OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE

Otago Witness, Issue 2516, 4 June 1902, Page 53

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE

The monthly meeting of the Otagc Central Railway League Committee was held on Monday evening at the Agricultural Hall Buildings, and was attended by Messrs W. Burnett (in the chair), T. W. Kempthorne, H. F. Nees, W. J. Tonkin, and J. Jolly, jun. The Chairman mentioned that he had been in communication with Mr Sidey, but had not received any information from him with regard to the matters he had undertaken to inquire into at last meeting. Mr Sidey had been unwell. Mr Nees informed the committee that he Lad found that Anderson, of Christchurch, had the contract for only two bridges — on« at Poolburn and the other at Manuherikia. (The impression of the committee was that contracts for four bridges had been let.) The following letter was read from Mr James F. Morris, of Poolburn: — "The weather during the past two months having been exceptionally fine, work has progressed in a very satisfactory way on th« I Otago Central line of railway ; but a great amount of ' filling in ' still remains to be done. One intervening gap between two embankments over a deep gully will take at least between 8000 and 9000 cubic yards of ' filling in ' before the juncture of the banks is completed. After this, we must allow at least a month for these ' green banks,' as we call them, to settle down solidly before getting ready to lay the permanent way. Taking all things into consideration, it will bo about November next before the first 'sleeper' is laid. Work at the viaduct is progressing." Mr Tonkin said he had been up the line lately, and the masons who had been at work building the Poolburn pillars had been knocked off for the winter. There was a fair amount of material for the Manuherikia bridge delivered. It seemed to him to be a great pity to send men up to work in winter time, because one gang would do equally as much work in summer as "three m winter. He advocated that the road through Thomson's Gorge should be proceeded with to tap Hawea Flat. The following report to be presented at the annual meeting was read by the chairman, and was, on the motion of Mr Kemptnorne, approved: — • In presenting their tenth annual report the j executive of the league consider the opportunity , may be deemed a fitting one to review the progress of the railway during the past 10 years. It will be remembered that the Otago Central railway was authorised by act of Parliament m IS7B at an estimated cost of £1,100,000 The Ministerial promise then was that it would be completed to Wanaka in 1884. The first con™l for , th , e "Hway was let on the 16th May, 1879, and the first sod was turned by the late \ nieent Pyke on the 7th of June of that year Owing to general dissatisfaction at the slow progress of a work the construction of which was admitted to be essential to the opening up to settlement of ths largest estate of Crown lauds in the colony, a public meeting was convened by the late Vincent Pyke, and held on Jie 9th day of June, 1892. It was presided over by his Worship the Mayor of Dunedin. At that meeting the league was formed. At that date the line was opened to Middlemarch a distance oE 40 miles from the junction nt Wmgatui. Beyond Middlemarch, for, say, 10 miles, the earthwork had been nearly completed, but some 14 small bridges or culverts in that section had still to be constructed. That was all that had then Leon done, expect that' working plans had been prepared to carry the line to Hyde, 5pJ miles from "VVingatui. The annual vote when the league was formed was about £15,000, grudgingly "doled out, notwithstanding the statement of the then Minister of Public Works (Mr Seddon) to the effect that he had inspected the route and the country it traversed, and had come to the conclusion that the work should be " expeditiously proceeded with." Since the formation of the league 57 additional miles have been opened tc traffic, and trains no» run to Ida. Valley, which is 97 miles from Wingatui. The greater part of the earthwork and tunnels over a further distance of 12 miles has also been constructed. Although such progress— namely, under six uules a year — can scarcely be called " expeditious," it is better than that complained of by Mr Byke, when the lrague was formed— namely, " only three miles a year." The distance still to be completed before the line can be opened to Alexand-a is 31 miles, and as the present Minister of Public Works (Mr HallJones) stated on 14th September, 1900, that the line would be open and running to Alexandra in two and a-half years from then— that is in March next, 10 months from now— it will be necessary fcr that gentleman to put en a very much larger force than is now employed on the v:ork if he means to keep his promise. The votes and expenditure foi the last 11 years have been : — Year. Vote. Expenditure. 1891-2 .. ..£"15,000 .. £11,586 3692-3 .. „ 30,000 .. 25,536 1693-4 .. .. 45,000 .. 33 060 1&94-5 .. .. 45,000 .. 28,130 1895-6 .. .. 25,000 .. 29,176 1896-7 .. .. 30,000 .. 25,238 1897-8 .. .. 30,000 .. 21,281 1&98-9 .. .. 40,000 .. 17,609 1&99-1900 .. .. 60,000 .. 33,940 1900-1 .. .. 100,000 .. 61,347 1901-2 . .. 100,000 .. — It will be noted that the amount given as the expenditure for the year 1900-1 is less by £20,000 than the amount stated in last year's report a* being the expenditure for that 'year. This is due to the difficulty experienced b}' the league and by members of Parliament in obtaining reliable information from the Government. For that reason the expenditure for the year ending 31st March last has been left olank, although it is to be feared that the official records will again prove that it has been far short of the amount otpd by Parliament. Particulars of the expenditure for the year ending 31st March. 1901, were furnished by the Minister of Public Woiks through mombers of Parliament, to b<> in time for lpst meeting, but a comparison with the Public Works Statement, since coinpi'td, shows the -discrepancy referred 10. In the opinion of the <"xeeutive of the league Die Government should not only b? willing hut at aU times rcurly to giw the public every information about expenditure, f or whirh the public Mipply th" means, especially when it concerns a work of "-uch importance to the pro-gio*-s of the colony. The- thanks of the leaguo are due to several < oi respondents who reside in the vicinity of the line for valuible information furnished by them from time to tmi2 relating to the progress of the work. Especial mention in this connect'un should be made of Mr J. G. Closs (of Alexjndra). Mr Thomas Sppin (of Ida Valley), and of Mi G. F. Morris (of Poolburn). The local members of Paihament have also given willing ai.d valuable help to the league. The executive feel they would. not be completely discharging the fluty with which they have been entrusted were they to lefrain from commenting upon the difficulty that has been experienced during the 10 years of the existence of the lei.gue in sufficiently aiousmg practical interest in the progic-s of the Ota^o Central laiiway. as shown by the apathy of the local authorities in the districts Ihrough which the Has Biases, and h? the trjajas altcndanr^. at

the annual meetings of the league, which, they would remind the public are in real ty public meetings convened by th? Mayor. A Without strong public efforts of the most active kind to support those of the league the completion of the railway is certain to drag along slowly as it has hitherto done, and to come far short of the objects in view when the league was formed. The Mayor of Dunedin being ex officio chairman of the league, Mt G. L. Denniston vacated the position on his retirement from office, and the present Mayor (Mr J. A. Park) succeeded him. A statement of accounts, duly audited, i 3 appended hereto. The league is indebted to Mr John Davie for his valuable services as auditor since its formation, and for always regarding the fees to which he is entitled as a contribution to its funds. The term for which the present executive was elected having expired, it will now be necessary to elect their successors. , The meeting closed with a vote of thankt to the chair.