MIDLAND RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 12 March 1901, Page 2

MIDLAND RAILWAY COMMISSION.

A sitting of tho Midland Railway Commission was hold at tho County Council Chambers yesterday.

Tho principal ovidoneo given was that of Mr Voting, he entered fully into tho actual cost of construction, and the difficulties which had to do contended with in tho construction of the line. He said that :it the time of seizure by Government tho lino was practically a now on\ audits construction was quite equal, and in some rospcots superior to (hat of Government railways. Dealing with tho advantages to bo gained through tho construction of tho line, ho said, that tho timber industry could not have existed but for tho railway. While tho Blackball Coal mine could not have born opened. The prosperity of the Coast had boon largely increased, land had advanced in value and settlement been encouraged through tho lino. lie further asserted (hat tho Roefton coal mines would bo ultimately developed, and a largo export trade secured by means of tho railway.

Mr Bruco gave ovidoneo that ho was opening a largo mill which would givo an annual rovenuo of £1,200 to £1,500 to the Railway Department. Tho average annual output of each mill was about 2,000,000 superficial foot. It would talec about from fifty to sixty years to work out tho forest in that district. The Commission then adjourned. On tho Commission resuming this morning, Mr Hankins gave evidence generally of tho advantages of the railway, and tho greater facilities it gave the people of Reefton for getting their sapplies. Mr Pavitt's evid> nco was mainly convinod to the area of land and timber. Ho said that since 1891, 90.000,000 foot of timber had been exported through the construction of the railway,