Occasional Notes.

Clutha Leader, Volume I, Issue 25, 31 December 1874, Page 5

Occasional Notes.

THE RAILWAY QUESTIOiY. I think a very large number of settlors of the Warepa, Pum-na, and other districts, are deserving- of commendation for the persevering; egorts which, with true British pluck, they are making as regards the route of the Southern Trunk Railway, immediately on its leaving Bfllcluthn. The settlers seem resolved not to despair as long as there is a shot in the locker. Jdo not think it is. the correct thing, that the General CTOvernment should respond to the inquisitions of the settlers in the off-hand manner it appears to have done, merely stating that because the engineer has reported that the railway should go by a certain route, therefore it must be so. There has been so much discussion of the subject, and Mr Brunton- and the settlers respectively seem so confident of the correctness of their several views on the matter, that it would be satisfactory to the general public — every individual of which is a taxpayer, and therefore interested—to understand, more clearly the merits of the question. If the General Government declines to respond to the urgent requests of the local settlers, it ought certainly to state more clearly than it has as yet done, its reasons for so doing, and not, as if it were an. autocratic power merely assert that the railway should go by a particular route, because it is the will of Government that it should do so. Such a display of indifference to the request and petition, of a large, body of settlers, does not augur well for what we may expect,- if, by the abolition of .the Provinces, the General Government obtains a large, increase of power. There is very good reason to suppose, that were .the line being made under the auspices of the Provincial Government, the claims of the settlers would receive ample attention, and not be disallowed without very good and sufficient reason, and patient and j.ust consideration. As far as I understand the question, it seems to. me the settlers make out a very good case.. By the Waitepeka route, the line wouldseem to run for a large portion of the way through a. fine leading, valley, over almost level ground, where there would be very, few engineering difficulties, as regards cuttings, earthwork, or bridges. The only m.aterial obstacle it seems in in this route, would be the hill at Strachan's,. the. expense of tunnelling or cutting, which might be set against the extra work required upon the Fourmile Creek line, perhaps then, leaving a balance in favour of the Waitepeka line, as far as the expense of works is concerned. The original Four-mile Creek route, on account of the numerous spurs of hills which the line wouldha^e had to have rounded, in zig-zig fashion, to say nothing of the frequent bridging, of a. deepening* creek, seems really to have been utterly impracticable, though this route was clung to for a time with much persistency. Now, however, a somewhat better course has b-^en discovered over- adjacent land, but this seems still inferior to the Waitepeka valley coui*se, the creek in which lying 1 low, would be carried along by the line with, a necessity for little or no bridging." The only valid objection to the Waitepeka route is. that such course is not quite so direct as the other, being abo.ufr three, quarters of a, mile, longer. The settlers assert that the less expense of works on the Waitepeka line would compensate for the extra distance. No doubt it is advisable that main trunk lines of railway should he. made as direct as possible; but the Waitepeka line is so little out of the direct course, and tups such a well settled district, that it seems indisputably worth while to adopt it. If in the course of many years it were deemed advisable to have the line quite direct, it might be made so, leaving the Waitepeka line as a loop line. There appears to be no question, but that the immediate profits of the line will be considerably larger by the Waitepeka than, by. the other, route, thus ensuring benefit both to the general taxpayers and to the local' settlers. As regards numerous settlers, the Wair tepeka route will much lessen expense of cartage, many settlers being- able to make two journies in a day, where, otherwise they could make only one. Unless the General Government, or its officers, are able to show much more insuperable objections to the Waitepeka route, than have hitherto been shown, it seems quite apparent that by ignoring- the- request of the. local settlers, and persisting, in, not taking the line by the Waitepeka route, Government will have been guilty of a great injustice, and if ours be a representative Government, and not an aristocracy or bureacracy, this, will be a matter "deserving of the. severest investigation by the representatives of the people in the Provincial. Council and General. Assembly. I have that extent of confidence, however, in the good intentions of the General Government, that I am induced to think that, if Mr Richardson, the Secretary for Works, wouM only take iJie trouble to investigate the subject, tne settlers wou)d. have justice done them, and either the line, be carried by the Waitepeka, or very good reasons for not taking it by that route, be clearly and distinctly set forth.

A new form of sheep- shears, by meansoi which an unskilled hand will be a,ble to shear six times the number at present shorn per day by skilled hand?, is said to have been invented, and will shortly b? placed in the market. The principle is an adaptation of the reaping machine. _.