TARANUI-WAIPAHEE RAILWAY.

Evening Star, Issue 4127, 19 May 1876, Page 4

TARANUI-WAIPAHEE RAILWAY.

A meeting pf the' Tapanui-Waipahcc Railfray Committee was held in Noble’s Hotel ton Saturday, 13th'instv when thejollowing report from Captain M'Kenzie was road ; I visited Invercargill; and waited upon Messrs Wood, Lumsden, and Joyce, as Dr Hodgkinson was absent. Those gentlemen expressed their entire sympathy with the people of Tapanni, and promised as far as possible to support in the Assembly any feasible scheme, which may be proposed for the construction of the railway. The Invercargill people seemed very friendly, and Quite alive ‘to the importance to their locality of the proposed line.” A tele fram was received from Mr Bastings stating hot the estimated coat of the line was 146,000, but the plans had not yet been Completed. The chairman read the following statistics, which had been obtained by Messrs Poynter, flowat, and M'Kellar Districts to be benelitted by the proposed Tapanui and Waipahee railway includes the original runs held by the undermentioned gentlemen : J. F. Kitching. Nos. 178, 212b, 215, 253, 368 ; Ibbotson, Nos. 202 aud 175b ; JLogan, No. 175 a ; Herbert, No. 202.-V; M'Kellar, No. 163; 0. Cameron, No. 140b; Poynter, No. 140 a; M'Keuzie, No. 168 ; M'Tntyre, No. 167b ; Driver and Larnach, 167 a, The. total acreage of which is 364,660, of which 140,000 is freehold. The bush supportStsix sawmills and four timber factories, A large brick and tile factory i; in full work ; also a dour mill. The brown coal deposits are comparatively inexhaustible.

Capt. M'Kenzie” remarked that a large number of people who bad nob visited the district were under the impression that the southern trunk line passed through Tapauui, and that unless the minds of the people wort disabused of that impression, an unfavorable view might be taken of the preposed line.

Mr J. Howat coincided with the previou speaker a remarks, and stated tuat tut public and tae Press generally were alike u error in calling the proposed Tapanui anu Waipahee line a bra .cn line. It was of the kind. The proposed line was but tn«. first section of one of the most important railways in the Province, whicu at no dis taut date would cro s the Tapanui plains and thence on to the Dunstan. The iiatura; features of the country pointed out that as the most desirable route, it was possible the Provincial Government might have commenced the line, had they succeeded in raising funds by t ie disposal of large blocks of land. . Captain M'Kenzie said that the Minister of Works had told him the Government would not undertake branch lines. It to therefore necessary taat when the Provinces were abolished, and the General Government took over the works initiated by the Provincial Government, that the TapanuiWaipahee railway should appear on the schedule of main lines. The Chairman Poy liter) remarked that it would be the correct thing for Mr Bastings to apply’to'the f Government for the construction of the railway in the first place as"a sectionjifa main line. Captain M'Kenzie thought that Mr Howat’s supposition re the Provincial Government commencing the line, providing they had disposed of the large blocks of land, a fallacy. Had the money been realised by the sale of the’lands, it would have been appropriated for other purposes, Mr Howat remarked that, as far as he was concerned, he would rather want the railway than the lands should be sacrificed in such a manner, and he thought the members of the Committee agreed with him. It was, however, hoped at one time that the Provincial Government would construct the line, and the Superintendent had also given a promise to that effect. Captain M'Kenzie: The Superintendent has been in the habit of making promises for the last twenty years, but he did not keep then}. It was resolved that “ The member for the district (Mr Bastings) be requested to use bis utmost endeavors to get the Tapanui Waipabee railways placed on the schedule of main linos.”— ‘ Tuapeka Times. ’