LAKES ELLESMERE AND FORSYTH RECLAMATION AND AKAROA RAILWAY TRUST.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume 2, Issue 199, 14 June 1878, Page 3

LAKES ELLESMERE AND FORSYTH RECLAMATION AND AKAROA RAILWAY TRUST.

A meeting of this Trust was held at its offices, Hereford street, Christchurch, on Wednesday evening last.

There were present, Messrs Latter (Chairman), Rev. A. P. O'Callaghan, Reynold, Parkinson, Dalglish, Marehell, Gebbie, Joblin, .and Bell. Mr Montgomery, M.H.R., j was present at the request of the Chairman. THE CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT. j The Chairman stated in regard to a resolution passed at the last meeting regarding fixing a temporary terminus for the railway, that their solicitors, Messrs Hanmer and Harper, had considered the terms of the Act. and come to the conclusion that they would be met by having the terminus for the present somewhere on the Akaroa side of the water shed. That would comply with the terms of the Act I in carrying the survey of the line to Akaroa Harbor. ACCOUNTS. Some accounts contracted by a former servant of the Board were passed. THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. Mr Hardy Johnston reported as follows :— " In submitting to you my usual monthly progress report on the survey of Lakes Ellesmere and Forsyth, and also that of the Akaroa railway, I have much pleasure in stating that the survey plans of the former work and detailed drawings —five in number—as described in my last months report, are completed, with the exception of some descriptive writing that remains to be done, which will only occupy from four to five days. I also consider it necessary to make further" soundings across Lake Ellesmere, in order to arrive at a still more accurate estimate of the area of land to be reclaimed. With reference to the Akaroa railway plans, I regret to state that the Surveyor whom I engaged on this work has failed to fulfil his agreement with me. He faithfully promised to complete the work early in April, but it was not till near the end of May about a fortnight ago, that I received the plans of the first 15 miles, and a further length of nine miles on Monday last, there being yet the plans of some seven miles to be delivered. Fair tracings of the first 24 miles of the line, i.e., from its junction with the Southbridge branch, at Lincoln, to Little River, are completed, together also with an ind«x map on a scale of 40 chains to one inch, embracing the whole country between Lincoln and Akaroa, showing both lakes and the harbour of Akaroa, upon which will be laid down the whole line of railway. I have, therefore, ■reason to hope that the whole of the plans relating to the drainage of the lakes, together with my final report thereon, will i be ready to deliver to ybu by the end of

the present month, and those of the railway about a fortnight later."

The meeting, after some discussion, which was carried on in a conversational way, then ' adjourned till the evening of July 10.