THE CENTRAL OT AGO RAILWAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 4870, 26 September 1877, Page 7

THE CENTRAL OT AGO RAILWAY.

Wellington, September 7'h. The Central Otago Hailway Committee repotted to-d;ty. After recounting the seven various routes proposed, the report proceeds to embody the following resolutions, which were moved in the Committee by Mr Macandrew, and agreed to :—l. That the route to CromweU via Strathtaieri is unquestionably that which opens up the largest area-of unsold laud avail o i?i 1' Pas-oral and agricultural settlement. 3. That the respective County Councils of laien, Maniototo,:; and Vincent, failing the ! yPlymal Goveriiment undertaking _the work, are prepared to do r so on- condition of a given I area of land being placed at their disposal, arid to hand over the line, when completed, to the Government. ' 4. That a'public con pauy can beat once f orjne.d ■ in.; Dunedin; which , will uudertike to coustruct this line under Government, supervision, provided a concession is made to them of 300,000 acres of land, being about one-fourth the area of the unsold land which willbe tapped by the said railway. '" 5, Ihat it is absolutely necessary, in the interests of settlement, that the work shall be forthwith proceeded with, either by the Counties concerned, or by a private company, and that,'in either case, with a view to accelerate the progress of the work and of diffusing employment throughout the district, the work of construction should be commenced at each end of the hne and at one or more prints in the centre simultaneously. The Committee recommend the construction of the Strathtaieri line to the favourable consideration of the' Government, and, in the event of the Government fahiii"- to construct the line, that a Bill be introduced tins session to give effect to these recommendatlons without delay, which, in the present state of.the labour market, would, in the opinion of the Committee, be injurious, if not disastrous, *o thejjest interests of the Colony.