SOUTHERN RAILWAYS.

Evening Star, Issue 3673, 30 November 1874, Page 3

SOUTHERN RAILWAYS.

The weather has caused great progress to be made on all public works throughout the Province of late, A friend of oars who made a trip overland to Southland, spates that the railway between the Taieri and Clutha has made great strides, and at the other end of the Province matters are equally as favorable. The rails are laid as far as twenty-eight miles from the Southern City, with the exception through the cutting so well km»wn as the “Edendalc cutting.” This cutting comprises the heaviest works in connection with the Southern Trunk Line, being about seventy-five chains long, of an average depth of twenty feet throughout, and all through a dense bush. Dn account of the nature of the material near formation level, no great progress could be made during wet weather. At a depth of thirtysix feet, and about six or eight feet from formation level, a narrow seam of lignite was struck, and under that a nasty soapy blue clay, with torrents of wa'er bursting out in all directions, c-.usiog immense slips from time to time during wet weather, a great deal of extra labor and anxiety ; but all these drawbacks were unforeseen circumstances. which no engineerir.g skill, however careful, would he aware of before commencing, unless trial pits were made to the formation level, and which process would be considered very unnecessary by an practicaly person, particularly after sinking about twenty-feet, as the nature ©f the material did not show any indication but the same all through, which was of a sandy and gravelly nature. However, when finished, this line, on account of its curves and gradients, will be, “perhaps,” the best in New Zealand, and is expected to be opened as far as Longford about the beginning of March next. Another thing that strikes the eye of the tourist is the marked change in the grass on the planes of the Mataura through the Com pany’s estates, and abetter proof of thesuperior pastures of the distfict cannot be elicited than to observe the noble herds feeding in the paddocks along the line, seemingly not in the least disturbed by the appearance of the iron horse, although it probably in a few months may be tho means of conveying them to Dunedin to meet their fate.