The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 8.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 494, 8 April 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, APRIL 8.

As many of our readers are anxious td ; know how the Akaroa Railway .works are progressing, we gin- the following information, being the result of enquiries made on the subject. We understand the contract for lajiig the .lujus an rails as far as Wr.scoc's is now in course of being carried out, but that this contract will not include the ballasting of the line—that there will be a distance of about eight miles on the line across the margin of the lake _hich will not be ballasted until a further sum to cover the cost be voted by the Assembly next session. This is far from satisfactory, and very different indeed from what the residents in this district hoped, and had reason to expect. We hoped when Mr Macandrew put £30,000 on the Estimates for the commencement of the work, and followed that up by accepting a contract for the earthwork, that there would be no unnecessary delay. Unfortunately our reasonable hopes were doomed to disappointment. Mr Oliver succeeded Mr Macandrew, and his first act was to strike off £9500 from the vote of the previous year, on the plea that the money would not be required during the year 1579-80, and on the further plea of the difficulty of finding money for public works ; and this at the time the 'Government proposed to expend nearly half a million on the purchase of the four private railways in which some of their supporters were largely interested. Mr Oliver always promised that there would be no delay in proceeding with the work ; and when a deputation composed of well-known representative men from all parts of the district waited on him in Christchurch twelve months ago, he gave a positive promise that tbe first seventeen miles from Lincoln should be completed forthwith. It was thought the decided and unqualified promise of a Minister would be kept, and that implicit faith could be attached to such a promise. Had he adhered to his pledged word the railway trains would now be running between Lincoln and Lake Forsyth. Instead of this the- completion of that portion of the? line is again stopped for want of the very small amount which should have been voted last session. Not only has Mr Oliver neglected to fulfil his promise, but he seems to have a pleasure in ignoring the district, if it be true, as we arc informed; that he caused the sleepers which are now being laid down to be brought all the way from Invercargill, instead of calling for tenders, that tbe saw-millers in Little River might have had an opportunity of doing the work. Had he placed a sufficient sum on the Estimates last session, not only would the work have been completed before this, but the sleepers would have been cut at Little River, thus affording profitable employment for men living in the district. We make these remarks because we consider the people of the Peninsula have been most unjustly dealt with.

Let us look for a moment at tho difference between tho prospects of mill-owners and workmen at Little River at the present time, and what their prospects would be if the railway were now running as far as Lake Forsyth. We understand the mills are either stopped altogether o. only cutting small quantities of timber for trifling orders. We believe we are correct in stating that the cost of cartage of timber to Lincoln comes to half as much as the timber will sell for ; that the freight from Auckland or Invercargill to Lyttelton is less than the cost of cartage from Little River to Lincoln ; that this great expense of cartage renders impossible a profitable business being done in post and rails or firewood, and in short that the trade of the district is at a standstill. Very different would be the prospects if the trains were running..even as far as to Lake Forsyth. Millers would then be running'th.ir mills full time, thousands of cords of firewood would be sent away during the winter months ; also thousands of posts and rails, and instead of the inaction now reigning, tho Little River district would be a scene ot bustling activity. Men on the spot would have constant employment, and many additional hands, would be requiredAlready there is a cry from the unemployed at Christchurch, and when-the winter sets in in real earnest we fear this cry will be increased. This has b-cn partly the course of our writing this article. As previously stated, we understand the amount of money voted last session-,for the Akaroa Railway is not sufficient to cover the cost of ballasting the entire distance, but as there was a

sum of £75,000 voted for" Works for the unemployed," might not some of that money be spent on ballasting the railway, thus giving work for tho unemployed, and providing the means at the same time for constant work for at least one hundred and forty men at Little River. Has the £75,000 been all spent ? We think not. Will the Government spend some of it in giving employment on the railway ? That is a question to be asked. And we point this out that tho County Council might consider the expediency of taking some action in the matter. We have given prominence to the grievance;- of the residents at Little River because they are most seriously affected by th- delay referred to ; but we are not unmindful of the inconvenience suffered by, or the injustice done to the people of the Peninsula generally in consequence of this delay. At present we wish to point out a means by which it is possible the work may be expedited and as the County Council may be fairly considered to represent the wishes of the people of the County in this matter, we throw out the suggestion that that body should take some action on

ail. early day