The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1867.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 177, 31 July 1867, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. WEDNESDAY, JULY 31, 1867.

We to-day resume our comments on Mr Stevens's Prospectus, and especially with reference to tbe probable route wbich he intends that the railway shall take. We are un ortunately left iv ignorance of the precise route proposed for the railway, but presuming that the Hue is carried down the ßu.ll.sr tothe junction of theluangabua, thence' up" that river, aud over tbe saddle to the source of the Little Grey, and down and tke Grey to Cobden, a branch line will be required down tbe Buller from ,the junction of the Inangahua, to Westport, a distance of 25 miles, over a very difficult country. Should the line be taken up some of the other rivers — say the Matakitaki, the Westport branch would be 52 miles, while on the Maruia it would be 44 miles long. But it may be that Mr Stevens proposes to take the main line down the Buller at once to Cobden. If so, it would be merely opening the valley of the Buller, and branch lines would be required up the principal rivers. When the line is made through to Westport, the relative distance to the principal stations, if we may be allowed the term, will be as follows: — From Westport to the Inangahua 25 miles, 133 miles from Nelson. To the Maruia 44 miles, 333 feet above the sco, 94 do. Tothe Matakitaki 52 miles, 427 feet above the sea, 86 do. To the Mangles 55 miles, 509 feet above the sea, 83 do. To the Roto-roa 70 miles, 1127 feet above the sea, 68 do. To Lake Roto-iti 88 miles, 1881 feet above the sea, 50 do. The above distances are taken from the Provincial Engineer's report on the Buller road, published in the General Goverment Gazette of the 4th May, 1863, aud the heights from Mr Haast's report. We have been unable to discover the height of the junction of the Inanguhua and Buller. From this statement it would appear — aud there can be little doubt of the fact — that if a railway is taken from Nelson to Westport, the interior of the country — by which we mean the valleys of the Buller, Maruia, Matakitaki, Inanguhua, etc. — is made much more accessible from Westport than from Nelson. For in order to reach most of these points from Nelson it is obvious that the distance is greater,, and in each case the whole height — nearly 2000 feet — is to be surmounted, whereas from Westport, the heart of the district, the junction of the Matakitaki, tbe celebrated "Four Rivers Plain" is only 52 miles distant and 427 feet above the sea, so that it is not difficult to prophesy that that part of the country will derive supplies from Westport, aud not from Nelson. Most of our readers will probably agree with us ia arriving at the conclusiou that it is simply absurd to think of bringing coals from Westport to Nelson by railway, a distance of 158 miles, over an elevation of nearly 2000 feet above the sea, when they can be put on board vessels of 300 tons burden at Westport, unless indeed Mr Stevens finds, himself able to realise his promise to carry them at the rate of £d. or fd. per mile to Nelson.

We trust we shall not be deemed impertinent if we inquire whether Mr Stevens has ever visited the country over which he proposes that the railway shall be carried, and if he has not done so, whether he has met with any individual who, possessed of a personal acquaintance with its natural features and therefore with the difficulties which must present .themselves in the construction of a rail-i' way over what appears to be the onlypossible line from Nelson to the West Coast, is yet hardy enough to accompany him to Europe for the purpose of explaining away those difficulties ? ' We shall only make oue more quotation from the Prospectus, and theu leave our readers to draw tbeir own conclusions as to the probable feasibility of the scheme. Mr Stevens says that "the Canterbury province will extend its railway inland before long and that line must necessarily join this line at some central point, so as to form portions of the future Grand Trunk Line of the Middle Island." It is plain, however, that before the West Coast end of this railway can be joined to the Canterbury line a branch must be taken over the backbone of the island, wliich we have good reason for believing is nowhere less than from 3000 to 4000 feet high; that is, presuming that the junctiou with the Canterbury line shall he from Cobden, the recognised terminus ofthe railway — rather a serious elevation for a " Graud Trunk Line." It would obviously be necessary to carry such a line across the same range of mountains which are traversed by the road from Christchurch to Hokitika; and we believe that at no place is the elevation of that range less than 3000 feet. We are well aware that there are amoDgst us many who regard the railway as children do a new toy, aud must have it at all risks. These individuals will, doubtless, accuse us of "crying stinking fish," in pointing out what we conceive to be some of the weak points in the very speciously attractive Prospectus issued by Mr Stevens. We can, however, abide patiently under such an accusatiou, assured that in doing so, we have only fulfilled our duty to the public, and shall no less rejoice if it cau be proved that the inconsistencies and difficulties to which we have alluded can be satisfactorily explained or surmounted by Mr Stevens and those who espouse his project.