TUAPEKA. LINE OE RAILWAY.

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D.—No. 8b

Appendix A. To His Excellency Sir Geokge Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over Her Majesty's Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice-Admiral of the same, and the Members of the Executive of the said Colony, The Petition of Residents in the Up-Country Bistricts of the Province of Otago, in the Colony of New Zealand. Showeth, — That the undersigned aro residents in the up-country districts of the Province of Otago. That while fully recognizing the wise policy of your Excellency's Government in opening up the waste lands of the Colony to settlement by means of railway communication, they regret that several linos should have been placed upon tho First Schedule which can never attain a higher rank than feeders of the main system. That the proposed Tuapeka Railway is a notable instance of this, as it only opens up a limited extent of land suitable for settlement, and, owing to the physical features of the locality, is incapable of extension in any direction unless at an enormous outlay of capital and labour. That a line opening up the fertile plains of the Mataura, the vast forests of the Blue Mountains, and the rich mining districts of Switzers, the Nokomai, Mount Benger, Manuhorikia, Dunstan, &c, &c, could bo constructed for little if any greater expenditure than that required for the construction of the Tuapeka Line. That such a line, connecting with the Mataura Line at Popotunoa or the Waipahi, thence proceeding along the valley of the Pomahaka in a northerly direction, crossing that river at a point near Robert's Flat, striking the west bank of the Molyneux at a point adjacent to Moa Flat, thence along the bank of the river through the rising townships of Roxburgh and Alexandra, to its terminus near Clyde; that such a line would through its whole course pass through a level country, presenting no engineering difficulties, and requiring but a trifling expenditure in bridges. That, briefly stated, tho advantages of such a line would be : 1. Access given to a vast area of agricultural and pastoral country. 2. An impetus given to mining on an extended scale throughout the most auriferous portions of the Province. 3. The profitable working of tho deposits of iron, copper, plumbago, cinnabar, antimony, and other ores known to exist, rendered possible. 4. Economy of construction, owing to tho greater portion of the land through which the proposed line would take its course being still the property of the Crown, to the absence of heavy cuttings, tunnels, or bridges, and to the facilities for procuring an unlimited supply of suitable timber. 5. Easy extension to all the outlying centres of population, such as Cromwell, with its valuable reefs, the Hogburn, St. Bathans, Blacks, Hamiltons, Drybread, Nasoby, &c. 6. Easy connection with the Northern Trunk Line, thereby perfecting the railway system of the Province. That in addition to these important prospective advantages, such a line would immediately benefit a large and settled population, including persons engaged in various kinds of productive labour. Therefore your petitioners pray that your Excellency will be pleased to direct an immediate inquiry to be made, and on a favourable report being received of the line recommended by your petitioners, will send it for consideration of the ensuing Session of the Legislature, and in the meantime direct that no steps bo taken towards carrying out the line from Tokomairiro to Tuapeka. And your petitioners will ever pray.

Appendix B. Annual Approximate Teaeeic Estimate, Great Central Trunk Railway, Otago. First Section, Waipahi to Ettrick, 36 Miles —42-inch Guage. Or. £ s. d. Wool.—Sheep stock in 1875, 1,608,048 ; bales, 19,296; tonnage, 2,894 tons 8 cwt.; 36 miles at 6d. per ton per mile, i.e. about 2s. 8-jd. per bale ... ... ... 2,604 19 2 Livestock. —Sheep to market, 75,000, at per sheep per mile, id. ... ... ... 2,812 10 0 Cattle, from 30,000 stock ... ... ... ... ... ... 950 0 0 „ Horses, carriages, and dogs ... ... ... ... ... 300 0 0 Meat Preserving Establishment at Clyde, say 2,000 tons at 18s. ... ... ... 1,800 0 0 Timber. —300,000 superficial feet per week from Tapanui Steam Sawmills; present cartage rates 75., reduced to 55., at ss. ... ... ... ... ... 3,900 0 0 Minerals.—Lime (from Teviot), and Lignite, 3,000 tons at 18s. ... ... ... 2,700 0 0 Merchandise. —11,000 tons, being, at one ton per head of population, at 18s. ... ... 9,900 0 0 Agricultural Produce.—loo tons per week, 5,200 tons at 6d. per ton per mile, at 18s. ... 4,680 0 0 Gold. —100,000 ounces per annum, at Id. per ounce ... ... ... ... 411 13 4 Mails.—At same rate as P.O. Contract; Palmerston to Clyde, i.e. per mile at £12 10s. 450 0 0 Police, &c, say ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 450 0 0 Passengers.—so per day to and fro ;30 miles at 2d. per mile, 313 days at 6s. ... 9,390 0 0 Miscellaneous.—Parcels, &c, at 5 per cent, on total ... ... ... ... 2,017 9 6 Gross receipts ... ... £42,366 11 6