Page 3 Advertisements Column 4

Charleston Argus, Volume 1, Issue 17, 11 May 1867, Page 3

PROsP E C T us TESTPOKT AND CHARLESTON TRAMWAY COMPANY, [UMITKD,] To l)e registered under the "Joint Stock Company's Act, I860." Capital, £14,000, divided into 3,500 shares of iM each ; 10s to be paid on application, 10s on allotment, and the balancebj instalments not exceeding £1 each per month, from date of ' '■* -"'iti&niptit-. Provisional Committee. Henry Wright, Esq., M.P.C., Westport Arthur Beauchamp, Esq., Westport M. M'Lean, Esq.. Westport H. E. Campbell, Esq , Westport J. V. Smith, Esq., Westport W. Ferris, Esq., Westport * J. Creel, Esq., Charleston Hugh Neil, Esq., Westport George Jervis, Esq., Westport A. H. King, Esq., Westport G. Hudson, Esq., Westport J. H. Gibson, Esq,, Westport B. Colreavy, Esq., Charleston With power to add to their number. Bankers: The Bank of New Zealand. Honorary Secretary : IT. E. Campbell, Esq.. Offices: Freeman-street, Westport. • • •<■•■ This Company is formed for the purpose of laying a Line of Tramway from Westport to Charleston, for the conveyance of passengers and goods to and from these places and the various intermediate stations.

The Committee have much satisfaction in stating that protection has been granted to them by Mr Commissioner Kynncrsley, the officer representing the Provincial Government, for the ground over which the Tramway passes, with sufficient area of ground for stations and offices where required; and that as soon as this Company can show to his satisfaction that they are able and willing to carry out the undertaking, he will cause a survey of the Line to be made free of expense to the Company. The entrance to Charleston Harbor is of such a dangerous nature as to render insurance impossible, and chip owners demand freight in propormouth, and other ptaces to that port. Heavy losses have been sustained already at Charleston in consequence o? the state of the harbor, and these may be constantly looked for as long as vessels venture into that port. The excellence of the Wcstport Harbor is admitted by all who have seen it, professional Y and other persons, and it follows as a natural consequence that shipowners will willingly prefer an extension of voyage, as the few extra miles between the two places is scarcely worth consideration when it secures so safe and commodious a harbor ; at the sometime they .can afford to charge a much lower rate of freight than they otherwise would demand for a shorter voyage, as in the one case loss of their vessels is imminent, if some speedy and cheap mode of conveyance from Westport to Charleston were established, such as this Company propose by tho Tramway. This Company can with confidence state that they will b:> enabled to deliver goods at Charleston from the most distant colonial ports, via Westport, ot a lower rate of carriage than i 3 now paid for freight to that place from the nearest port.

The present towage charged at Hokitik* and Greyrnouth on vessels entering those ports will be altogether saved by vessels making tor Westport direct, as they can at any time enter without such assistance, and will consequently be enabled to carry goods at much lower rates ; this, without taking into recount the item of insurance, which at present is either very considerahle or impossible to effect on vessels entering Charleston, and would for West port be greatly reduced. The present passenger tiafflc between the two places is growing daily, and most of those who now travel are compelled to do so on foot, in consequence of the high prices charged for horse hire, and the uncertainty of their return within a reasonable time. It is considered that the traffic will be much increased when some more convenient mode of conveyance is established. It is estimated at the lowest that the present passenger traffic between the two townships is upwards of 300 per week eact way, this, at 10s each, would realize L3OO weekly. The poods traffic may be ;.et down at 300 tons per week at least; shortly after the line is opened for traffic, which at L2 per ton, would realize L6OO, thus forming a weekly income of L9OO, from which may, at the utmost, be taken LSOO per week for working