THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS' TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1296, 30 September 1876, Page 21

THE SECRETARY FOR WORKS' TOUR.

Mr Green, the Secretary for Public Works, has made an official tour of inspection of the ' railways and other public works in the Northern parfc of the Province, and trans. , acted a great deal of business, relating to ' Provincial Government masters. 1 Mr Green reached Oamarit on Tuesday • night. On Wednesday he proceeded to the ' Waitaki, and saw various Bettlers wh'a ' waited upon him in regard to local ' require.' ' ments. The settlers whom he mqt were ' chiefly representative men, chairmen of road , boards, members of road boards,- and members o£ school committees. A dispute, between the Government and the proprietor of the land on which some immigrant's cottages are erected wa3 " satisfactorily settled; an arrangement was madd by which on terms agreed upbn ihe cottages are to be removed from off the" , land on, to a Government reserve, In con* ' pection with Mi- Gonyera, he examined the » main trunk line of railway that is tjeing " forked by the Provincial Government irom • Oamaru to ithe, north side of .the : Waitaki. Bridge. . Satisfaction was expressed at: the--', fine order in which the line was, and at the' : manner in which it was being workecl. ' Tie l l l same day he inspected the' breakwater afc ' Oamaru, . and saw several members ' of the Harbpur .Board regarding' matters ' concerning which there ire' : differences '] of opinion as ,to certain '.arrangement's'} had [been entered into, .between]''' the .Board' and the Government. - ,lvi the s|fterno6n, ■ Mr Green visited the extensive '■ harbourw.orks at Kakanui, inspecting the ' 1 Operations that are being carried r on there. • ' Next day (Thursday) Mr Green made an' in*' spection of the Awamoko line, and in Conjunction with Mr Conyers determined', on • < the most suitable sites for sidings.,.' At' tlie , present terminus of that line Mr Green, wia',-' ■met by a considerable, number ,of Settlers, <',' who expressed the wish that the line, should < • be extended for at least another eight' miles, 1 ' 'and that' if the Government could "not ! a'oo their way to consent to the extension, 1 they ' particularly wished that the railway should" J He carried across the Marewhenua 1 in 'timje if " , possible for the accommodation of 'the wool traffic this present Beason. While they w.ere anxious to have the line carried across the river, they hoped'at least if this Were not done that the railway would be made to the river bank. Here Mr' Green listened' to the 're- - presentations of the settlers', and examined' 1 the country over which' the suggested extdn. ' ' sion is to go. On Friday Mr Green pro. ' e'eeded up the Waiareka Railway as far aa the plates, are laid, and also settled as 'to, I where several sidings should belaid on . that . ■line. Subsequently, at the request: joft the proprietors of the land in the Waiareka district, including those beyond the present terminus of the line, Mr Green inspected the country, and took particulars furnished him by land owners, as to the desirability of extending the railway to that portion of the district, known as the Flats. There are some thpuaands of acres of magnificent land there under cultivation, and tbe district will, it is computed* yield 125,000 bushels of grain 'at the ensuing .harvest. . !0n Saturday' Mr Green remained in Oamaru, • in hopes of being able to complete arrange. ' ments for opening the ' Oamaru • and Moeraki section of the line, now in the contractors' hands, and during the day saw several gen. , tlemen on Government matters, some 6t , which he settled, and others he promised to , bring before the Executive for their deoi- ■ ,

sion. > ■ .'..•,,, , Regarding the proposed ' opening- of the Qaniaiu and Moeraki section of the line, ,iti may be mentioned that .'on J Thursday''the ,Mayor of Oama'ru, and some of the council* ' Jors, expressed a desire that Mr Coayers and Mr Gieen should open the line if possible. A' telegram was sent to the peputy-Superinten* , dent, informing him that if the consent of the Golonial Government could be obtained, it , would be advisable that the line be opened • 'while Mr Green and Mr Oonyors wore in the district. The result waa that the Deputy* Superintendent communicated with'tha •' General Government, and received a' reply" that the line might be opened. ' Mr' Green thereupon requested Mr Conyers to" makV", the necessary arrangements, for the opening. l( But until five o'clock on Saturday, afternoon, ,.; 'i\\e District Engineer had received no iin«->.i structions to allow the line to be opened.' ..-. About that time he received a. telegram, 1 ■ 'and immediately forwarded a note to' -M t X Green, informing him that the line could n'6b ' bo opened until ho had leceived 'official 'ip- '.' r ,structidns from the Engiueer-iq-Chiof. " Oa' !'! receipt of that information, Mr Green ar« /,' .ranged to return to town ion. Monday;,,, 'ar.,,',-; .ranging that Mr Conyers should remain ; there during that day in hopes that inatruc , t t{ons might be forwarded to the District ,/ Engineer to have the line opened.' Mr Greea ••reached town lafet- evening, ■ -and' as thfe Gov. -• ej-nment have refused to 1 open the'lineij 'M*' Ooriyers" will probably '"return" to ''tb'wai't'if '' : day.