made by the District Engineer in Auckland that the " sticks," as be is pleased to call them, are not up to his standard of excellence or perfection. In saying this the official referred to is offering an opinion totally at variance with expert knowledge on the properties of silver pine. Were it necessary, overwhelming evidence ot a " ost reliable character could be obtained to prove the excellent quality of the sleepers that have been recently exported to Onehunga and Whangarei, and consequently no other conclusion can be arrived at hut that the official in auestion, is wrong in his judgment or totally ignorant of the valuable nature of the timber he is condemning. We hesitate to suggest that he is actuated by local prejudices for if such were the case he has overstepped the murk as a public officer and would render himself liable to very severe censure, but, if on the other hand his condemnation arises from want of knowledge of the durable nature of silver pine, then all we have to say is, that he has a lot to learn. Those who know the durable nature of silver pine will agree with us that these self-same sleepers, which are now being condemned, will outlive the rails themselves, and prove a most unanswerable argument of their value despite the opinions of the ignorant and the prejudices born of local jealousies.