OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13695, 11 September 1906, Page 2

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

fjio monthly meeting of tho Otago Con. in d Railway League was hefd in Mr Camp, bo l's offioo last night. Mr'W. Burnett pressing. . Also present— Messrs T. ' \V. Kempthoruu, J". Jolly, jmi., uwl 1,. D. ill Ucorgo. Tho following report:)/, wcro considered anil received:— •

From Mr S. S.-'StevonsJClvde, August 11.trogreas mado,.ilnrii|g4lio past.month'cannot by any stretch 'of -imagination bo considered satisfactory, Phitelaying, „ 3 mentioned in my last, has bceft delayed-owing to tho-Miortago " i» up ! l!l f, B ' " ml is "°* virtually at a standsi| i at the Manorburn bridge, about three miles from Alexandra, nod the" ballast \is hnishedto within a few hundred yards of that site. A number of hands were nut off this ' «. ",''■ v, ' Bek a " "'cy could not bo kept. . profitably employed owing to the slqw rate >f 0 progress ..which has-been mado by the. Platelayers. The stesl work for.the ctntto span of th« Maimherikia bridge ji I ~'ridersaw, now completed in Duneiliu, and, will shortly bo sent fonvurd. On the formation works on the Clyde-Alexandra Flat it is verjj eviilon that'the'necessary caro has not been taken by those, responsible for the levels, and ,m-some•'.places tho embankment' has been .•formed at-least BO percent, higher.than was necessary. . A gang of some eight or' ten nien » at presont .engaged in reducing the formation to its .correct, level. To give some 'idea' of tho-amoimt of stuff that has to be shitted k 1 might mention that for four days' work outing, last week this same gang ..barely com-' Pleted two.chains in length of this formation. . «,'is'also repotted that the plans for the Alnttontown viaduct were drawn up from the levels taken at thc.survcy made somb 23 years "go, and that these, have not been verified. Consequently a quantity of the- timbor sent for this job is too stjort to, bo of any sorvice. This work has jilsb'lijen delayed to'some extent' owing to material not" coming to hand as required. A' largor qmiutity of: foncing. standards (somo 20 tons, I.balieve) havejatelv ' been saht up for fencing nlorig.tkb line,, anil tho'samp blundering lnethoijs have apparently beon oniployed in -orderiilg these,-'a? they' are. ,only ,4Jft long, instead of Sift;. of . ■them'.the fences' are thickly stucMed, with 'heavy tothra poits, placed so'closely that only ' two at'the most, and to»«etimo9 : :only ono '•> Btandard. is used between them.. As tliey'are only about. 3in in llib ground,' thoy' might '■' almost as well not ho/the're. .There are many : ' other iiistahces of minor imnort which might lie mentioned, and which' all toiid to' show a ' doplorablo want of'effieiont niaiia'gcmeht by.' thoso in authority. Whether local manage-..-nicnt or the higher authprijies are to lilnmo • is. difficult to'say. hut in the interests-or the • railway line and district it-is high tiiue\Utat steps were taken to make those who are ,to ;•' blame fully alive to the responsibilities of ' their position. It, is no wonder ■ that the ; Public W'orks Department Estimates o'ro so : much higher thuu those of jirivate indivitliials if the saiiie blundering methods aro pursued . by them ih.aH-of theit'uiidertokings. ' , • ; From' JfrA.fl.Thonison.-Penibroke, August J 22 (addressed to Mr Burnett).—l am directed by the Pembroke Branch of the Upper Cluthy. llailwny League to,convey to you its hearty appreciatidn indefatigablo matiner in ..which you have' ably -championed tho construction of the Otago Central to its terminus, 'often .under very odverso cir'ciinistances; and we'sincerely hope that .your labours. will ali uo distant date be crowned with success. We also, thank you forJutro : ctucing the deputation to tho Minister.-of Public Works when on his recent visit to .especially so as our plans fell through- on 'account of the Minister not being able to visit Central Otago. Wo still hold - our regulnr'nieCfiiigs,.and are at present dis--cussing tho advisability of sending, a doputu'-' lion■ to .Wellington, thinking this, may .be a means of bringing our wants more prominently before members.':l suggested at last riiceting that we get .'the reasons' as set out by,-the . Hjwea delegate -to your conference' last Juup printed and a copy forwarded to each M.U.R.;.' and several leagues havo approved of: such a ' sten'-'boing taken.' AVe are experiencing a little, difficulty" in obtaining rebablo statistics, ' but wo hope shortly to oompiie a table which .will speak for itsolf. ..''■; ' ..>'■'"' ' From Mr S, ,S,' ;Stovcns, Clyde, September 7.—There is not milch of interest;tp.repoit re railway construction "during the "pqist mOnfli. .' Last Sunday I made a trip down the tine as far as the Manorhurn hridgo v / 'At tho Clydp station a sjnall gaiig of. men aiul 1 two or throe tcaius aro engaged carting the gravel froni the river bank for the. ccn'ienV ; work. A : couplo of hands are also engaged'in fencing off the railway line'iand yard at the bagk of tho town. The.contractors fpr tho buildiims were'up a week 6V two back' inspecting- tho site', "and I -learn front their* carrier to-day that ho expects :to get a start with the material iniabout, a week or ton days' time.. I understand that there is about 500 tons in the'job,, and that arrangements'have" been . made.to deliver 100 10113 per week on tho ground, Aliittonlpwn viaduct work has been resumed after a-'stoppage of about ' \ ' fortnight, and about half of tlio sets of piles are how'btaced np and ready for the top stringers.' I think this work should bo 'completed easily .enough beloto the rails are ■ laid that distance. The gang employed in levelling the formation between Aloxuiidra and Muttontow.il liits completed the worst part of its work. t]io levels at this end being much .nearer the. mark than was the'case lower ♦. down. Very little .'appears to have been dono at Alexandra "station' since,'Uiy lasjt visit, but," pf cqurse, with the exception of tho buildings, fihere.is very litt|c,iequired. Mr, Eraser is, making good ptogi'ess with tho.. Manulicrikjii - bridge "since tho 'material came to hand, anil has got a good portion "of the centre span'in position-. ■ He expects to get finished by the end of next month, barring accidents. One difficulty which he njoy have to contend with will be the spring Hoods in the river, which". •might shift the temporary staging erected in • the stream. .The strong winds which generally prevail at this season are also a source of trouble ,fa. tho''workmen, a couple of days being .lost last, week from this cause. Plate- . laying m» completed to within 2QO yards-of -' tin) ''bridge, and tho Ufd.la.eUng, 'R«y, lwU * mile.Joiver down. This, I understand, has ~.■ since Viceii linished, unci I was informed yesterday that tho bulk 'ot the 'men employed have been discharged, as they cannot get nn to tlio Alexandra-Clyde ' section untjj. the, ' bridge'is'.constructed- Eor your' next meeting .. 1 hope'to be able to report some substantial progress 1 in regard In tho sfution buildings; as the contractors 'appear .to he men who will not let thogfues grow under their feef. Prom lit J. Ci.'Clo>s. Alexandra. September' 7—l have to report that tho rails ate now lajd to..within 201) .yards of- bridge, No. .3 crossing; -and tho'.ballasting is being carried, on flbout a qriarter.jjf' a niilebehind the platelaving. In all likelihood the' plaUlaying will. he completed up to the hiidgo by to-morrow evening. The contractor for the bridge,(Mr Eraser) is now making rapid,, Progress with the' ceiitro span, for, wliich'.'all.tlie iron work js on the 'ground,. A' large-.patt 'of tho necessary.' timber has N arrived on' tlio ground, and the meat of the remainder is at Chatto Creek. Mr Eraser 1 tells me. that is ' up by, the. SGtlvof next month, anil he;anticipates liaying tho wlipje of the work finished • by Ihatj'date. No material for the .station buildjng.haß as yet arrived on the ground.'." ■'■'