MOLYNEUX VALLEY RAILWAY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 17

MOLYNEUX VALLEY RAILWAY.

THE PROPOSED ITnE FROM BALCLUTIIA TO TUAPEKA MOUTH. Any person with knowledge of the country lying- along the Molyneux Valley must be of opinion that the i3i- oposcd railway from tho Main South line to Tuapeka Mouth would be the means of opening up a large area of good agricultural land, portions of which are exceptionally rich and admirably adapted for extensive fruit culture on modern lines. The area referred to embraces tho well-known. Clydevale Estate and adjacent properties, which have i already been inspected by the Land Pur-! chas& CommissioiTe.rs with a view to their acquisition by the Government. Settlers on the eastern bank of the Molyneux arc at present denied access to the Main South line between Balcintiia and Stirling, beino- •

cut off by the liver, and are thus placed at a great disadvantage owing to their distance from a market. Stock only is being raised at the present time, grain-growing being out of the question for tho reason already mentioned. There is a quarter of a million acres of land equal to" anyth:n<c in Canterbury, and capable of producing abundant crops of the finest qualify; all that is necessary for its development beinK a short branch line of railway to connect: with the Main South line. The distance from Tuapeka Mouth to Waitahuna Railway Station is about 13 or 14 miles, from Tuapeka Mouth to Balclutha Station about 20 miles. The branch line could be made to junction with the Main line between Stirling and the Clutha River railway bridjre; or, as an alternative, a short lino could be constructed to run parallel with the Main lino to Stirling, similar to the double line between Balclutha Station and! Inverkiel (the original junction of the Catlins railway with the Main South line). There arc no engineering difficulties of any consequence to be enco-mitcred along th» proposed line of the railway route, con&equently the cost of construction and subsequent .maintenance are very important; argument? in favour of _ its construction. Shortly before his death the late Mr j Thomas Brydono was engaged in collecting information and data concerning- the proposed line, with a view to demonstrating its necessity as a factor in the promotion of close settlement and tho develojjment of . the area that would be served by the proI nosed line. Ho was of opinion that a liefat, ; narrow-gaugo lino would meet all-require- ■ ments, but it is now generally admitted! that the .standard railway gauge of tha colony should be adhered to. The request, forwarded by the settlers in the district io the Government, asking that a flying survey be made of the route proposed, is a very modest one. If complied with, the Public Works Department would be able to furnish an approximate estimate as tot the cost of the undertaking. The construction of the line is an urgent necessity if the progress of this portion of the colony is to be commensurate with the solicitude of the > .Government for settling people upon the land, and there is littlo or no justification for the acquisition of large areas of private land by the State if reasonable facilities are not afforded the settlers for marketing their produce. Th» reasonableness of the proposition, combinedf with the enhanced value that would accrue to the State-owned land in the vicinity, should be sufficient to ensure a favourable consideration of the proposed branch line, which would open up a large area of fine country, the latent wealth of which is^as yet but very imperfectly appreciated by the general public.