PENINSULA RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 3836, 10 June 1875, Page 3

PENINSULA RAILWAY.

To the Editor. Sra,—The rejection of the Peninsula Bailway Bmis an act of most suicidal folly on the part of the Council, and cannot ■ but result in most injurious consequences to the trade of Dunedin and the whole Province. This line with a deep-water pier inside the Heads, is about the most necessary of all the railways to provide accommodation for larger shipping than any now usingthis. port. Tie depth of water inside the Heads is over 40ft* at all tides, whilst at the Port Chalmers paer it is only 18ft., quite sufficient for large ves sela. To take advantage of the natural facilities of our harbor, the shipping should be located somewhat thus; Vessels under 1,000 tons at Dunedin; vessels between 1,000 and 2,000 tons at Port Chalmers; those over 2,000 tons at the Heads. At the present time the largest class of vessels are prohibited from coming here for the want of accommodation, which this railway would give, whilst the other ports -offer every facility. The shipping facilities fnow necessary) that would be offered by this railway must have been unknown to the Council, otherwise it seems almost impossible to account for its action.

In a London ‘Times’ just to hand I observe that the Canada Pacific Bs'ilway is now in course of construction by the Government and an important branch line is to be.constructedbya private company, the Government reserving to itself the right to take over the line at any time on paying 10 per cent* over the actual cash outlay. Surely the principle might be applied to this railway, and «ven to all branch lines.

lam not m the least degree interested in the Peninsula or the company, but like the rest of the community have a little interest in the shipping facilities of our port.—-I am, &c., Dunedin, June 10. ' Trade.