OUR RAILWAYS.

Evening Star, Issue 4235, 22 September 1876, Page 3

OUR RAILWAYS.

THE LAWRENCE LINE. On Wednesday a deputation headed by Mr J. C. Brown, M.U.R., waited on the Minister for Public Works, on whom was urged very forcibly the desirability of pushing on the Lawrence railway, in order that it might be opened for traffic by the end of the year so as to meet the wool season. The H'gineer-in-Chief, to whom Mr Richardson referred the deputation, repeated his opinion that it would be unsafe to open the Round Hill section on account of the steepness of the gradient at that point:, but promised it should be opened as far as Havelock by the end of the year. ’Christchurch to moeraki. : Mr WhitakHr, the contractor for the main trunk line^of railway, between the Waitaki River and the Hook, was yesterday in town, and from him we learnt that he .will commence operations at both ends of ,the contract on Monday next. He intends to place a large number of men on tbe work, so that the line will* be linked. up, in eight' weeks from the time operations are commenced. It is also intended to construct the lifie from the Waitaki to the junction with the Waimate branch line (the distance being About eight miles) in a month from date; that the: material may be sent np from Oamaru to enable Mr Pratt, the contractor for the Waimate branch line, to complete His contract (four miles), so that it can be simultaneously opened with the through line to Christchurch. If Mr Whitaker and Mr Pratt complete their respective contracts in the period stated, it will be in time to allow of all this season’s wool grown in South Canterbury being sent direct to this port for shipment.—* N.O. Times.’

r THE NORTH OAMARU LINES. : Mr Green, Provincial Secretary for Works, and Mr Conyers, Railway Traffic Manager, visited the ri arbor works yesterday, and expressed themselves highly pleased ■with the progress made, and the substantial nature of the works. Negotiations were in progress during the day with Messrs Lowe and Dunbar, the representatives respectively of the Colonial Public Works Department, and tbe Messrs Brogden, .with a view to the immediate opening of the railway between Oamaru and Hampden. To-day it is proposed to inspect the Awamoko branch line, and to-morrow to visit the works on the Waiareka railway contract. —* Ibid.’