THE RAILWAY QUESTION.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2593, 9 June 1871, Page 3

THE RAILWAY QUESTION.

At a meeting of the owners of property in the Oamaru District, held lately, the following resolutions were adopted : 1. 'that in the opinion of this Conference railways should be constructed through such portions of the Province of Otago as are at present or are likely to be soon thickly populated. 2. That the course of the Main Trunk Line through the island having been sketched out, such portions should bo constructed at once as will give the greatest facilities for the conveyance of produce and other heavy crnunoditics to ports of shipment. 3. That branch lines, through the richest portions of the agricultural nistricts should bo constructed concum ntly with portions ol the Main Trunk Line, on a lighter and less expensive scale, but of the same guage as the main line. Such line to act as feeders, and not to cost more than L 3,000 per mile on the average. , - 4. That as regards the Oamaru district, that portion of the Main Line between the Waitaki and Otepopo should be the first section constructed. 5. lliat immediate provision should he made for branch lines :—l. From Oamaru up Cave Yalley and Waiareka Valley to a point on the Kakunui, about two or three miles below Mr Atkinson’s homestead. Distance, about il miles. 2, From Pukeuri Point on Papakftio Plain to Awamoko (joining main line) —14 miles ; Awamoko toMaevewheuua, 9 miles. 0. That in the opinion of this conference, the construction of the above-mentioned lines would have the eil'cct of immensely increasing the population of the-district, the export ol cereals, and of the valuable building stone of the district, and would at the same time save a large sura of money which must be otherwise expended in the construction and maintenance of roads. 7. That with the view of preventing as much as possible any serious derangement of the labor market during shearhu; and harvest, power should be taken by the Government to order the suspension of large railway works during the month of December, January, and February.