THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2320, 10 September 1881, Page 3

THE WEST COAST RAILWAY.

[Bi Telegraph.] [prom the own correspondent of the “ PRESS. ”J WELLINGTON, September 9, Appended to the Surveyor-General’s report presented this evening is the following from the Chief Surveyor of Westland, which is interesting in regard to the railway scheme: —“ One point in reference to railway communication between Westland and Canterbury I desire to draw your attention to. I have had an opportunity of glancing at the report and examining the plans of the line via Mathias Pass. The principal difficulty on that route was the descent from Mathias Pass tunnel to the month of Cannon Creek. To effect this a stationary engine was declared absolutely necessary. Now that I have travelled over the ground, X do not hesitate in affirming that a stationary engine is not necessary, that the railway can be taken down from the month of the tunnel to Mathias river bed in a similar way to that in which I propose to take the stock down. I, of course, do not pretend to grasp the whole question of the merits or demerits of this route in all its bearings. I had neither opportunity nor leisure to consider it fully, and there may be very powerful reasons, apart from this question of a stationary engine at the month of Mathias Pass tunnel, which may make it desirable that the idea of constructing a line along that route should be abandoned ; tut I do say, that if the fact of a stationary engine being required has been given as the reason fer condemning the Mathias Pass line (and this 1 am given to underst and is the cause), then the decision arrived at is wrong. Grading it at lin 50 will bring the line from Mathias Pass tunnel to Mathias river flat in sixteen miles to almost abreast the limestone knoll at the point M by following around the large creek south of L. X I do not think the Government for some time .to come will be in a position financially to undertake a work of that sort; but I consider it_my duty in ease this matter should be taken into consideration, with the view of giving it immediate practical effect, to draw yonr attention to the fallacy of the assumption that the Mathias Pass route could not be worked without a stationary engine.