Mr. STEVENS'S PROSPECTUS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume II, Issue 182, 6 August 1867, Page 3

Mr. STEVENS'S PROSPECTUS.

To the Editor of the Nelson Evening Mail. Sir —lv reading the Evening Mail of Saturday last, it struck me that you were hardly dealing altogether fairly with Mr Stevens and his Railway Prospectus. You surely don't expect Mr Stevens personally to make a thorough exploration *and survey of the proposed line of route, though, as a matter of course, he should be in possession of the fullest information as regards the character aud features of the country. You seem to ignore the fact of Mr Stevens having made it one of the conditions in his proposals to the Government " that the Government shall furnish a proper survey of the country through which the road shall pass," or words to that effect. There are several routes through which a railroad might be made to the West Coast, notwithstanding what many people say as to the inaccessibility of the country, though the question as to what shall be the route is, in my opinion, simply a matter of detail, and certainly a question on which the Company would insist on determining. It is but natural to suppose that they would wish to construct the line, so as to offer the greatest facilities for connecting this province with others at some future time; and if this were the idea, it is by no means certain that the best route to the West Coast for the grand trunk line would not be by passing the watershed in the Big Bush, and following up the Wairau river through the gorge to the Island Hill valley; thence by a very easy gradient to Lake Tennyson; thence by a level country to the southern arm of the Waiaa to the main river: whence the railway might be taken by easy gradients through to the Grey on the one hand, and by a comparatively level road to the Hannier Plains on the other, without the necessity of going over a range 1500 feet or 3000 feet high. You are perhaps sufficiently acquainted i with the country to know that a level \ dray-road already exists from the Hanmer \ Plains through the Amuri district and the Canterbury province to Otago. From my knowledge of the country;, I think I am in v, position to say that a railroad to connect

Nelson with the West Coast, or even Canterbury and Otago, in an engineering point of view, is not the chimera you and many others seem to think it. Whether or not it would pay as a speculation must remain an open question till proved; and whether Mr Stevens can or cannot get us the necessary capital for a railroad to the West Coast must also remain an open question till he has had the opportunity of trying, which he appears quite willing to do at his own risk and expense ; and I really think, Mr Editor, you have not yet shown just cause why he should not. I am, etc., W. August 5, 1867.