A SOUTHLAND RAILWAY PROJECT.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1426, 10 September 1878, Page 3

A SOUTHLAND RAILWAY PROJECT.

[“Southland Times.”] The public works statement, and papers, reports, and tables attached to it, constitute a voluminous State pamphlet of ninety-two pages foolscap folio, set in small type. It contains a fund of useful information, and a few rare things hidden in its recesses are only to be discovered by dint of close searching. One of these is the following clause in the report on the railway surveys of the Middle Island by the engineer in charge, Mr W. N. Blair.

“ In connection with the Gatlin’s River and Fortrose branches, and another branch that the Provincial Government of Otago intended to make into the Seaward Bush from Invercargill, it is a question whether the interests of the country would not bo better served by making instead one through loop line from Green Hill on the Bluff Railway via Toi Tois and Gatlin’s River to the Clutha, Such a line would open up a great extent of rich agricultural and timber country. It would afford communication in both directions to the districts traversed, and shorten the journey from Dunedin and Christchurch to the Bluff by fifteen or twenty miles. So far as can be ascertained without a regular survey there are no serious engineering dilheulties in the way of its construction, the only doubtful part is about twenty miles in the Tautuku Forest, not yet explored.” A precious proposition truly, that in the face of existing facts, of which the already constructed line from Invercargill towards Dunedin is one, may bo classed amongst engineering vagaries. No Government in its senses, much less one like the present, that plumes itself upon its economical leanings, would dare to squander public money in the construction of a duplicate main line of railway, for the sake, amongst other reasons, of shortening the distance from Christchurch to the Bluff by fifteen or twenty miles. Another reason is opening up rich agricultural and timber country which we may remark.is a great deal more “ timber ” than “ agricultural ” and will require lots of clearing to prepare it for the advent of the farmer, and which would be best dealt with by tapping by branch lines, one of which will be the branch from Edendale. Apart from this, however, the construction of such a line involves the diverting of traffic from Invercargill to the serious detriment of the town’s interests. The proposition is a deliberate insult to this community, almost equivalent to a stab in the dark, which we are glad to see is to bo promptly challenged and resented. We perceive that, the Mayor has been called upon to convene a public meeting to consider and discuss the question, and we have no doubt that an unanimous expression of opinion will be elicited that will induce the Government to pause before it pledges itself to such a hair brained scheme as that propounded by the Eugiiioer-iu-Chief of the Middle Island.”