THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Globe, Volume XXII, Issue 2130, 21 December 1880, Page 3

THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

[PBB PBE3S ASSOCIATION SPECIAL WISE.] KUMAR A, December 20. Messrs Thornton and Browning, the promoters of the Bast and West Coast Railway, had an interview with the Kumara railway committee on Saturday afternoon last, the county chairman. Mayor, and other influential members of the committee being present. The engineers having explained the proposal to make the railway by a private company, gave a description of the route proposed by them. The committee passed the following resolution :—“ That the committee approve of the scheme laid before them, and will cooperate to the best of their power in promoting the formation of the railway proposed between the Bast and West Coasts, via Hurunui, Cannibal Gorge, Reefton, Ahaura, Arnold, Kumara, and Hokitika. The committee then accompanied the engineers to the goldfields, and pointed out the resources of the district.

Referring to an interview with the engineer, the Grey River "Argus " says :—" Mr Thornton informs us that the survey of the route exceeded his and Mr Brown's most sanguine expectations, and he can hardly oonceive on what grounds Mr Blair based his reports on the East and West Coast railway. Starting from the Hurunui there are three passes across the ranges, viz., the Henry, the Lewis, and the Ada, within a distance of ten miles. Bach of those the engineers examined, and they also state that although Mr Eoy reported upon and laid down the Ada Pass, he never examined it, and this is the one that Messrs Thornton and Browne purpose to recommend. It is, says Mr Thornton, as level as a bowling green, and for forty miles they did not know they had orossed the range till they notioed the creeks flowing westward. The land throughout is first class, consisting of fine grassy plains and splendid timber bush. There are no difficulties in the way, and if the Government will only grant the same facilities as it has offered for the completion of the Wellington and Foxton line, there will be no delay in floating the company.