ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 552, 7 February 1878, Page 2

ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE EVKNINO MAII,. Sir, —I notice a great (leal lias boon said about tho want of waggons and management on the Oamaru railways to enable producers to let their grain, &c, brought in from the country, but every one seems to have overlooked, or at least, not mentioned the main cause, viz : The total insufficiency of those two railway abortions the Waiareka and Marewhenua lines to do the work intended. Constructed by tho Provincial Government of Otago at an enormous cost in comparison with any other lines in the Colony, they are entirely unable to supply the want of the districts through which they pass with the means of carriage ; within the limits of any reasonable time, nor will it be otherwise, until the paltry rails, sleepers, and fastenings, with which they are laid are pulled up and replaced with material able to carry engines sufficiently strong to do the work. Independent of the efficiency of the lines to do their work, were this done, as a mattei of economy tho country at large would save by the change, as in the first place those one-horse apologies of the Weka, Spicier, and Kiwi class would bo got rid of, and less maintenance would be necessary ; and I fancy it would be very interesting to the public to know what amount of money has been expended by the : General Government on those linos in the ' shape of additional sleepers, fastenings, : ballast, and maintenance since they were ] taken over from the Contractors. That there is a great want of waggons, I do not think anyone will deny, and that to ' some who require their little wants attended to at once, the railway offiqia.ls may appear a little curt or uncivil some- * times when - hard pressed, but to the want of heavier rails and better engine power I think a'great deal of the delay must be attributed. —I am, &0., Observer.