MOUNT SOMERS RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1060, 26 January 1884, Page 2

MOUNT SOMERS RAILWAY COMMISSION.

According to arrangements, Mr C. Napier Bell sat in the County Council Chambers last evening at half-past six for the purpose of taking evidence concerning the Mount Somers Railway Extension. The following witnesses were examined: Mr Donald Williamson, Major of Ashburton, said that he would like to state a few facts by way of introduction, and he would be as concise as possible. In regard to this railway, the Provincial Council determined that a line should be constructed to Alford Forest, and reserves were made for this purpose, and a loan of

LIO,OOO was authorised. Thia was in 1874, but when the rails purchased with the money were forthcoming the Provincial Council had ceased to exist, and the Colonial Government used them for another purpose. The original route was altered on the score of economy, and thus the Alford Forest railway became the Tinwald-Mount Somers railway. About three years ago an effort was made to get the lino as nearly as possible to be carried out according to the Triphook survey. A public meeting was held and a deputation, headed by the then Mayor, Mr Hugo Friedlander, was sent to Welling* ton on the subject, but it was unsuccessful in gaining its object. The line had been gradually advanced to a point where the settlers in the district affected said that if the railway was to do any good to them it must cross the river, in the direction of Alford Forest. The people of Mount Somers were quite willing that the railway should not go through the township so long as the whole district was benefited. If the li e were extended he'felt sure that considerable traffic would result, not only in passengers, but also in produce, minerals and timber. The reason of the present limited traffic was that the distance was so great from the railway station. He hoped the witnesses to be examined would demonstrate this morer fully. This town had already considerable traffic with the district affected, and this would iqcroasp

were the line extended. The interests of the town and those of? the colony were therefore identical. 7 hey also wished to see justice done to the early settlers in Alford Forest, who had purchased land with the understanding that the line would be made, and he knew of his own knowledge, that many people had been struggling in the hope of this railway being made. He would, with the sanction of the Commissioner, put in certain resolutions passed by the Borough Council on the subject of the railway., . . In answer to the Commissioner, Mr Williamson said that he could not say in what direction the traffic would be increased, but he felt sure that an increase would take place. The Committee of the Borough Council and burgesses had decided that Bowyer’s stream crossing should be the terminus. Witness had not been, farther up the line than the limestone rock, and so far as he had gone ha was not favorably impressed with the quality of the land. The only people to be benefited by the extension of the line on the south of the river would be a few large landowners, who were already sufficiently served by the existing line. Mr William-1 son added at the close of his evidence that Mr Percy Cox, who was unable to be present, had requested him to say that he would be g l ad to give the Commissioner any evidence in Christchurch. Mr Hugo Friedlander, member of the County Council, said that in 1873 a public meeting was held in Ashburton to urge upon the Government the advisability of 1 making the line to Alford Forest, and in the following year a vote of LIO.OOO was passed to carry out the work. In 1877 the General Government wished to divert this sum, but the County Council demurred to this, and subsequently it was agreed that the line should be made. Some influential settlers, however, had managed to get, the present line oh the score of economy, but it must be remembered that this was against the wish of the Alford Forest people, who if they had realised what was being done would have been up in arms. He would hand to the Commissioner certain resolutions passed by the County Council in regard to this matter. In 1881 or 1882 a deputation was sent to Wellington from here to inter view the Government re the extension of the line to Mount Somers. Sir John Hall, the then Premier, promised that the line should be extended to the Mount • Somers township. When the question of the deviation arose in 1882, the County Council appointed a committee, consisting of Messrs Wright, Walker, Jackson, and McFarlane, and they reported that they recommended the line to be carried ■ round by the traffic bridge, which should be strengthened. This would show that the Council had never had any idea except to take the line across the river to Mount Somers. The witness then quoted statistics, which had been carefully prepared by him, showing the sections of the land in the district to bo tapped by the line and the produce to be obtained if the land were put under crop. He fe'.t sure that if facilities of transit were afforded a large area now used for sheep woul i be cropped, as the land only needed sweetening to raise good crops. In answer to the Commissioner the witness said that his firm owned a stone quarry which had been partly worked. The cartage, however, had, been too expensive to enable the quarry to be worked profitably, and if the line were carried to Bowyer’s stream it would be an inducement to continue quarrying. Had not seen the coal mines at Stour creek, but

had used the coal. By the Mayor: A great many of the farmers, instead of crossing the liver, preferred to. cart their grain to sending it by train. Were the line made to Bbwyer’s stream this would be obviated. In response to a question, the County Engineer said that there was a difference of 130 ft between the altitude ut Bowyer s stream and Mount Somers township. By the Commissioner : Witness could not answer that all the people in the district indicated would send their grain by the train, but was certain that the great majority would do so. Mr Joseph Ivess said that from statistics he had gathered that 4,700 tons of coal had come from different places to Ashburton railway station during the past year. This would have been greatly supplemented if the supply ito Tiuwald and Winslow were included. So felt sure that if the quarries were developed by the extension of the it would be a gioat benefit to the district. There had also been 418 tons of atone sent to Ashburton, and as the stone from Mount Somers was very valuable for building purposes a great quantity would come from there were the line extended. The witness was then about to enter into the history of the line, and said he would read a letter from Mr John Knowles, the Under-Secretary for Works, but the Commissioner said ho thought it did not come within the scofe of the inquiry. A movement had been made during the past eighteen months in order to obtain an extension of the line along the south of the river, but only two or three would be benefited, where as if the line were taken across the river it would improve the position of many settlers who had taken up land in the district. The reserves in Mount Somers had been made years back, and the residents had been induced to make a township on the strength of these reserves. Mr Williams, the Government Surveyor, reported in 1878 that he considered that the line should be extended to Alford Forest on account of the timber. From that it would be seen that the intention of the Government and County Council was to the line across the river. It was originally intended to carry the line along the Forks, but this was abandoned for economical reasons, which was, he felt sure, the only cause of the diversion.

By the Commissioner : Witness con- ■ aidered that the extension of the line along the south would neither benefit the signers of the Rangitgta petition nor the Mount Somers people. By the Mayor: The owner of Westerfield signed the petition, but he was certain that gentleman’s estate could not be affected by the. extension of the railway up the Gorge. The only way that any of the petitioners would bo benefited would be by the construction of a branch line from Valetta. Mr Joshua Tucker, engaged in the timber and coal trade in Ashburton, said that the principal coal imported here was from Newcastle. Had only got about 20 or 30 tons some years ago from Mount Somers, which found an equally ready sale as the Malvern at about 30s per ton. It was as good as the majority of the Malvern coal, and he attributed the small amount of Mount Somers coal coming here to the expense of transit. Were a similar tramway to what was at Malvern made at Mount Somers it would facilitate the transit of the coal. The consumption of timber from Alford .Forest amounted to about 16 tons per week, and he considered that the trade was capable of being extended. About twelve tons of firewood per week came from Alford Forest. Other places besides Ashburton would use the timber, but now a good deal came here from Waimate and Peal Forest. If the railway were extended in the direction intimated by previous speakers, he estimated the demand would be 40 tons per week, and ha thought this could be obtained trom Alford Forest. At present these was very little supply of black pine in the district. . By the Mayor : Witness thought that if the line were extended at least seveneighths of the timber would come down by rail. By the Commissioner : Believed that at present it was as cheap to cart by dray

from Alford Forest as to send by train. The carters could make three trips ft day from moat parts of the district were the line taken to Bowyer’s stream. The teason why so small an extension made so great a difference was that at carter could not make more than one trip . a day. Witness threshed 6,000 of grain last year in the Springburn district, of which not I,OCO sacks came by train on account of the wantof accommodation. The cost of cartage of timber by dray and by train was precisely the same. Timber cost 20s to 22s per ton to cart from the neighborhood of Bowyer’s stream. Had been told by the mine proprietor that Monnt Somers coal could be delivered in Ash--1 burton for 20a per ton were the train taken to Bowyer’s stream. Mr E. Cookson, coach proprietor, said that he had the mail contract for several years from Ashburton to'Mount ‘Somers. Witness then described the route taken by the coach. The traffic was very fair ■ until the opening of the Methven line, but after that it fell off. Witness thought that if the line were extended the passenger traffic would increase, although not from the Forks nor from the Hinds. By the Mayor • The great majority of the people drove or rode into Ashburton, or came by Bakaia via Methven, because that was nearer than by Anama. By the Commissioner The fact of a daily train coming by way of Rakaiamight make a difference, but witness did not think it would ba great. •Mr G. BL. St Hill, builder, said he had had considerable experience of the Mount Somers stones. They would command a good sale if they were more easily obtainable The Anama stone was good, but hard to work, while the Mount Somera and Alford Forest was a. easy to work and as serviceable as that coming from Oiimani. If the railway was extended the stone would fee more generally used for building purposes. _ Approved of Oamaru stone for building, and did not consider it porous and damp, as it hardened in about twelve months. The best stone in the district came from shout three the Mount Somers township, at Mr Peache’a quarry. There were several places built in Ashburton of this stone, and he had no doubt there‘would be considerable traffic in the material if she line were extended; The Mount Somers atone was closer in the grain and less pojo.ua than that from Oamaru. . Mr Williamson said thatthat was all the evidence, and he Wished to supplement what had been said by the last witness. ■ He (the Mayor) was formerly a stone mason and had worked some of the Mount Somers lime, and afterwards he had worked some in Timarn which oame from Otago and also some from Pareora. ' He considered the Mount Someni lime much' superior to eitheJ of the others. Witness' was quite sure it would be largely used u it were more easily procurable. It could, be easily burned as .there was plenty of bush,; and the native coal was the yery best tiling to use for the purpose-" He might add that the laud would be'much benefited by the addition of lime as a manure, but the price was at present prohibitive, whereas it would be greatly used were the transit facilitated. This closed the proceedings.

The enquiry was resumed this morning at 10.30, and the following evidence was taken : Mr W. 0. Walker, Chairman of the County Council, handed in a report of a committee of the Council made in November 1882, The report was the same as that mentioned by Mr Friedlander last evening, and recommended the extension of the line in the direction of the traffic bridge, which could be strengthened. In support of this the witness said the County Council took a great deal of trouble in the matter, and they arrived at a unanimous decision to cross the river at or near the traffic bridge and carry it northwards to Bowyer’s stream- To continue the line along the south of the river would make it simply a mineral line, which would be useless for passenger traffic. All the gentlemen who signed the petition were already served by the present line. The County Engineer, Mr Baxter, had given his opinion as to the feasibility of carrying the railway across the present traffic bridge, and witness suggested that the Commissioner should hear his evidence. The late Minis terof Public Works, Mr Johnston, had informed the County Council that there was an objection to combined traffic and railway bridges, and that there was no reason to regard economy in the matter as there was plenty of money to carry out the work. The present Minister, Mr Mitchelson, however, had taken a different view of the question, and for this reason witness thought Mr Baxter should give his evidence. Witness had lived for a long time in the district, and could say that in the slack time for farming the number of drays used for carting timber was astonishing. What was said regarding the timber of Alford Forest by Ashburton merchants should be received with caution, as it was almost impossible to get trustworthy statistics. By the Commissioner : To take the line by the present traffic &ridgo would not increase the distance more than half a mile. One of the canses of the small traffic oa the line was that only two trains ran during the week, and it was very awkward for people tp fit their business to suit this. Witness thought that the Methven line was paying about 3or 4 P flt cent. The extension of this line would do good to the Ashburton district. Was acquainted with Mr Tripp’s seam of coal at Mount Somers, and it was a very good specimen of lignite, superior to Malvern Hill coal for domestic purposes. About 14 feet of the seam was exposed, but the depth had never been discovered. An expert ha 4 stated some years ago that the coal coqld be quarried at 2s 6d to 5s per ton. This seam was about seven miles from Mount Somers, and the country was such that a tramway could be constructed as the land was a succession of level terraces. A tram? way would also serve for the transit of stone. Witness knew of another seam of coal on the south of the Ashburton, and the mineral was also cropping up in other places. Mr William Baxter, the County Engineer, said that it would increase the length of the route by taking the railway across the traffic bridge to the extent of about 30 chains. It would be requisite to adjust the trusses and strengthen the beams to make the bridge suitable for a railway, and witness estimated the cost at L7OO or LBOO. Witness had made a survey, and had ascertained >it to be practicable to extend the line and use the present traffic bridge, although it necessitated a rather sharp curve at the north end. The grade was about one in sixty from the bridge to Bowyer’s stream. No other witnesses being in attendance the Commission rose.