The Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1877.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 409, 20 August 1877, Page 2

The Evening Mail. MONDAY, AUGUST 20, 1877.

We have very great pleasure in giving insertion to the following letter from Mr. Leaky, and the accompanying extract from Mr, Blair's report on the superior advantages of one route to the Interior over almost every other:— RAILWAY TO TILE INTERIOR. To tht Editor of the Evening Mail, Sir,—la justice to me will you kindly publish the following extract from the report of Mr. W. N. Blair, the District Engineer, upon the above subject, as it supports my views regarding the Oamaru Harbour, for the expression of which I have been taken to task by the local Press.— Yours truly, Richard H. Leaky. Dunedin, 17th August, 1577. "[l.] Although I have no hesitation in placing the Strath-Taieri route first, and the Maerewhenua last, or near the last, in order of usefulness, these are the two between which the greatest contrast exists. " [2.] The residents of Oamaru and Naseby have publicly declared in favour of the Maerewhenua route, chiefly on the following grounds—That it is much the shortest line ; that it will take the shortest time to make ; that it will come close to the town of Naseby; that it will bring the interior of Otago into direct communication with South Canterbury ; and lastly, that it will be the least expensive line. "[3.] As will be seen by the foregoing table of distances, the first assertion is only correct to a limited extent, and on the assumption that it is of as much importance to the interior to be connected with Oamaru as with Dunedin. "[4.] It is difficult to accept such a proposition, for an immense expenditure of time and money must still be, incurred be/ore an English ship can lie with safety in Oamaru harbour. ''[s,]We must, therefore, continue to look upon Dunediii as the entrepot for the interior, in which case the Maerewhenua route is the most indirect and inconvenient that can be got. But independently of it shows little or no advantage in distance." Mr. Blair says that—[l.] "Although I have no hesitation in placing the StrathTaieri route first and the Maerewhenua one last, or near the last, in order of usefulness, these are the two between which the greatest contrast exists." Of course the Maerewhenua is the best. Mr. Blair is quite right; and we deeply regret that we acted so unfairly towards that gentleman as to prophesy that he would favour the Strath-Taieri line. We presume that he has placed the Strath-Taieri line first on the list to please the Dunedinites ; but it was not to be expected that he would risk his engineering reputation by giving a verdict in favour of their pet route. He means that " although he has placed the Strath-Taieri first on the list, it is by no means the best." [2.] This seems to contradict the first paragraph. Canny people are the "residents of Oamaru and Naseby," and this is another evidence of the keenness of their discrimination. [3.] Mr. Blair asserts that the Maerewhenua line is shorter than the Strath-Taieri only to a limited extent, and that it would not be shorter unless it was as important for the interior to be connected with Oamaru as with Dunedin. Those who cannot understand Mr. Blair's meaning must be dullards. He wishes to convey that it is shorter and yet longer. [4.] From the construction of the above sentences, we coincide with Mr. Blair that there must have been some difficulties in the way. There is as much time in Oamaru as elsewhere, and ■as to money, there is no lack of that. As Mr. Blair agrees with ug that

ime and money only are necessary n order to afford shelter for English > vessels in our harbour, we may congratulate that gentleman upon his extraordilary foresight. [s.] Of course, seeing bhat the Dunedinites derive pleasure from it. no one would be so cruel as to deprive fcliem of the privilege of looking upon Dunedin as an entrepot. So far as we are concerned, they may view it in all the colours of the rainbow. Certainly, if Dunedin is an entrepot, it would be a little inconvenient to procure Maerewhenua routes there. The above extracts from Mr. Blair's report are evidences of undoubted engineering skill. In the presence of Mr. Blair's report that of Messrs. Thorntok and Bull is as insignificant as a penny rushlight. The latter gentlemen very absurdly took the trouble to travel over the country on which they reported, whilst, perched on a mountain top, Mr. Blair could with the greatest facility discover every difficulty through a powerful magnifying glass.