SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVI, Issue 5638, 11 December 1879, Page 6

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAYS.

[The following is the portion of the Public Works Statement omitted from our report , yesterday] :— I Nelson toGreymouth—lt is intended to call for tenders for a section at each end of this line, and carry on the Greymouth harbour works more vigorously than ciicumstauces have rendered it possible during the past year. Greymouth to Hokitika—The continuance of this line will be kct steadily in view. Westport to Ngakawaa—The Buller protective works will be completed, so as to insure the whole district as well as the railway, agvn3t the encroachments of the river. There is every reason to hope that very shortly coal mines in this district will be in full working order, and the expenditure incurred on this line turned to profitable account. Picton to Hurnnui—ln addition to completing the line to Blenheim. A section to the Southwards to Awatere will be surveyed and advertised for contract. Hurunui to Waitaki—The main line through the Weka Pass to the Hurunui Plains will be completed and the stations at the large centres improved. The branch lines to the upper Ashburton, Little River, and Opawa will also be proceeded with. Canterbury Interior—Three sections will bo gone on with, namely, one at each end, one southwards from the White Cliffs branch. Waitaki to Bluff—Further station accommodation will be provided at the principal centres and increased wharfage at Port Chalmers. The branch lines from Oamaru, Livingston, Palmerston to Waiteino, Clutha to Catlin's River aud Edeudale to Toitoes will all be.proceeded with. Waipahe to Hcrriott Burn—ln order to facilitate the opening of the line to Tapanui, and thereby place the district in easy communication with a market, it is proposed to assist the contractor in the completion of his contract. Parliament will be asked to empower the Government to make arrangement with the contractor, to ensure the completion of this work. O.'ago Central—Tenders will be advert'sed for further contract ia continuation °f Wiuga'ai and Hindon sections. This will finish the heaviest works to the Taieri Gorge, and bring the line into the open country of the Sutton district. Western Railway—The works on these lines, from Otautau to Nightcap, Lumsden to Marawa, and Rivertou to Orepuke, will be steadily carried on. East and West Coasts—This line will not be lost sight of, and while no special portion can for the present be begun, the surveys will be continued during this year. Hitherto only preliminary surveys have been made, and even these have not been completed on the routes which seem to present the greatest advantages. In the absence of the fullest information, it would evidently be impossible to give a trustworthy estimate of the cost of the undertaking. I have abstained from burdening the above proposals with details of the mileage and cost of the various works to be undertaken, but very full information will be found in the table No. 2 attached to the printed statement. This table is intended to form one of the schedules to the Immigration and Public Works Appropriation Bill, in compliance with the provision in section 9 of the proposed Public Works Act, 1879, and this bill, it adopted, will prac- , ticably provide the guarantees which ought | to have been obtained by Parliament in the Railwa}' Construction Act of last year.