ROADING THE COUNTY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2144, 20 March 1908, Page 1

ROADING THE COUNTY.

PROPOSED TRAMWAY TO PATUTAHI.

A FULL DISCUSSION. MORE LNFORMATION WANTED

A special mooting of tho Cook County Council was hold yesterday afternoon. Present: —Tho Hon. Copt. Tucker (in tho chair) and Crs. F. J. Lvsnar, White, It. Sherratt, A. F. Matthews, Poland, iMacDonakl and W. D. Lvsnar. The special business was to consider tho" following motion of which Cr. .Matthews had given notice: “That a sum of £50,000 he borrowed for the purpose of constructing a light railway from Gisborne to the Patutahi quuarry, and from the junction of tho Arai and Patutahi roads to Waingake.” CR. MATTHEW’S REMARKS.

In proposing his motion Cr. Matthews said ho had written the remarks lie wished to make. 110 thought this was a satisfactory action, as his remarks could always bo referred to in a black and. white record. He read the following statementl4 appeal's to me if a district has a fanprospect before it, and the settlers are willing to take some of the financial burdens on their shoulders, it is tho duty of this Council to supply the pressing needs of a wealth*' county like Cook; indeed, it is tho function of this Council to do aw.iv as far as possible with tho okl-fash-ioned waggons that continue to travel on our so-called roads by ;roviding steam or electric tramways constructed whore possible on the side of existing roads. The construction and working of steam tramways should be of the cheapest and simplest kind. The guard should give out the tickets in the train,, and all items of working should he reduced to the most economical system, an 1 in its progress the train should picit up tho traffic at any point. Tramways spell as the proposed one could be "brought, if desired, into the streets of Gisborne, so as to turn and twist about the streets to deliver goods and produce collected in the country without intermediate transport. It is accepted by the authorities that a well-constructed, woilba'llasted, and well-maintained steam tramway, with rolling stock in good order, will be more cheaply worked than the ordinary railway constructed for the sake of economy with roc-ond-hand rails, shaky rolling stock, and pitched-up locomotives. I have attached herewith, first, a schedule indicating estimated cost- of construction and laying and ballasting permanent way, also tlie cost, < f rolling stock landed at Gisborne a barf. Schedule 2 •attached shows tie •• verage cost of carting stone from Patutalii Quarry, as compared with ' ailway haulage for a period of eight years. Schedule 3 represents the annual estimated cost of rovon i? and expenditure. If the Council de dri'cs for the construction of this line, ti e consent of the Borough Conoid *v'li be required to take the line ihro.igii the town. The proposed tine of tramway is as follows: Starting from the breastwork near the flagstaff, thence along the Abattoir joacl to Goldsmith’s corner, from there r.'eng the road to what is known as Biggs’ corner, thence along the road cui the steel bridge to ,the junction of the Arai and Patutahi road, thei ce ailong the main road past Swarthmoor to the Patutahi Quarry. It is proposed to purchase aoo.it 35acres of land for the purpose of easing curves and for metal dep< ts—first ,at the Arai and Patutahi read junction, at. Biggs’ corner, aiul at Goldsmith’s corner, also about half an acre at the Gisborne terminus. It will bo economy to have a stono knapping machine and hopper platform at Patutahi, and at Gisborne end a hopper platform and a steam derrick, costing about £825. I beg to refer the Council to the Tramways Act, 1894, .and the Public Works Act, 1905, part 7; also, the Loans Act, 1901. If these proposals are given effect to, I would suggest that the amount borrowed be £25,000, so that the first year’s interest could be paid out of the loan; also, that tenders be cabled for tho work. I trust I have in no way exaggerated the far-reaching effects the construction of this work will have in providing metal at a price within our means, to, enable the construction and maintenance of good sound permanent roads. I have tried" to put this matter before the Council in as comprehensive and -detailed a manner as oossible, so that, after careful consideration, they can weigh the matter in all its bearings to arrive ■at a just and satisfactory decision.”

DETAILED ESTIMATES.

Cr. Matthews also submitted the following detailed estimates:

SCHEDULE I, Estimated cost of construction of steam tramway from Gisborne to Patutahi Quarry, via Abattoir road.' Proposed gauge, 2ft 6in; minimum radius of curves, 1 j chains; maximum speed, 20 miles an hour. Steel sleepers, Rails, 2Slbs’. . - „ '. Cost- per Total mile. cost. £ £ Formation (14 miles) 100 1,400 Bridge (Patutahi) ... Permanent way (landed at Gisborne wharf)... 744 10,416 Points and crossings ... 11 10l Loading material and distributing along line ... 36 oO* Laying road 120 1680 Ballasting, etc. 200 2800 Points and crossings ... 40 obo Land to be purchased ... 36 out Siding for ballast (40 elms) Engineering and con tingencies 1-00 £20,268 Cost per mile, £1447 14s 3 3-7 d. Locomotive ~ Trucks (10 at £93 each) ?30 One first-class carriage One second-class carriage 381 Goods waggon ... Goods waggon, open (2) Engine-shod at Gisborne ... ... gou Four tanks and stands, with trestles and windmills ... ... IfO Shed and platform, Gisborne end 200 £3634 Total cost, includingrolling stock ••• £23,902 0 0 Total cost per mile £1707 5s 8 4-id Note: If local pine sleepers were used, there, would be a saving of £2OOO in the total cost. Locomotive’s weight in working order 7 tons oewt., hauls 137 tons on the flat, 53 tons on a gradient of l :n 100. The trucks are double-side ‘tee. tipping waggons.; carrying 6 tons of stone each, wlrcli is renal to about 6 cubic yards of metal. First-dlass linsscnger carriage tarries 19 .nassongers. second 43. jtunensions: Length 29ft Gin, width 6»t n'.\, inside height 6ft 91n. Goods •• ng"on (covered): Length 2oft, \W\L.i 6ft height 6ft. Ditto open (two): Length 29ft 9in. width oft 3in, neUrnt of sides Ift 6in, carries 8 tons; weight of waggon 3 tons 3cwt. Note. It imported, freight to be added. Average cost of carting stone from * Patutalii Quarry, as compared with rail h-mlage, for a period of eight years.

COOK COUNTY REQUIREMENTS. Cost Cost by bv Road Rail £ £

.wliero, .metal 30ft wide, say, s.lyds to the chain (300 chains, 18,060 cubic yards) ... , 5910 2800 Matnwhcro to -Bilhain’s, 25 cubic voids to chain (200 thaiiis, 0500yds) ... 1300 050 Vlh .m's to Quarry, 10yds to chain (331 chains, 331.0 cubic yards) 502 IC7 »U*lnl repairs for 7 years, sav, 12 miles (5700 cubic yards) ... . j 1258 »<0 Branch depots, To Aral, Makarnka, etc., served partlv bv proposed tram, per annum (IBOOob. yds) 2700 1200

Totals £11.070 £5387 The above estimates are based on 0s ill per yard by road and 3s per ton by rail (from town boundary to Matawhoro; 4s per yard by road and 2s nor ton bv rail from Matawhoro to 13 ill will's; 3 s per yard by road, Is per ton by rail from Bilham s to Quarry; 4s ixl per yard by road and 2s by rail for -metal repairs; 4s 6d per yard by road and 2s by rail for branch depots. . The tot all county requirements (900 chains, 35,400 cubic yards) amount, at an average cost of 4.s sid per yard by ; roa.d, to £11,070, or by -rail to £5387. '* GISBORNE BOROUGH REQUIREMENTS. I3y By road -rail £ X First year, say, 10,000yds, 8s per yard by road, 3s per ton-by rail 4000 1500 Seven years, say, 0000yds per annum (42,000yd5) 10,800 0300

£20.800 7800 Estimated total ofstouere- s cfiiired by County and (Borough for 8 years, 87,400 vards, at 8s by road and 3s per ton by rail 20,800 7800 Estimated total stone in Quarry, 160.000 cubic yards. Saving to County on -above estimate £0,283 Saving to Borough on above estimate 13,000

Total saving in cost by rail as against cost of carting for period of years ... £19,283 Annual saving £2410 7 0 Note. —The above does not include the cost of crushing stone, nor does it take into -account the large amount of broken metal that would he available at a cheap rate for metalling all the country roads on Haiti and Whataupoko.

SCHEDULE 111. ESTIMATED ANNUAL REVENUE. £ s d 20 passengers per day, at Id per mile each, 14 miles ... 305 3 4 Produce, including wool and stores, 700 tons at 3s a ton 105 0 0 Borough Council, 8000yds stone at 3s a yard or ton 1200 0 0 County Council, 5000yds at 2s (kl average . 025 0 0 Parcels, etc., and mails ... 50 0 0 £2345 4 ESTIMATED EXPEN DI TUB E. £ s d Interest on sinking fund at 5 per cent , on £23,902 1195 2 0 Maintenance and working expenses, 50 per cent on estimated revenue of £2345 1172 10 0 Total £2307 12 0 Estimated -annual revenue 2345 3 4

Apparent annual- deficiency ... ... •• 22 8 8 Ann lint" estimated saving .to County and Borough in cost of carriage -f stone by rail inst ad 1 carting ... ... ...2410 7 0 Anim.il credit balance in favor of steam tram if good roads is tho aim and object of Council ...2387 18 10 Attached to the estimates was an offer from Mr. F. Hall to supply 26,000 yellow pine si'.eepers at £OO per thousand.

THE DISCUSSION.

Cr. Matthews stated that the rolliiig stock and engines could ho built at Thames. Cr. W. D. Lysnar said the rails proposed were very light. Cr. Matthews said that steel sleepers kept the gauge of the railway well, and lasted about four times as long as wooden sleepers, but to his mind it seemed wiser to put- down wooden- sleepers, as in -about eight years ft might he found advisable to increase the gauge. It was inadvisable to have a wider gauge, as it would be more costlly, and if they did not want to take up too much of the road. His figures comparing cost hy road and rail were absolute fa As the cost by road was found by adding the actual tender prices. it was inadvisable to run the line in. conjunction with the Government railway. If this was done ’ho tramway would be absolutely at i lie mercy of the railway authorities. The Mayor had told him that the Borough C.n/n----cil would take at least '•.oooft of metal per annum. When the present quarries on the line were woived out branch lines could be run -o rew quarries. Cr W. D. Lysnar said the tramway to Patutahi had his support, but there were phases which nee red to bo well! looked into. The prope.-a! c.id not seek to benefit the whole county, and if the proposal was sol mitten to ridings getting no benefit an adverse vote on it could he exprUcc*. Mr. H. J. H. Blow, l/v-der for Public Works, made vie statement to him (the 6i.enl«.co that the cost of putting a foot on the gauge was not sufficient to make it inadvisable to do so. The Council sl oulil tike into consideration the wants of the Harbor Board. The tramway should be extended to ailm-ere; when tilt? Haiibor Board would contribute to the cost. The main tl nig was that ratepayers would not vote for the- proposal unless they received some benefit. There were other r’din,rs besides the Gisborne riding which were greatly in need of such works. He hoped the tramway scheme would bo carried out, but what was necessary was a comprehensive scheme to deal with the whole county. Submitting a partial scheme merely meant wasting the money spent on taking a poll. Cr. Matthews said that everything must have a start; and his idea was to nut in a short section as an experiment. If the line turned out successfully, lines would be laid all over the county. The road to le Ivaraka had never been better than at present, owing to being greatly relieved bv the railway. Putting a foot- on the gauge would, he reiterated, make a great difference to the cost-. If lie had to suggest the rating district lie would cut out Tologa Bay. The rest of the ridings benefited more or less.

Cr. W. Lysnar asked why the rest of the district should wait while this small section was being tested. •- Cr. Matthows said that would bo

too big a contract. Cr. F. Lysnar asked if tho tramway was- not of more benefit to the borough than to the county. '[’lie Chairman said tho borough took 115,0001't and the county (300011. Cr. Matthews said that in his estimate he had not allowed for the metal required for tho county portion of Whataupoko. The Chairman said lie did not see why tho full length of the line should he made. It seemed better to make use of the Government railway where possible. Cr. W. Lysnar said that using tho Government line would make the freight charge too great. One advantage of tlie gauge being the same as tho Government’s was that when metal was wanted at Kaitoratahi it could bo run on tho County line to tho railway) the Government taking tho trucks on. Another thing was that the Government rolling stock could he .borrowed. If a loan of £200,000 was mado for a comprehensive scheme for the whole county, nobody would have to pay more than a halfpenny rato .for the next eight years. l Cr. Matthews advised against any trust being placed in any Government department. Mis route had been drawn up with a view to escaping coining into competition with tho 1 railway. Cr. Shorratt said the line was undoubtedly the start of an independent railway into a good district. There would he quite enough traffic to make the lino pay. Cr. W. Lysnar asked why the line .should he made while the Tologa riding was badly in need of road repairs. Cr. 'Shorratt said that the lino would pay for itself, and was such a lino as a private individual would put up. Tho Pututahi riding would not he particularity -benefited. Cr. W. Lysnar said that if a comprehensive scheme were carried out the rates over the whole county con'd be reduced by half, while with the proposed scheme only £22 would be saved to the county. Cr. Matthews said the conditions of the county demanded that light tramways were absolutely necessary, and the light gauge line could be taken almost anywhere. Tho Chairman said that according to tlie schedule there would bo no deficit, and it would be better to make the ridings specially benefited responsible for tho rate. Cr. Matthews said that one tiling in favor of a gauge of 2ft Gin was that curves could be got in 1J ehains, while on a 3ft Gin gauge it took 5 chains. Tic did not favor the Government ever taking over the line—it would be better to keep the property in the county’s hands and lot the profit reduce the-rates. Cr. Sherratt said the present loan was for a work which was sure to return a profit. If other ridings had any profitable proposals let them bo. brought forward in turn. Cr. .Matthews .moved: —“That Patutahi Hangaroa, Te Arai, Waikohu (Wharekopae portion), Gisborne, and Whataupoko be a special district for the construction of a steam tramway to Patutahi; that the proposal be referred to the Couuty Engineer for his renort; and that a letter be forwarded to tho Borough Council asking what quantity of metal they would take from the County Council •at a haulage rate of 3s per cubic yard.” The Chairman said the only reason for the line was the fact that the county roads were being cut up by the carting of metal being \lone for the Borough Council. For that reason he would like to see an undertaking from the Borough to make a certain contribution, to bo taken out in metal. Tlie Comity had to consider this extraordinary traffic for the Borough, and he thought the County was foolish in keeping the roads in repair. One way for tho Comity was to call on the Borough to repair tho roads. For theso reasons ho thought nothing should he done until a statement had been received from the Borough. Cr. Sherratt thought the Borough should nob be made a partner in the line—the profit should be conserved to the County. Cr. Matthews suggested that the Clerk write to the Borough Council asking tho •minimum amount of stono required. He hoped that the Council would regard tho County as a whole, and that no- one section should fight against another. The Chairman 6aid that if the Borough uaid a sum towards the cost of the line with a'proviso that it could be taken out in metal it did not mean that the Borough would become a partner in tlie business. Cr. Lysnar said that there was every reason why the line should he taken by Waihirere, as there would he guaranteed income from the Harbor Board and the Borough. Cr. Matthews said that in that case Aral’s supnly would be cut off. It would be better to run a branch line to Waihirere. Cr. MacDonald said Shat except for the Borough’s needs there was no necessity for a tramway.. The motion was carried.