RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVI, Issue 3223, 12 June 1871, Page 3

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION.

In the debate on railways in the Provincial Council of Otago, the Hon. Dillon Bell is reported to have spoken to the following effect : — He considered that it would only be graceful on the part of the Council to express some opinion as to the action of the General Government in constructing the Clutha line of railway. He hoped the time had gone by for those differences of opinion which led the Provincial Council to object to the measures of the Colonial Executive last session. He would be the last person to desire to bring back the recollection of honorable members to those differences. He was not referring to those political differences which existed in tlie past, which remain at present, and which he hoped might remain in the future, for it was the essence of responsible government that differences of political opinion should subsist among public men, By that means they were able to enter more deeply into political matters than they would otherwise do. But there was one point on which the Provincial Council should give an opinion— he referred to the Clutha railway. His Excellency the Governor came to the conclusion that the resolution of last session was not so much a refusal to take advantage of the power of the General Government to form the railwoy as to seek an expression of public opinion at an election. His Excellency's Government believing that to be the true cause of the action taken, felt it their duty to lose no lime in taking the necessary steps to construct the railway. To that they had devoted much care, and he wished to inform the House that on the slightest expression of a desire on the part of the Provincial Council or Provincial Government, every information should be afforded them. At the same timo the General Government in prosecuting the work had undertaken a responsibility almost adverse to the apparent wishes of the people, and it was their wish to be relieved from that apparent responsibility, and to havo an expression of approval or disapproval of the course taken. As the Provincial Secretary was mainly tho person through whom the delay took place, it would not have been ungraceful on his part to have inserted some olause expressing his approval of the action of the action of the General Government. He trusted he would- not misunderstand him. He neither wished nor expected any retractation of the views he held on that occasion. But a change had como over the views of public men, and it was seen to be an advautage wisely to prosecute those measures which would tend to the prosperity of a country in which they had all embarked capital, and which would benefit not only themselves but their children. He believed the members of the Provincial Council would concur in the propriety of that course, and for that reason his Excellency's Government had taken further steps for the prosecution of the Clutha line at the Clutha end. Advertisements had been inserted in the local papers calling for tenders ; but if the Council were of opinion that the course taken by the General Government was an improper one, they would not continue the work. On the other hand, if they had done right it was not. too much to ask that approval should be expressed. He would move the insertion in the second clause of the resolution — " That the Council request that the construe- I tion of that lino should be proceeded j with as rapidly as possible." He would like to have given some details as to the lines proposed to be constructed, but

through indisposition felt himself physically incapable of doing so. He might say, however, that the portion of the line from Dunedin to Kaikorai would bo constructed at many thousand pounds less than the estimates made when Mr Yogel was here. The average cost was estimated at £5,000 a mile. The first portion was tho most expensive part, and the Council would be glad to learn that the tunnel wbich was estimated to cost £30,000 of itself will, together with a section attached to it, be formed for £21,000 only. That result rendered it absolutely certain that a three feet six inches line, with sufficient bridges, culverts, and other necessities, would be constructed on more favorable terms than the Government anticipated. Ho wished also to say that there would be no difficulty in making the railway from Mataura to Invercargill at £2,000 a mile. The result of the surveys made showed favorable gradients not previously known or even supposed. Iv Otago and in Canterbury, and still more in the North Island, the reconnaisance surveys showed the existence of nearly level communication between North and South. He hoped to have another opportunity of more fully explaining the result of those examinations.