MR. T. L. SHEPHERD AND THE TUAPEKA RAILWAY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VI, Issue 278, 29 May 1873, Page 5

MR. T. L. SHEPHERD AND THE TUAPEKA RAILWAY.

| In our last issue Mr, Shepherd, with j the view of showing what he had done in connection with the Tuapeka Railway, supplies extracts from " Hansard " of speeches he had delivered on the subject in the House of Representatives. Mr. Shepherd appears to have overlooked the fact that the pages of " Hansard" are at the command of others than himself. We have taken the trouble of referring to that entertaining production to ascertain the true state of the matter, and find that instead of playing even second fiddle in the band, as he wished us to understand by his communication, Mr. Shepherd actually stands in the same relation to the question at issue as the boy who plays the triangle in the band, [ and does not even do that well. The ' first mention of the Tuapeka Railway we have in " Hansard" is in page 603, Oct. 27th, 1871, and is as follows :—: — " Mr. J. C. Brown asked the Minister ! for Public Works, If the Government have received from His Honor the Super- ! intendent of Otago a copy of the report ! of a Select Committee appointed by the Provincial Council of Otago upon the construction of a railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence? If so, will the Government lay on the table of both Houses of the Assembly a copy of each, in accordance with the recommendation of the Provincial Council of Otago ? He thought it would be well for the Government to inform themselves upon every particular in connection with the construction of certain public works, because he felt assured that, if the Government were in possession of the report, this work would be undertaken at an early date." " Mr. Gisborne said the Government had received a copy of the report, but it was not printed at the time in consequence of its length ; but he had groat pleasure in being able to lay it upon the table. Another copy would also be laid upon the table of the Legislative Council." The next we see of it is a week later, when Mr. Brown again brings the subject before the Government, and presses it upon them. On the Ist November, " Mr. J. C. Brown asked the Minister for Public Works, If the plans and estimates of a recent survey of a proposed line of railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence are completed ? Also, whether the Government intend to recommend to the Assembly the construction of the said time during the present financial year ? The information was of the highest importance to the district, and those who were acquainted with the circumstances and prospects of the district had no doubt that the line would yield large returns on the cost of construction. He had already informed the Government as to the probable amount of traffic, &c, this line would create. He trusted he was not mistaken in expecting a favorable answer from the Government." '* Mr. Gisborne said the plans had been completed and laid upon the table of the House. At present it was the intention of the Government to make the Tokomairiro and Lawrence line a branch railway, which would come under the provisions specified in the Public Works and Immigration Act relative to branch lines. As that Bill was now before the House, the Government would be prepared to hear any reasons as to whether this railway should be put on the schedule. Beyond this, the Government was not prepared to give any definite expression of opinion upon the subject. They would, at the same time, snggest that the question should be discussed in Committee, when the schedule was nnder consideration. All this takes place, be it observed, before Mr. Shepherd says a word on the subject, although he is a good talking man. Then again on the 9th November, page 954, "Mr. J. C. Brown said the line he j proposed to insert in the first schedule would be an addition to a line of railway now being constructed, namely, the Dunedin and Balclutha line. That line was about fifty miles in length, and at a distance of some thirty-six miles on this line the main interior road of Otago commenced, which passed right through the centre of the Province, and through not only a very large extent of land suitable for settlement, but also a very large and thriving population It was due to the Committee that he should give them some information of the amount of traffic that passed, during the year 1870, over that road. At its junction with the main southern road there was a toll-bar, and the printed returns of amount of tolls collected showed that last year 24,000 horses passed through the gate. From the knowledge which he possessed of the proportionate amount of freight carried on the road, he had estimated that two-thirds of these horses were engaged in drawing merchandise to the goldfields, and that the average load of each was rather more than a ton. Upon that calculation he found that, at the present rate of freight, 16,000 tons were carried, which at £3 a ton, produced £48,000 annually. There were also about 8,000 passengers in the saddle, which, allowing 15s. each fare, would amount to £6,000 annually. The passengers in the coaches and other vehicles were not less than fifty each way weekly, which gave 5,200 a year, and produced £3,900. The return freight of wool and other produce might be reckoned at 6,000 tons. Thus, the total return from freight and passengers was not loss than £75,900 annually on this portion of road. In putting these figures before the Committee, he had taken some pains to arrive at a reliable estimate ; and it might be as well to inform the Committee that this railway, according to the Engineer's plans and estimates that had been laid on the table, would not cost more than £110,000, which estimates included rolling stock, purchase of land, &c. Taking as a basis the present traffic only, the returns from freight and passengers on the completion of the line, and the rate of charges reduced to say one-half now paid, this would give £37,950 annual income for a total expenditure of £110,000. The railway would tap the most fertile and inhabitable portion of the interior, and would open up a large tract of country that was in course of being settled upon, and which offered large induce-

ments for further settlement. A survey had recently been made, which presented no engineering difficulties, with an easy gradient, and at a moderate cost per mile. He begged to move that the words • Tokomairiro to Lawrence ' be inserted in the first schedule of main lines." Mr. Shepherd then comes on the scene when the whole matters seems to be settled. Mr. Gisborne, in reply to the remarks made by Mr. Shepherd, says " The question was not new, and the Government had recognized its full title to consideration, and had plans and surveys made, nnd agreed that it should be converted from a branch into a main line, through Otago from the East Coast into the interior to the goldfields. The Government were, therefore, prepared to ask the Assembly to give their authority for the construction of this line in the schedule as a main line." From this it is evident that the Government had fully decided upon placing the Tuapeka line upon the first schedule before ever Mr. Shepherd opened his mouth. And even when he did that his object, from his speech, appeared to be to get what he must have well known was at the time an impossibility, viz., aline as far as the Dnnstan. So much with' regard to Mr. Shepherd's services for the benefit of the Tuapeka people. From the light " Hansard " throws on the subject, it appears that Mr. Shepherd came in at the last moment, when his services were not needed, and when everything was settled. He now comes forward and attempts to take a large share of credit for what is due to the labor of others.