THE MIDDLE ISLAND RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

Globe, Volume XXI, Issue 1736, 12 September 1879, Page 3

THE MIDDLE ISLAND RAILWAY DEPARTMENT.

The following letter was forwarded by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce to the Hon. Minister for Public Works : Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Christchurch, Sept. Bth, 1879. Sir, —At the annual general meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce I was instructed to telegraph you as follows : " I have the honor to_ inform you that at the annual general meeting of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce I wa3 instructed to telegraph you—' That this Chamber views with the greatest concern the efforts now being made by a section of the Dunedin community to remove the Commissioner of Railways from Christchurch to Dunedin. They respectfully urge that the enormous and increasing traffic, together with the proper and efficient management of tho Middle Island railways, demand the headquarters of tho chief of the department being retained here, where tho bulk of the traffic is centred. They are also of opinion that immediate steps should be taken to complete and render efficient tho Addington workshops." Since dispatching tho abovo message, yon are reported in the telegraphic columns of thePBESs newspaper to have stated, in answer to a deputation of the Dunediu Chamber of Commerce—- " That the subject of tho removal of the Commissioner of Railways should not be made an election cry." With thiß view the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce thoroughly concurs, and desires that the efficient working of the railway system of the Middle Island should bo the first consideration, and that it should rest on its merits alono. At the same time, this Chamber is convinced that an unbiased inquiry into the working of these lineß would point to Christchurch as the proper head-quarters of the Commissioner and his staff. It may have been considered by a section of the Dunedin community that the presence of the Commissioner might be required temporarily in Dunedin to reorganise the lines centering in_ that important city, but our Chamber is .of opinion

that this oonld be effectually carried out by the Commissioner by an occasional visit to Dunedin, withont the removal of his department fromthis city, as it is self-etident that a staff so thoroughly organised as that now under his control, must contain several who, under Mr Conyers' direction, are thoroughly competent to deal with and satisfy the requirements ot DuneThe removal of Mr Conyers and his department would most seriously affect the working of the Canterbury railways, and this Chamber is of opinion that this portion of the Middle Island railways are, and will for many year 3 remain, the most profitable and important portion of the New Zealand lines. The following figures, which are a statement of the cash received on account of the Amberley, Bluff, and Kingston line for twelve months ending 30th June, 1879, fully corroborate the opinion herein expressed. ___

1 also give herewith returns compiled from the " Government Gazetto " of tho value of the foreign and intercolonial exports from tho port of Lyttelton and Port Chalmers for the twelve months ending 30th June, 1879, together with the aggregate tonnage and number of vessels, exclusive of those leaving in ballast, leaving the above ports for the same period :

These figures speak for themselves, more especially when it ia remembered that the exports from Lyttelton are almost entirely borne there by the railways, and are mostly of such a bulky nature that during the pressure of the grain season the ro3ources of the Railway Department arc strained to its utmost to successfully cope with the heavy traffic thereby created. You are also, no doubt, aware that a considerable portion of the exports from Port Chalmers are seaborne coastwise, yielding little or no return to the railways, and forther, over 25 per cent, of the gross value of its exports is represented by gold, which affects the railway returns very slightly. . Relying on your zeal for the efficient and profitable working of the department under your immediate care, I have the honor to be, Sir, Tour obedient servant, (Signed) Geo. G. Stead, President, Canterbury Chamber of Commerce.

A deputation of the Chamber of Commerce waited upon Sir George Grey and the Hon. J. Macandrew, Minister for Public Works, yesterday upon the above subject, the Postmaster-General being also present. Both Ministers assured the deputation that the matter would be considered by the Cabinet in due course, and solely with reference to the most efficient working of the railways of the Middle Island. The Premier took occasion to remark that when the West Coatt Railway waß completed, Ohristchurch must of necessity be the centre of the railway system of the Middle Island.

P HLjW g h* " I—« o '-< h ~* CD • 7_,oo g. * o go t> a ga £ 2. S". 3. 3.3. ,_, Q_ <Lkr< 2. 2. 2.2. O tn as gp a. spa s9 op 2 eV 2 o "■ js 2,g g_ S g_g_ g a- ?§■" cr (P p-b-O O g - oo oo »-♦» 551' sfl !*• B. B.P S. 8. S.S. S S! g! S E E5t te _ J* M is to CO ;o <B 09 M U Cn4|h _ » n o _w 55 ¥ 0 _to »o ™ O © <J To V> en cs oo too g to ** CD rf*. © -4 Co CO o Cn CO lO 00 t)t CO OS ~4 CO g* h o to to © to © eoeo' £- o t~* <i to en »c>. b H f ft to t&» to to u < ft o Men u -a w co © to os oo _o_< 5 to b o "J- © g* V* "©"to Hi ro en to to © go *-* ►— w i—» a j H St A lO S3 CO 0C Cn tO 09 tf* OS 00 • cn © Cn © Ci to • © t-» en 4». © o to ~j -j . fc> to to »)T to co co *-• i- 1 to ww Si K SJ co en «J ©co CO CO CO _lO Ol OS J-i jt» o "to © CJ "to "*> •] O MOOCb o © 00 CO K-» I**- OS Cn COH g, © Cn O <J CO 00 CO OB' e« os h* co co © coco? - '

Exports Beyond New • Zealand. e-i 2 O ai i § . 8 fCO P* 00 CO 6j 00 co eo w 00 Cn £. en *. to to S to 5Z ►- &* C* &* a w « xi *o *© "en T-* en eo o co •<! C3 -a co oo N. Z. Produce, exclusive of Gold. t-" 5 >xj3.f^ H H H CO CO Ct *-» 00 _© H* J- 1 or O (> "w m S3 5! co en co oo C5 CO GO -a CO © d p £ a o p. p ■ : : : : O 234,330 495,169 528,040 437,655 1,695,194 i-3 o l 126,905 110,760 610,791 287,729 1,136,185 N. Z. Produce, exclusive of Gold. 1 g O 1,4 59,0 12,7 4,7 78,8 i * 12.S 5JO b a cs co eo co ~j ca -a o © en 0 — si en eo xi >-> co M 0) W ►"* © Q *P-* xi o *>-* en *■ o co eo o *. ►-* 5- en #» p. « *. en J5 m Oi to eo 00 en en cj eo ** oo o to l- 1 © 00 X Si | -a en en 5» Shipping Beyond New Zealand. LYTTELTON. DUNEDIN. Ships. Tonnage. 3 hips. Tonnage. 1878 Sept. 30 ... Dec. 31 ... 1879 March 31 June 30 ... 26 16 10.K90 8.908 c 7 3,316 4,433 13 50 12,146 25,837 16 37 11,923,05 ?7 JO 105 . 57,481 06 42,7; 16