OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2565, 13 May 1903, Page 12

OTAGO CENTRAL RAILWAY LEAGUE.

A meeting of the Executive Committee of the Otago Central Railway League was held on the 4th ; present — Messrs Earron, Kempthorne, Bathgate, Jolly, Howden, Gilki=on, Bedford, M.H.R., and Millar, M.H.R. In the absence of the chairman (Mr W. Burnett), who is at present in Sydney, Mr Barton was voted to the chair. Apologies for absence were received from Messrs H. F. Nees, T. Brown, C. Rattray, a-nd W. Fels. Mr W. Ginsberg was elected a member of the committee. The Chairman said that no meeting had been held last month, owing to the absence of Mr Burnett, who was accompanying th-s special representative of the Otago Daily Times through the Otago Central district. At the time the management of the Times announced the intention to send a representative through, to. Hawea and Wanafca there had been no time to call a meeting of the committee, so he (the chairman), Mr Burnett, Mr Bathgate, and Mr Strcnach agreed that Mr Burnett should officially represent the league on the tour. — The action of these gentlemen in deputing Mr Burnett as representative was approved. Mr Bathgate said he had had a conversation with Mr Burnett upon the latter's return from the tour, and Mr Burnett had expressed himself as surprised at what he had seen. Though he knew the Otago Central country fairly well, the visits of inspection paid to farms like that of Mr John Wilson at Manuherikia and of Mr M'Carthy at Hawea Flat, and to orchards like those of Clyde and Messrs Howden and Moncrieff's nursery, had astonished him, by the evidence of fertility and productive capacity of the soil. Where a few years ago men had settled down in tents amidst matagouri and tussock they now had beautiful farms and comfortable, substantial homes. The cxpariences related by Mr Burnett, a thoroughly practical man, showed how absurd it was for men rushing through in two days, as Mr Fowlds, M.H.R., had done, to form any reasonable idea of the district at all. It was only by inspection of the farms and by going through the country itself that any adequate conception, of the possibilities of the district could be formed. CORBESPOXDEXCE. Air S. Saunders, editor of the Lyttelton Tiic-Es, wrote acknowledging receipt of literature referring to the Otago Central railway, and stating that in a subsequent article he had attempted to do justice to the 'work in which the league was interesting itself. Mr Dickie, clerk to the Vincent County Council, wrote, in answer to the league's rpqucst for a report on the progress of the line, that the scene of operations was still five hours' journey from Clyde, and the railway was just crossing the boundary between Mani-ototo and Vincent. He had paid a flying visit to the works, and it seemed to him good progress was being made. The general opinion wns that, should the prosent number of hands be kept on. the line woukl be open to Leask's about the end of 1904. The illustrations in the (Uapto Witness would greatly a?si"s£ the public to understand the reason of the apparent slow progress of the works between Ida Valloy and the Manuherikia. Mr G. Fowlds, M.H.R. , wrote a.« follows: — "I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of March 14. I am sorry I cannot at present accept the league's invitation to revisit the Otago Central railway. I have, however, expiejjed an opinion that tho line ought to be completed to Clyde or Alexandra, and that cannot be done for another year or two. Possibly before long I may he in Otago again, and wouid be glad to confer with your league and receive the further information it poi?esses." The Secretary to the Cromwell branoli , of the league; (Mr J. Lirtle) wrote apologising for not having forwarded a report for the previous meeting, and stating that the Cromwell League knew practically nothing about the progress of the line, being over 40 miles away from it. There was a considerable amount of apa-thy existing in Cromwell, one of the reasons being that, judging from the manner in which the line | [ had besn <'e!ayp<l, Cromwell people did not expect to ever f-^e the railway there. He puggested ihat the leasrup, instead of i confining its attentions to the line, should embrace a wider scope and touch upon the possibilities of the country tJiroiieh which the railway is to pass; for instance, the unsurpassed climate fdr fruit-growino: in the Alexandra. Clyde, and Cromwell districts — • which, acoorrlinir to expert opinion, was bolter than California. If the facts were , ioftusckt iismm in interested is, ilia *

subject, many a spot , now vacant "would be yielding a handsome income. Mr D. Urquhart, Hawea Flat, wrote saying there was no branch of the league- in that district; but he was entirely in sympathy with the. work of the league, and would be- glad to see a. branch formed at the Hawea, as the pushing on of the Otago Central railway was a matter of vifcaJ importance to all the psoDle there ; but a farming community, while fully alive to the importance of the work, was apathetic in attending meetings or taking active part in watching the progress of the work. He would bring the matter before the branch of the Farmers' Union at next meeting. John Wilson, Ophir, wrote reporting on the railway works, and stating that works were bsing carried on as far as Ophir. (The line is on the opposite side of the river to Ophir, and therefore this refers to the now township, known as Lauder or Manuherikia | township.) Platelaying was going on well, ' end the rails were laid to within a mile of : Poolburn viaduct. Some scaffolding for the i erection of the girders for the viaduct was i on. the ground. The masonry was finished. Of the Manuherikia bridge the piers and one abutment were finished, and the other abutment was in progress. - The bridge was ready for the superstructure, but he understood nothing would be done in this direction imtil the other bridge was finished. Only about a chain and a-half required to be completed in the last tunnel. The formation through the gorge yet to be done consisted of about six small blocks and gaps in banks and one very large cutting at the Manuherikia River. The formation to Ophir was light, and at the present rate of progress it would be about completed by the end of the winter. The Poolburn viaduct piers were splendid specimens of workmanship. The piers over the Mauuherikia were built with concrete, and tome great dliffieulti&s had been overcome and the cylinders driven some 30ft down to the rock foundation. If the people of Alexandra wished to see the train at an early date they should protest against the route, which threw the line into % lot of rock cuttings and necessitated throe expensive bridges over the Manuherikia and Manorburn Kivers. The Alexandra Borough had a ! large water race, travelling to Alexandra I from Chatto Creek, and h° saw no reason j why the line should rot proceed along the same side, thus ' avoiding rock cutting anS expensive bridges. I Mr H. E. Stevens, secretary to the Clyue , branch, wrote enclosing a report of a mcH;ing of the branch, and stating that the interest in that district was as great as ever. The report was as follows : — There are evidences of the railway being j completed as far as Blacks before the year is out, and the large cutting between the river i and the Lauder Flat will — so the engineer in- : formed me — bo completed within three months, j The works are so far advanced beyond Lauder that a lnrge number of the railway hands are being shifted to close on to the railway station at Blacks, and othera on to sections between Blacks and Chntto Creek. The president (Mr Smart) and the secretary (Mr Stevens) were appointed a deputation to interview Sir Joseph Ward at Ophir (in conjunction with the fruitgrowers, who are also sending a deputation) in reference to railway matters. Mr Herdman's remarks in reference to the line were also warmly discussed. Votes of thanks to the various correspondents were carried with acclamation. Mr Bathgate remarked that the idea of I damminer the Dunstan Cr?<?k, mentioned in j the Rnecial reports in the Times, was a most : excellent idea? and its value for irrigation \ would bo very great. i A committee was set up to prepare the annual report for the annual meeting, to bo held tho first wp»k- in June. Me Bedford. M.H.R., having stated his intention of visiting the route of the railway to Hawea, in company- with Mr Millar and the Canterbury members, a committee was set un to make arrangements, and it was also decided to invite Sir Joseph Ward to join the party. The- rcec-ting closed with a vole- of thanks to the chairman.

A permanent way gang are now engaged in laving new sleepers find much heavier rails between Timaru and Saltwater Creek. " Brandy and coda '' is all very well To drive a bad headache away, But it won't cure a cough, as many can tell, Who have tried the right stuff and cay : The only thing they have found any use When colds they huvs had -to endure, Is that which eooh sends such ills to the deuce, Some — Woods' (i nEA T. S&sss&ius'i £ufißi