CATLIN'S RIVER RAILWAY LEAGUP.

Otago Witness, Issue 2734, 8 August 1906, Page 35

CATLIN'S RIVER RAILWAY LEAGUP.

The monthly meeting of the executive of the Catlin's River Railway League was held on Thursday afternoon in the office of Mr D. M. Fea, and was attended by Messrs R. Chisholm (chairman), .T. A. Millar, M.H.R . T. K. Sidey. M.H.R.. M. Cohen, D. M. Fea. W. Taylor, L. Wilson, H. Moss, and .T. B. Waters (*ecietaiy). Mr W. Houston, a .settler from Tahakopa (the league's objecth-e for the railway), was also present.

The question cf the distance of line to be constructed between the end of the terminus of tho Houipapa section and Tab'.e Hill was raited in tho correspondence, and the Chairman said h-e had gone to the Public Works Department and got from Mr Ussher the official distances, which showed that the distance between tho torminus of the present conatruot-'on and Table Hill was five miles.

The Chan-man 6aid he had ako asked the Public Werks Department for an indioation as to how the work on the railway was progressing 1 , and Mr Ussher assured him that it was going on satisfactorily. Mr Uwher, however, wanted to impress on the league that extreme difficulty was being experienced in tho ballasting operations. So far, the ballast had been obtained from the river at Balclutha, but the supply from this source was now only sufficient for the main line, in addition to which the haulage to the, present scene of operations at Cat line vim an expensive item. To meet the requirements, tho department had expended £500 on a stone-crushing plant to work a quarry which had been tapped at one of the largest cuttings in the present section. It would be necessary to get through tb.l3 cutting before completing the line to Hoiripe-pa Station, and there might be some d«lay in turning the 6tone from tho quarry into ballast. The league, however, need not think, if the railway to Houipapa was not opened on the promised date, that it was through any lack of endeavour on the department's part. The reason would be us dosire to make permanent ballasting arrangements, which would facilitate the construction of the line, not only on the immediate section, but all the way to Table Hill. The matter of approaching the Government with a view to liaving a siding put in at Thorntons was referred to the chairman and secretary to make inquiries. Mr Gwynn reported that the weather at Catlins had" been very bad, but about 50 men were engaged on the works. — This was considered satisfactory. On the motion of "Mr M. Cohen, the name of tho league was altered to " The Gatlins-Tahakopa Railway League," in contradistinction to the Oatlino-Seaward League, with which their league was in •some parts confused. The attitude of the press of Dunedin towards the Oat li 113 railway was eulogistically commented upon, and votes of thanks were accorded tho Times and Star for their very adequate reports of meetings and deputation?, and leading and special article 5 .