LAWRENCE – TOKOMAIRIRO LINE.

Evening Star, Issue 3787, 14 April 1875, Page 3

LAWRENCE - TOKOMAIRIRO LINE.

(From the Tuapeka Times).

When will the railway be opened to Lawrence ? is a question that is very often asked, but ono that is rather difficult to answer. The Manuka Creek tunnel has hitherto presented itself as the bete noirol this line, but from information we have received, ether obstacles—obstacles too, more difficult to remove than even hard ropk tunnels—are now in the way. From all accounts the contractors have run short of the ** needful,” and not a single hand, we are informed, is at present employed on the railway from the Round Hill to the Tokomairiro junction. ... a correspondent writes us as follows “I am perfectly certain I am within the mark when I say that within the past the sum of L 2,000 has beeu earned on these sections of the railway, not one sixpence of which has been paid—at least no sum worth mentioning. The amount f hardship entailed by this conduct it will not be easy to estimate, but I can assure you it has been, and is very great.” Ureat complaints were made by many against a monopoly being given the Messrs Brogden, but of this we are confident, had this firm been entrusted with the formation of the Lawrence-Tokomairiro Railway, it would h™ been completed simultaneously with the Clutha line, which will be opened in a few months, whereas, at the present rate of progress, the iron horse will not be at work on the Lawrence line for the next three years. The local Progress Committee has decided that the facts in relation to the cessation of the railway works should be embodied in a letter to the Minister of Public Works, to be forwardsd at once to that gentleman, in the hope that he might cause inquiry to be made which would have the effect of having the work resumed and carried on with vigor. In addition to this it has been arranged to hold a public meeting on Wednesday evening next, when a petition will be prepared for signature calling upon the Government to push on the railway works, so that the line nuy be opened at an early date.