A Fourth Railway Route to Roxburgh.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 81

A Fourth Railway Route to Roxburgh.

TO THE EDITOR. Sik, — I was much interested in your commissioner's notes re a railway to Roxburgh He has made out a good case m favour of the Lawrence route, but there is another route iv addition to the three which your commissioner traversed which has been on- . tirely 0.-er-looked — viz., one commencing at Balclutha and followirg the east bank of the Molyneux, and passing throughvthe Greenfield estate and Tuapeka Month. Now, I believe if your commissioner had gone over this loute he would have chosen it m preference to th,? Lawrence route, for a railway from BalclutLr. would cost less, for there are no tunnels y>n it and no deep cuttings, the bridges are shoit and low, while most of the distance is simpiy formation, and what would be a great gain to the- Roxburgh people is they could get i'ie railway through several years before the tunnel "on the Lawrence route can be completed. I think tliat very few of the Roxburgh people know cf the loute down the east bank of the Molyneux. or there wouU have been no rii-al routes, for there is i^o question whatever that the route down tii« east bank of the Molyneux is the best in every way. Balclutha is the natural outlet to the Molyneux Talley: the line would inn through good agricultural land all ihe way ; it would tap the Molyneux Bush, where there is plenty of good timber for bridges, sleepers, etc., as well as supplying the settlers on tho route for years. TSow, Sir, I think that the people fconeemed should ask for a survey, with estimated cost of this route, and join hands with the "Balclutha people, who are now petilicning for a railway to Tuapeka Mouth. Pro r. the Tuapeka Mouth to the Beaumont is :n easy gradient, and would cost very little to make, the principal item being the bridge across the Tuapeka Creek. That the line from Balclutha up the Molyneux Valley would hi a payable one there can be no doubt, for, iv addition to Greenfield, there are hundreds of square miles, including Clydevale estate and Bankleburu country, which, are connected with the east side of the river by punts. The line would also serve Waitahuna We&t, Tuapska East, and the country between Greenfield and Balclutha, as well as above Tuapeka Month, and, what is of more importance to settlers along the route, tliey would have the