BLENHEIM AND PICTON RAILWAY.

Nelson Examiner and New Zealand Chronicle, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 20 January 1872, Page 13

BLENHEIM AND PICTON RAILWAY.

" Nelson Exuminer," January 6. "We stated two or three weeks ago, that doubts existed whether the above railway could be proceeded with as inteuded, owing to the Engineer's estimate of its cost being greatly in excess of the vote of the Assembly. The Marlborough Express of Saturday last gives the following account of the hitch, and the manner in which it has been overcome :—: — Tho Ministry have received Messi'3. Brogden and Co.'s estimate of the cost of the Picton and Blenheim line, amounting to £106,000 for the whole distance, or from. Picton to the Opawa £96,000, and from thence to the Oniaka £10,000. Our readers will remember that the vote was for £80,00.) only, consequently the amount of the estimate presented by the contractors, and sanctioned by the Engineer-in-Chief, was far in advance, so much so, indeed, as to preclude the further consideration of the .Railway scheme, and it was gravely proposed to substitute a horsetramway! At this stage his Honour Mr. Seymour became informed of the difficulty, who took the wise step | of procuring a copy of the estimate, with a view of ascertaining how far it was reliable, notwithstanding he was assured by persons high in office that the rates were cut down to the lowest possible limit. Upon examination, however, ho found good reason lor believing that they might be reduced by no less a sum than £20,000, as iv the matter of timber, piling, ditching, &<?., distinct offers had been mado to the Provincial Grovernment far below the sums set down ; thus, as an instance, timber was reckoned at 255. which was offered at 9s. 6d. Some of the items look high to us, aa for instance, locomotives, freight and erection only, £300 each j ditto carriages, £200 ; ditto waggons, £20 each. Evidently, although a profit of ten per cent, was charged on the gross amount, prolit prices were reckoned in detail. His Honour called a meeting of such of his Executive as could be got together quickly, and it was determined that, accompanied by Mr. Eyes, he should proc-ed at once to Wellington and have an interview with the Ministry, and accordingly he left by the Eivlcon on Monday evening, having received a telegram from Mi*. Vogel stating that, although going away lo Auckland, he would defer his departure till Wednesday mid-day. We regret exceedingly this sudden hitch in the progress of the matter, and trust our representatives will be enabled to come to a better understanding than, wo must confess, appears likely at prosent. But we feel euro that our readers will agree with us that a horse-tramway, or anything short of the whole line from Picton to Blenheim, would be completely worthless, and it would be better to delay the whole work another year, till the matter could come before the Assembly, than commence any partial scheme. To be beneficial it must be a locomotive railway, and must be carried the whole distance between the two places. The same paper says : — Wo have great pleasure in presenting our readers with the following telegram from our own correspondent. We feel certain that the promptitude displayed by his Honour Mr. Seymour at the present juncture will be appreciated by every member of the community :—: — " Wellington, December 28. " Arrangements for the construction of the railway from Picton to the Opawa Bridge are completed between his Honour Mr. Seymour and tho Ministers. " There is a slight modification in the original estimate, providing for lighter rails and locomotives. " The price ia to be £90,000, of which the Province is to guarantee £10,000, pending the next meeting of Parliament." The arrangement which affords the-Sa;-press such '' great pleasure," only carries the railway "to the Opawa Bridge," while £10,000 more is estimated for bridging that river and carrying the line another half-mile to Blenheim. Unfortunately, in times of flood, this river is a formidable barrier, for although the ordinary channel is spanned by a bridge, this '

cannot at such times be safely reached. The Express had just before stated that the railway "to be beneficial must be carried the whole distance between the two places," but is now content to see it stop on the opposite side of the Opawa. Of course the additional £10,000 will have to be found to bridge the Opawa, and the £80,000 voted will swell up to the £106,000, less such savings as can be made in the general cost of construction, which should be a considerable sum.