THE WAIMEA RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1419, 1 February 1879, Page 22

THE WAIMEA RAILWAY.

Inveroaegill, January 27th. To-day was a red-letter clay for the people of Gore and tho suirounding districts by reason of tbe celebration of un event in which that neighbourhood is particularly juittre-dted, and which is also of considerable importance to the whole Colony, as in Homo measure mm king a turning point in the history of our railway system — the construction of the Waimea Plains Railway by a private company. This line when finished will be the first railway made under tho District Railways Act, 1878, although several lines of the kind have been projected iv different parts of the Colony. The Waimea Plains Railway, as it ib called, will be ;5G.', miles long, extending from Gore, where it joins the main line, to the Elbow, a station on the Invercargill and Kingston line. It will be seen that it will not only open up communication with a large area of fertile land, but that it doe? so at both ends, thus giving additional facilities for traffic. The contract has been let to Mr John Whitaker. The event caused quite a stir at Gore. In addition to the local townspeople and several prominent citizens from Invercargill, the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer (Mr Ballance), ami Mr Horace Bastings, M.H.R., were present, and took a prominent part in the proceedings. The spot selected for the opening ceremony was contiguous to the junction of the proposed railway with the through line, and was marked by those preparations peculiar to ceremonies of the kind. After a few formalities, Mr Whitaker, the contractor, introduced tho Hon. Mr Ballance, who turned the sod in a work, manlike manner.

The Hob. Mr Ballance, saii he had great pleasure in declaiing that the first sod of the Waimea Plains Railway had been turned. New Zealand, he was sure, offered a most encouraging prospect for railways like that they had met that day to, in a manner, inaugurate. The Waimea Plains Railway was likely to be exceedingly successful from a reproductive point of view, the land being excellent in quality and expansive in area, and every circumstance combined to render the railway, when completed, a commercial success. He need not tell them (how earnestly the Govern ment of the day desired that railways of thi3 kind should be constructed by private enterprise as anauxiliary to the work the Government were doing in constructing with Go vernment^ money, borrowed in the English market, colonial linea of railway. Although constructed in the first place by private enterprise, he hoped the day would c<ime, and that it was not far distant, when the Government would be prepared to take over this and similar railways as part of the general scheme. He believed this Hue was the fiist in the Colony to be conbtructol under the District Railways Act ; and this _ fact would draw attention to and create additional interest in the township of Gpre. The 1 ail way would have the effect of opening up a large area of arable land, and would largely increase the value of property. He wished the nilvvay the greatest possible amount of success, and trusted that all who had staked capital on the venture would receive a handsome reward. They should, he reminded them, uot be jealous ot capitalists, for they were necessary to tho welfare of the country, and therefore when th<-ir interest, as in this case, tended in tho direction of tbe general advancement of the Colony, they should wish them every possible prosperity. Mr G. M, Bell then addressed those preaent, eulogising Mr Whituker, the contractor, and Mr Bastings tho secretary t> the Company. Cheers were then given for the Hon. Mr Ballance, Mr Basting.", and Mr Whitaker. Mr Bastings, who nw loudly called for, on coming forward, referred to the energy the Company had displayed m_ prosecuting their preliminary labours, and said that with ordinary luck tbe contractor might bs expected to be able to hand over tho line in six months' time. It had been his opinion for a long time, and he had never hesitaied to express it, that it was a monstrous shame to see those va^t plains occupied by sheep, whilst they were capable of supporting a l;sr o r e and prosperous population. This concluded the open-air proceeding, and the (jnmpanv ftdionrnpd for luncheon.