WEST COAST ROADS.

D.—No. 9

15

£ s. 6. Culverts, 1,600 lineal ft., at £2 ... ... ... 3,200 0 7. Ballasting, 53,000 cubic yards, at 2s. 6d. ... ... 6,625 0 8. Sleepers (25 per chain), 76,000 ft., at 3s. ... ... 11,400 0 9. Bails, fish plates, &c, fixed, 391 miles, at £1,300 ••• ... 51,51210 £138,832 10 Contingencies, 10 per cent. ... ... 13,867 10 £152,700 0 Station accommodation and sidings at Hokitika and Ross ... 2,300 0 Total, exclusive of rolling stock ... ' ... £155,000 0 Sub-divisions. Greymouth to Hokitika, 24 miles 10 chains ... ... 85,000 0 Hokitika to Ross, 15 miles 40 chains ... ... ... 70,000 0 Portion of the present population of the County of Westland who would be more or less beneficially affected by the construction of Railway from Greymouth to Ross. Aggbegtae Population. Greymouth Borough ... ... 2,181 ... 2,181 G-revmouth to Teramakau, say ... 1,500 ... 2,358 Teramakau to Arahura, say ... ... 2,000 ... 2,139 Hokitika Borough ... ... 3,572 ... 3,572 Hokitika to the Wanganui river, including ~) Ross township and the surrounding > 2,875 ... 2,875 workings ... ... ) Total benefited ... 12,128 \ Aggregate ) 13 125 (population) ' The population of the County south of the Wanganui river (564 in all) would also be beneficially affected, but as possible passengers on the line only, their supplies being landed at Okarita roadstead, a point about 40 miles below Ross. Timber Trade. Quantity of sawn timber exported from Hokitika ... 70,000 superficial feet weekly. By calculation, the quantity of green timber equivalent to a ton in weight would be 600 superficial feet, but it is usually charged freight, by tramway, at the rate of 400 superficial feet per ton. For traffic returns given below the calculated rate has been assumed as correct. Present consumption of Fuel. Cost. £ s. d. At Hokitika- —wood, 40 cords per week ... ... 14 0 per cord „ „ —coal, 30 tons „ „ ... ... 2 0 0,, ton „ Boss—wood, 100 cords „ „ ... ... 14 0,, cord „ „ ■ —coal, 3 tons „ „ ... ... 6 5 0,, ton Probable immediate consumption of Goal if delivered by Railioay at &d. per ton per mile (measuring from pits), with 10s. per ton added for excavation, Sfc, Sfc. £ s. d. At Hokitika, 40 tons per week, at ... ... ... 160 per ton „ „ for export, 50 tons per week, at ... ... 16 0,,,, „ Kanieri, 10 tons per week, at ... ... ... 1 16 0 „ „ „ Ross, 20 tons per week, at ... ... ... 1 14 0 „ „ Probable immediate Traffic Returns of Oreymouth and Ross Railway. Weekly. £ s. d. Coal, 90 tons, carried 24 miles at 12s. per ton... ... 50 8 0 20 „ „ 39J „ 20s. „ ... ... 20 0 0 Merchandize, 12 „ „10 „ 5s. „ ... ... 3 0 0 10 „ „ 6 „ 3s. „ ... ... 1 10 0 20 „ „ 15i „ 7s. 9d. „ ... ... 7 15 0 Timber, 60 „ „ 3 „ Is. 6d. „ ... ... 4 10 0 Passengers, 60 „ 24 „ 24s. ... ... 72 0 0 „ 50 „ 15|t „ 15s. 6d. ... ... 38 15 0 Total immediate returns which might be expected ... £197 18 0 As it is probable that the development of mining now being attained by increased facilities in internal communication, the contemplated water-races, if constructed, and the opening of Inangahua reefs, will all tend to increase traffic and population, the probable future returns of this line might be set down at, say double the above, viz., £396 per week.