VALUATION OF THE CANTERBURY AND OTAGO PROVINCIAL RAILWAYS (REPORT OF THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1877 Session I, E-03

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1877. NEW ZEALAND.

VALUATION OF THE CANTERBURY AND OTAGO PROVINCIAL RAILWAYS (REPORT OF THE).

Presented to the House of Representatives by Command of His Excellency. CANTERBURY RAILWAYS. . Sir,— Christchurch, 19th April, 1877. In pursuance of instructions, and in accordance with the terms of " The Financial Arrangements Act, 1876," we have made a careful valuation of the railway works that have been executed by the late Provincial Government of Canterbury. For this purpose we have been guided in our estimates and calculations by the lists supplied to us by the direction of the late Superintendent, and also by measurement and valuation on the ground. This valuation has been based upon what we believe to be the fair cost of such material and of executing such work at the present time. It will be as well to state that the valuation arrived at includes the reclamation and other work inside the line of timber breastwork at Lyttelton Station, excluding the wharves and jetties, the tunnel, and railway complete, including all works at Christchurch Station as far as Selwyn, the buildings, sidings, water-services, and other works executed by the province on the main line south of Selwyn, the North and branch lines as well as the Opawa branch line complete. The rolling-stock, stores, furniture, land, and telegraph system are also included. We beg to call attention to the fact that the following items have been entered in the valuation, as, from their incomplete state at the close of last year, or from other causes, there might be some grounds for misapprehension : — 1. The private grain stores in Lytteltou and Christchurch yards. 2. The contract sum for the new Christchurch station. 3. The cost of new grain store on Gladstone Pier. We have examined the deeds furnished to us relating to land purchased for railway purposes, and have checked them with the list of payments for the same, and we find a considerable number missing. As some time may elapse before the whole are forthcoming, we have the honor to call attention to the fact that we have included in this valuation the whole of the land for which payment has been made, as set forth in the list supplied to us, and append hereto a list of payments for such land for which we have up to this date been unable to obtain the deeds. A plan of land acquired for the Lyttelton and Christchurch line, with book of reference, is also forwarded; but for that portion of the railway between Christchurch and Selwyn no such plan can be found. We therefore beg to recommend that a survey of the same be at once put in hand. The land plans and deeds for the Opawa branch have also not been obtained up to this date : it is quite possible that they may be all completed and arranged, though we have been unable to obtain them. The following is our valuation of the Canterbury provincial railways, including such other works as were executed on the General Government lines. There are four amounts due by the province to the General Government, which are deducted from the total valuation, leaving the net amount to be deducted from the permanent debt, as per section 28 of " The Financial Arrangements Act, 1876." £ s. d. £ s. d. Total amount of valuation ... ... ... ... ... ... 731,759 0 0 1. Material supplied by General Government Storekeeper, on requisition of the Railway Engineer ... ... 8,059 2 5 2. To balance due for permanent-way material lent to province ... ... ... ... ... 4,918 3 2 3. Duplicates of engines, carriages, and wagon stock ... 2,656 2 5 4. Amount paid to Hemans and Bruce, for inspecting locomotives ordered by Provincial Government of Canterbury ... ... ... ... ... 156 2 6 15,789 10 6 £715,969 9 f.

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Abstract of Valuation, Canterbury Provincial Railways. Lyttelton and Christchurch— £ s. d. £ _. d. Fencing and ditching ... ... ... ... 4,024 0 0 Culverts and diversions ... ... ... 6,215 0 0 Level crossings ... ... ... ... 1,732 0 0 Earthwork ... ... ... ... ... 10,000 0 0 Heathcote tunnel ... ... ... ... 186,462 0 0 Bridges ... ... ... ... ... 2,214 0 0 Lyttelton Station Eeclamation ... ... ... 25,296 0 0 Permanent way ... ... ... ... 48,088 0 0 Station and other buildings ... ... ... 65,178 0 0 Double narrow-guage line, with earthwork and buildings ... ... ... ... 3,213 0 0 Metalling, Ac, in station yards ... ... ... 1,486 0 fl Points, crossings, traverses, and turntable ... 14,473 0 0 Plant, tools, and machinery ... ... ... 13,966 0 0 Christchurch and Selwyn— 382,347 0 0 Grading, with bridges and culverts ... ... 20,480 0 0 Permanent way, with points and crossings ... 39,470 0 0 General— 59,950 0 0 Stations and other buildings ... ... ... 9,148 0 0 Stores at Christchurch ... ... ... 11,139 0 0 Platelayers' tools ... ... ... ... 785 0 0 Telegraph and stores ... ... ... ... 4,758 0 0 Furniture and station plant ... ... ... 2,907 0 0 Land ... ... ... ... ... 91,357 0 0 Water-services .. ... ... ... 852 0 0 Eolling-stock ... ... ... ... 76,063 0 0 197,009 0 0 Opawa Branch complete ... ... ... ... ... ... 71,547 0 0 Duplicates of engines and carriages ... ... ... ... 2,656 0 0 Engineering and management, 5 per cent, on £365,000 ... ... 18,250 0 0 £731,759 0 0 We have, &c, E. Dobson. C. Napier Bell. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. H. P. Higginson. OTAGO EAILWAYS.

Sir,— Dunediu, 11th May, 1877. We have the honor to report as follows re Otago Provincial Eailway valuation :— Upon commencing our work we found that no information whatever had been compiled by the late provincial authorities for our guidance ; that, notwithstanding the instructions conveyed in " The Financial Arrangements Act, 1876," no lists of plant, rolliDg-stock, and things were supplied to us. Consequently we were obliged to procure the information necessary to the best of our power, with difficulty and loss of time. We, however, obtained every assistance from the officers of the late province. In our valuation of the Bluff and Winton line, the Bluff wharf (with the cost of present extension) has been included. In valuing the Western Eailways we found that the plant, tools, and surplus material taken over by the late province from the contractor had been sold by order of the General Government. Consequently their value is not included by us. A road bridge constructed across the Aparima at Eiverton prior to the commencement of the Orepuki line, appears to have been built with the intention of subsequently making use of it for the railway ; as, however, it is at present a road bridge pure and simple it is excluded from this valuation. While valuing the works carried out by and material belonging to the late province on the railways in the neighbourhood of Dunedin we found considerable difficulty in discriminating between the General and Provincial Governments' property. In order, therefore, to prevent misapprehension the following matters have been dealt with as stated: — The whole of the stores in charge of the Eailway Department on the 31st December, 1876 (most of which, we are given to understand, were originally handed over to the railway by the General Government, and, we suppose, paid for by the province) have been valued and included. The Fairlie Locomotive, imported for the branch lines, has been also included, but not the 9|in. cylinder bogie engine handed over to the late province by the General Government for the purpose of working the Awamoko Branch. An order in course of being carried out by Hislop and Co., for the construction of two first-class and three second-class carriages, only being partially completed, it is totally excluded from our valuation. There appears to have been a certain amount of permanent-way material lent by the late province to private companies, which we have found much difficulty in obtaining the particulars of. The following we believe to be the approximate quantities : —

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To Ocean Beach Railway Company: 132 401b. steel rails ; 136 pairs of fish plates and bolts ; 2 sets of points and crossings. To Walton Park Coal Company : 126 401b. iron rails ; 126 Ibbotson's steel joints. The value of this material has not been included by us, as it is not under Government control, nor lying on their property. With reference to the valuation of land purchased for these railways, we have obtained a list of payments made on that account for the Bluff and Winton line only, from which we have compiled three schedules, marked A. B. C, which, together with an abstract, is attached to this report. The deeds mentioned as having been procured will be forwarded to Wellington at once. On the Western Railways and the Green Island Branch we have obtained no information as to any payment having been made for land. On the Waiareka, Awamoko, and Outram Branch lines there have been a few payments made, which we have included in our valuation without interest, in consequence of the date of such payments not having been supplied to us. We have been given to understand, however, that most of the land acquired on these branch lines was given free. As far as we have been able to ascertain, no steps have yet been taken to have the necessary conveyances executed. We have the honor to recommend that complete surveys of all lands purchased or otherwise acquired for these railways be at once put in hand, and the execution of the necessary conveyances proceeded with. The total amount of our valuation of the Otago Provincial Railways and Works connected therewith amounts to £372,522 2s. 5d., a detailed statement of which is attached hereto.

Abstract of Valuation of Otago Provincial Railways. Bluff aud Winton— £ s. d. £ s. d. Grading and permanent way ... ... ... 116,388 0 0 Eolling-stock and machinery ... ... ... 15,410 0 0 Station buildings ... ... ... ... 9,830 0 0 Stock, plaut, tools, and furniture ... ... 2,106 0 0 Stores at Invercargill ... ... ... ... 338 0 0 Level crossings and gates ... ... ... 325 0 0 Points and crossings ... ... ... ... 1,920 0 0 Bluff wharf ... ... ... ... ... 9,223 0 0 Western Eailways— 155,540 0 0 Works up to formation ... ... ... 32,721 0 0 Permanent-way material ... ... ... 23,226 0 0 55,947 0 0 Awamoko Branch complete ... ... ... ... ... 29,295 0 0 Waiareka „ „ ... ... ... ... ... 51,146 0 0 Green Island,, „ ... ... .. ... ... 9,693 0 0 Outram Branch, as completed up to 30th April, 1877 ... ... 27,313 0 0 General — Eolling-stock and machinery ... ... ... 11,252 0 0 Plants and tools ... ... ... ... 306 0 0 Buildings, Port Chalmers and Clutha ... ... 1,360 0 0 Permanent-way material in stock ... ... 1,065 0 0 Stores at Dunedin ... ... ... ... 5,416 0 0 Land .... ... ... ... ... 11,820 2 5 Station plant and furniture ... ... ... €04 0 0 31,823 2 5 Engineering and management, 5 per cent, on work in New Zealand, £235,315 11,765 0 0 £372,522 2 5 We have, &c, Wm. Brunton. C. Napier Bell. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. H. P. Higginson. By Authority: Geoege Didsbttry, Government Printer, Wellington. —1877. Price 3d.]

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