THE TRAMWAY PROPOSAL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11857, 22 May 1909, Page 5

THE TRAMWAY PROPOSAL.

.In connection with the ' : County loan poll next Tuesday \ the following report from Mr DeG. Fraser, County Engineer, submitted to the Council m September of last/year, wilL be read with considerable interest, particularly by Te Arai settlers. The report, it ituiy be . mentioned,, was pubhsheel wheir it came before tlie: Council) : — V RE QUARRY OFF ARAI VALLEY ROAD. ."With reference to above, on which 1 had instructions to report, having mndo a cabefiil inspection .of the ground, I found that the best access to the quarry face would be by leaving the AruiVaJley road -at. section la, following the surveyed road between sections la and 10 as far the Ami river; this could he crossed by a. ford and cutting, thence following level ground through section 93 and crossing a narrow, deep creek about 80 cliains from the Papatu shepherd's hut. At this point a. side cutting would have to be constructed, about 30 chains m length, to the quarry face, as per sketch plan herewith, a total distance of about two miles. The cost of forming and bridging would he as -follows: — Small culverts, etc., on surveyed road £20 0 0 (Sittings to ford ... ... 50 0 0 Trimming, etc., say, 60 cliains • level formation '•••' 30 0 0 Bridge «t eleep creek *" ...■ 50 0 0 Side cutting to quarry face -*.. 90 0 0 £240 0 0 "Shodld it lie found, as is probable, that< the river ford cuts up badly with heavy carting, it would be better to have rough bridge erected over ' Arai river at a cost of about £300. Ylt Will be seen from above estimate that to justify so large an expenditure a contract of considerable magnitude would have to be let, say, £3000 to £3500. The ston© at •' the* quarfcy face; is of gbrul. quality (limestone), and would make ah excellent road. The cost of quarrying, spawling, and knapping and delivery on tho Arai road by hor*e-power would be lis 6d per yaid ;* distributing along road, 3s per yard ; total,' 14s 6d per yardThe -present mean cost, to deliver Patutalii sitone by horse-power would he 15s 3d, and if tnunWay proposals are carried 12sjier yard. ;, ''The matter, : therefore, resolves itself into this, that for a cost 0f. £240 access can be obtained to A^ai quarry, and. that afterwards to cart stone out and, deliver along the'road, und^r present circumstances, would! be 14s 6d per yard ; Patutahi stone, 15s 3d per yard, and by proposed tram 12s. *Niy estimates are based on work at the quarry face, where stone is practically inexhaustible. The isedated boulders of liriiestone lavingabout the valley at different points have j not been considered. I have «l?o worked on the assumption that royalty will not-j bo charged."^ - „""Y.. ..-