MIDLAND RAILWAY

Hokitika Guardian, 10 March 1920, Page 3

MIDLAND RAILWAY

The president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce sent the following telegram to tile Hon J. G. Coates, tiie new Minister of Public Works:“The Canterbury Chamber of Commerce congratulates you on vour appointment to position of Minister of

Public Works, and takes this early opportunity to express the hope that you will do your utmost to have the Mid land Railway completed ns early as pos- ' si hie so that the loss of interest may be prevented, and the immense resources i of the West Coast and the products of Canterbury he interchangeable.” The Minister replied as follows: — “Your telegram received, and I desire to thank the members of your Chamber for their congratulations on assuming charge of the Public Works Department. I shall be glad to consider •he representations made about the railway works in the South Island.” .

Students of strange happenings in Nature will find much to interest them at Lake Coleridge. Although the water intake is fairly finely meshed, it is a common occurrence for eels to find their way into the pipe line and filially into the water turbine, where they are chopped up into convenient lengths and ejected into the outfall tanks. Small fish the sice of whitebait are also on occasions found in great quantities in these outfall tanks, having made the journey from the lake per tunnel, pipe’lino and Pelton wheel, without mishap. Oil Saturday two professional men from Christchurch, who wore oil a visit of inspection to the lake, discovered a large-sized trout ill the surge chamber which connects up the tunnel with the pipe line. lie must have pot in when small, and grown up there. He was rising to a fly when sighted. He is now too big to swim out again, but will probably leave the ‘-ii.ge chamber some other way.