THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS ON TOUR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2445, 23 January 1901, Page 12

THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS ON TOUR.

•THE PROGRESS OF THE OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY. (By Otib Special Refokteb.) The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister of Public Workß, accompanied by Messrs T. Mackenzie, W Carncross, J. F. Arnold, and A. R. Barclay M.H.R.S, and the Hons. W. M. Bolt and H. Gourley and Messrs W. H. Hales and E R Uesher, inspected the works in progress On the Wedderburn-Ophir section of the Otago Central railway on the 15th inst. 'The section which the Government purposes opening by about the end of June next fis that from Wedderburn, the present terminus (85± miles from Wingatui Junction) to Blackstone Hill, situated on Messrs Ross and Gleiidinino's Blackstone Hill station, on the aorth ride of the Ida Valley, a distance of 13 miles. Between these two points there will be a station known as the Ida Valley station a^out eight miles from Wedderburn. Some little delay has been caused in commencing with the laying of the permanent way on account of a very heavy cutting about a nine long occurring not very far from Wedderburn. Every endea\our has been made by

the department to complete this cutting at the earliest possible date, and for many months past the work has been carried on continuously night and day. At the pie»ent time there remains very little more of the excavation to be don© to complete - it. Platelaying has now commenced, and will be cairied on uninterruptedly throughout the whole section. It is fully anticipated that the line to Ida Valley station can be opened in May, and that to Blacks Lone Hill a month later. Another big cutting occurs at a point known as " the summit," at Rough Ridge, where the line is being constructed at an altitude of 2100 ft above sea level This cutting, as well ac the whole formation right through to Blackstone Hill, is about finished, with the exception of two or three small gaps, and these will be connected before the platelayers reach them. One of these is the pile bridge over the Idaburn, just below the Ida Valley station. At Ida Valley every accommodation in the way of buildings will be erected to suit the requirement* of the traffic ; but Blackstone Hill, being the larger and terminal station for some time to come, will be more fully equipped. From TBlackstone Hill to the Manuherikia River, a distance of seven miles, several heavy woiks occur in the way of large fiiling-in works and rock-cuttings. On this section two iron bridges have to be erected— the Poolbura .viaduct and tiie large

cylinder bridge over the Manuherikia. A contract for the manufacture of the ironwork ' has been let to Anderson Bros., of Christchurch, and the time for delivery is November ' of this year, when the erection of the bridges ' will be at once proceeded with. Two tunj nels also occur in this section, both of which are in 'hand, and it is expected that they and all the other works will be completed simultaneously with the bridges. Particularly hard rock is being met with in the excavation of the tunnels mentioned, and no lining will be required o\ er ami abo\ c the usual half-chain at eav.h end to give a finish to the work. In addition to 1 pushing on the line to the Manuherikit River, the officers of the Public Work* department, recognising that it is the intention of the Government to carry the line into Alexandra in two yeais, are placing | men on the formation works beyond the river, on the way to Ophir. This station will , be 13 miles further on than Blackstone Hill, and the formation ougiit to be finished by the j time the Manuherikia bridge is completed, so that the railway ought to be in Onhir within ,18 months. From Ophir to Alexandra the pegs of the originil survey, many of which have b°en knocked out and obliterated, are being renewed, and it only remains for the Government to fumibh the necessary funds in order to connect Alexandra with Dunedin by raij. in the tim§ mentioned,. The tjmfeej for

several of the station buildings at Ophir is now bemg obtamod, with a view to immediate erection. The assistant engineer (Mr Lewi;-), who is in charge of ths Blackstone Hill camp, will move on to Ophir in two or three months at the latest, and the latter place will then become the working centre. The formation beyond Ophir will probably be started before the winter sets in. The number of men now employed on the line is greater tban it has been for many years, and about 550 are in constant work. It is to be earnestly hoped that the Government will enable the officers of the department to keep all these men on -until Alexandra is reached. The Minister and the party accompanying him left the Ida Valley Hotel early on the 15th inst. in three double-seated buggies. The weather could not have been better. Rain had fallen during Monday night and had cooled the air delightfully, as well as having dispo&ed of all the dust for the time being. The drive down the valley to Blackstone Hill was accomplished without much difficulty or incident. The camp is situated on a slight elevation, just where the railway trices to the hills on the way down to the Poolburn Gorge. There is actually a slight fall in the line from Blackstone Hill to the entrance of the gorge, but the valley slopes away so rapidly that the eye, following the course of the formation along the hillside, is apt to be deceived, and it looks as if there were a stiff grade. The Blackstone Hill camps consist of several small wooden buildings, one being the headquarters of the P.W.D., and two others being the cottages occupied by Mr Ltnvis and his assistant (Mr Cabot) ; a number of tents, and two or three blacksmiths' shops, built of galvanised iron. The place is a hive of industry at the present time, and no light rebponsibility rests on the shoulders of the officers in charge. Here Mr Lewis and Mr Cabot joined the party, Din a start was made for the gorge. The junior member for Dunedin, having commandeered one of the P.W.D. horses, rode forward as an escort. Poolburn was readied about midday, and the tunnels were first inspected. The men are slowly driving through solid rook, every inch of which has to be blasted, and the greater part of the work is still before thpm. One tunnel has been driven^in about two chains and a-half, and the oth<»r about a chaia. After a p-cnic lunch on the hilltop, the party was driven over to a voint on the hill overlooking the Manuherfkia Valley, a loner the proposed route of the line. There the Miuister had a lont? oonsultrtion with the district en?inepr. while tnf remainder sunned themselves on H\e hillside, enjoying the fine view, and awai'ii? the next mow EventualV the l>or : ,es' hpatls were tr.rned homewards, and the Ida Valley Hotel was reached about tea time. On Wednesday morninsc an early start was made for the Eweburn re-ervoir. n*ar Npseby, as the Minister desired to see the reoairnui works in prosress there befnie the train left Wedderburn the same morning. The reservoir is a splendid sheer of water, covering about 60 acres, and ha.' over 50ft of vvnter in the dee-nest part Owing to some defect in tl, o ptnbinicr"'-t. there is a co2.=Merable i leakage, and although ro danger i? antiolvmed, it i<= deniable thit the mitter should be attended to. Mr A. L. Berdmnn, Mayor of Nn^ebv. drove across during the morn ins. Before loavinor Ewehurn a deputation, consisting of Messrs W. Guffie and F. Inder. representing the mining interests at Naseby. waited on Mr Hall-Jone3 in reprard to the waste of wattr in the Government race. At the present time a large quantity of water was being allowed to run to wast<\ ard the miners dcsircl +lie use of t'nis water without any additional cost. Mr Guffie said that the miners found the water very dear. It cost them £1 ncr day to work an elevator for eight hours. but the race was quite capable of piipplvinsr, more water than they could uce in thai time, and they wanted permission to use it for two or three hours pxtra in the 6Sy. They had written to Mr M'Gowan on the matter, but had received no reDlv. The Minister Tenliet! that the matter was not one in his department, but the request seeme-d ren<-onable enouarh. and when he returned to Wellington he would see his colleasue (Mr M'Gowan) ana see if anvthinw could be- done. The drive back to Wedderburn occupifta about three-nuarters of an hour, and the whole party then entrained for Dunedin. ! j DEPUTATION AT IDA VALLEY. I At Ida Vullev on the 14th inst. about a dozen of the settlers took the opportunity of bringing one or two matters of local importance under his notice. Mr T. Mackenzie. M.H.R. for the district, introduced the deputation, and said that they were of opinion that the railway station should be located at Ida Valley instead of at Blackstone Hill. It had been represented to him that Ida Valley was the natural centre, and that the trade from Hill's Creek, St. Bathans, and Cambrians was bound to come that way. Mr F. G.'Harreu. farmer', gave it as his opinion that Ida Valley was a muoh more central place for the station than Blackstone Hill. They also wanted a shed to store goods in when they arrived from Dunedir. There was no road to Blacksto.ie Hill, and it would require to be made for two miles through a swamp, while there was a splendid road to Ida Valley. Mr J. M'Dermott said that it would suit the miners better to have the station at Ida Valley. Mr J. Coyle said it would be as near for the Hill Creek settlers to come to Ida Valley as to Blackstone Hill, because the latter place was two miles and a-half off the main road. It was an out-of the way place to have a station at all. Mr M'Davitt said that it would nnt him ju«l as well to Lave the station at Wedderburn as at Bluckfrtone Hill, while it was four or five miles nearer for the Cambrians and St. Bathans people to come to Ida Valley than to the proposed site. Mr John Nicholson said lie thought they wanted a goods shed in the meantime. The wasrgoner« did not like the Ida Volley road, and preferred to come round by Hill Creek. Any goods for Cambrians the waggoners would prefer left at Ida Valley than to have to take it over Blacks Hill. The Minister, in reply, said there was some misapprehension as to the matter. The line, ps they knew, was not going to stop there ; the Government meant it to get to Alexandra as soon as possible. All the stationb along the route would make themselves as traffic developed when the line was open. Some of the deputation would know the important work the Oovernmuit had in hand at the Poolburn Gorge. There were tunnels to be pierced and expensive bridges to be built, so • that Blackstone Hill would have to be the terminus until suck time as this woik was ! completed. That would be fully 18 months. Mr Ussher would say he was underebtimating i it, but ho liked to go on the short side because s it gave their engineers tome idea of what they i wanted done. At the terminus they must • have an engine shed and a turntable, and it ; s?ouid fee a foolish, thing to put au engine shed

at Ida Valley when it was not the terminus of the line. Ti.en ho time to the que-tion of what the difciuot real'y required. He could see they would rtqune a goods shod — (applause), -—and the need for cattle yards 1 ad been mentioned to him since he arri\ed. Well, they would ha\e a goods shed— (applause),— and ha would see that cattle yards were also erected. If they got these things he did not think they would have any reason to complain, even if thp engine did run on to Blackstone Hill. Mr Mackenzie thanked the Minister for the generous manner in which he had met them, and then proceeded to bring under his notice the need for telephonic communication with other centres. This was a matter that he had always held strong views on, and had' referred to in the House. Many a cass of serious illness or even death might be prevented if th 9 people concerned were able to> summon a doctor hurriedly when necessarj r . The Minister said that he thought the matj ter a simple one, as long as the settlers were prepared to give the usual guarantee to make up the cost of woiking. Under these circumstances, he would have pleasure 111 recommending the application to his colleague the Po~tmaster-general. Mr Harren then brought up the question, of a reservoir, and the Minibter suggested! that the settlers should deal w ith this longfelt want by forming themselves into a Water Conservation Board, and they could levy a. rat© to pay the interest or. the .money expended in constructing the reservoir. Tliis was how nearly all the big water races in. Canterbury had been made. The deputation passed a \ote of thanks to Mr Hall-Joues for the manner in which he had received them.