ROTORUA AND WAIKATO RAILWAY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6270, 21 December 1881, Page 4

ROTORUA AND WAIKATO RAILWAY.

The following communication is from the same gentleman who wrote on the subject in our issue of the 14th November :— You favoured me some time Bince with ths insertion of a communication respecting a proposed new route for the above line, and I have waited until now to see if it would provoke any other reply than that of Mr. J. Stewart, of the 14th. Considering the fact that some of the parties interested had determined to offer a boDus, I cannot but allow that Mr. Stewart showed very good grace in accepting the position, although I still maintain my opinion that it is contrary to professional procedure as judged by the Home standard. If Mr. Stewart is conversant with, or has not forgotten Home usage, he cannot bat remeuxber that it is quite usual upon railways which are called promoters' railways for contractors to supply their own engineers. I can name one notable instance among many, that of Sir Charles Fox. Mr. Stewart soys, " The method proposed by your authority would not be found to work well," because it is agreed that the survey of the sections of the line will be difficult, and hovr then could many tenders or much competition be obtained for the construction if each contractor had to make his own surveys by his own engineer? This, from a Government point of view, I admit would appear feasible, if we were not aware of the fact that Government work is job work, and as a rule costs 20 per cent, mere than what private engineers would be glid to take it at. More especially is it a fact because capital in Auckland is now plentiful, and there is no doubt that there are many capitalists who would back any engineer or contractor, in whom they had confidence, to the amount necessary to carry out this work. A bona fide contractor will have no difficulty in obtaining the service of a bonafidt engineer, and there are many men in this colony who will be found quite prepared to spend the necessary money, and then await the issue.

Secondly, with respect to the northern terminus. Mr. Stewart not only doubts, _ but throws discredit upon your correspondent's statements. He Bays in his letter that it is impossible to save 20s per ton on freight, considering that the freight on the 100 miles between the terminns or junction of the Kotorua with the GoTernmeiit line and Auckland, will, under the present tari£f, be only 16« 4d for agricultural produce. The present tariff to Hamilton from Auckland, 15J miles less, is 14s Id for this cWss of goods—that is, 2d per mile per ton—so that even his 15s 4d should be 16a Bd. But Mr. Stewart forgets that this charge is for parcels only of two tons and upwards, and that the charge for lesser quantities at prssent freights would be for the hundred miles within a fraction of (3Jd) three pence half-penny per mile, or say 29s per ton. But these freights are for agricultural produce, artificial manures, flour and bran only, and that in the case of groceries, the freight from Auckland to Hamilton is at present 45s per ton, and for sugar 38«. Now, with the proposed junction of the Kotorua railway 16, or I should rather, to speak correctly, say 18 miles distance beyond, it is hard to see how, according to the present tariff, the Government can convey freight to that point, as stated by Mr, Stewart, for 15s id per ton.

That gentleman has evidently, for the purpose of public gratification, picked upon one point in the tariff rates, which would, to the general public who are not liable to the infliction, appear reasonable. But it may be asked, in the interests of the future settlers of Patetere, if they are to become simply the factors of the middlemen or local storekeepers. In the ordinary course of events, there can bo few settlers dealing direct with Auckland houses who will require bran, oatmeal, bonedust, and flour to the extent of two tons at a time. According to present rates, the charge for anything under two tons of this class of goods is at the rate of 23a 4d per ton to Hamilton— what then will it be to a point 16 or 18 miles further. Considering that water carriage has always and will be always enabled to compete advantageously with railway traffic, I can bnt Btill adhere to the assertions contained in my former communication, and further, if the demand is sufficient, steamers will be constructed which will not only carry the goods but effect a considerable saving in time from the junction of deep water on the Waihou river proposed in the article of the 13th inst. to Auckland, as against the present proposed railway scheme which would traverse the Government line via Waikato. From Auckland to the Thames was done by such Bteamers as the Golden Crown in the old days in 4 hours, another 1J hours would be ample with the latest improvements.

A committee has been appointed in Dunedin to receive in a suitable manner Bishop Moran, oa liia return from Europe.