DEPUTATION TO THE HON MR GISBORNE.

Kumara Times, Issue 912, 2 September 1879, Page 2

DEPUTATION TO THE HON MR GISBORNE.

A deputation einsisting of His Worship the Mayor, the Town Clerk, 1 (Mr Wylde.) and Messrs Pearn, Hanna, King, and Campbell, Borough Councillors, waited upon the Hon Mr Gisborne last evening and brought before his notice the following subjects :—lst. The desirability of carrying the Hokitika to Greyraouth railway through Salford Town, Goldsborough, and Kumara. 2nd. The disirabllity of lifting the Education Reserve and replacing it in the goldfields under the juris lictiou of the Warden. 3rd. The necessity for providing a better approach from the town of Kumara to the new bridge over the Teremakau, 4th. The disirabllity of widening the track from Dillman’s Town, to the Christchurch road into a dray and coach road. With re gard to the desirability of carrying the Hokitika to Greymouth railway through Stafford Town, Goldsborough, and Kumara, it was pointed out by Mr Blake that although the - O deputation were not prepared to deny that the deviation would be more costly, and that it would have steeper grades than the beach line they wished to urge tha tas a large community there were, fairly entitled to railway communication. That there were at least 5,000 people living along the course of the deviation proposed, all contributing largely to the revenue, and that in addition to this, there were a large number of farmers in the Arahura Valley, who depended principally upon the Waimei and Kumara as a market, and whose only cllanCe of competing against importation by sea lay in getting direct railway communication with Goldsborough and Kumara. That the contracts let on railway to date hive been let for considerably less than the amonn} estimated, and that it was therefore reasonable to expect, though the deviation might coat more than original lin it would cost in all much more than the sum of .£320,000 originally e-di-mated and provided for it. That the population of Wainma and Kura mi districts are a hardworking and largely producing people, and that the deputation think that they should not be left out of ttie general scheme of communication provided for opening Up the country, but afforded fair means of com munication with the neighboring people and seaports. That they hoped for tlioHon Mr Gisborne’s earnest intervention in the matter and would be grateful to him if hedid do what he could for them even if he was not successful. In fact if deviation was not made the Hokitika to Greymouth railway would do more, injury than good to the Kumara district, and as to the branch lines suggested the deputation were under an impression that the Government did not ever underbake branch lines and feared that if deviation was not nude, as proposed, prospect of getting any railway comthey would be left without any immediate munication at all.

In addition to this it was urged by Mr Wylde (as regards one of the objections to deviation upon which, as he understood it, the most sttesi was laid, namely, that it will lengthen the line to Dunedin) that the construction of a railway to Dunedin was an event which could only be looked for in the distant future, that when it became necessary to construct it the straight line along the beach could very easily be made, but that pending this it would be found that the grades along the proposed deviation would be good enough for all purposes of probable traffic, and that foi‘ the present, therefore, the making provision for extension to Dunedin might safely and reasonably be disregarded. Also that he could not see any real engineering difficulties in the way of making the deviation, as by avoiding the hills, which could be done, a moderately level line could be obtained. Would strongly urge at any rate that Government should get a survey made as promised some time ago in order to satisfy themselves as to whether there really were any difficulties in the Way or uotj and might mention that the Borough Council had voted .£IOO themselves towards the making of this survey some time since, and would have gone on with it had the Government not kindly undertaken to do so.

Mr Hanna further wished to point out that generally in all such cases it is desirable to get lines of through c m munication as near to the back 1 o m of the country as possible, and the more so in this case, as the development of the goldfields in the locality is steadily progressing towards the main ranges. io this the Hon. Mr Gisborne replied,—That he was very glad indeed to have had the opportunity of hearing

the views of the deputation on this important question, and that they might rest assured that whatever the decision upon it might be, it would at any rate receive most careful study and consideration. That the subject had never until very recently come under his notice officially, and he could scarcely, therefore, undertake to give a mature opinion upon it just then and without previous Consultation with his colleagues, but that even now he might say that the question had clearly two distinct namely, the engineering aspects as rCgdt ded cost and grades, and the colonial aspect as regarded doing what was really best for the population concerned, and that although the 6rst of these considerations should no doubt receive considerable weight, yet the other should be given every weight to also. He would also further remark ■ s regards the question of branch lines, that although not usual, yet the Government did in some cases construct what might called branch lines, and if it were held that the deviation asked for in this case could not be granted, it was possible that in view of all the circumstance involved the branch line in this case might be considered as colonial works. As regards the survey he would telegraph to the Minister for Public Works and let the deputation know shortly wlmt; was intended to be done about that

With regard to the desirability of lifting the Education Reserve and replacing it in the goldfields under the jurisdiction of the Warden, Mr Blake pointed out the very great inconvience which this laud, being a reserve, was to the occupiers, who pay at present a rental of front £5 to £25 a section for it. They Understood that the lien upon it is a debt of £SOO to the Bank and that if this sum were paid, the Education Board would be willing to give it up if they got from the Government an equal area of land elsewhere and, if they could get a guarantee that the Reserve would be lifted, he felt sure that the occupiers themselves would he willing to pay the £SOO to clear off the debt dab to the bank

Mr Wyhle also added that thd trouble was not alone the matter of the rental, but also the fact that the Warden has no jurisdiction, and that tiiis was the more inconvenient inasmuch as almost the whole of the re* seve, even within the Borough of Kumaraj is all rife hobs.

Ib Was also further suggested by Mi‘ Pearn that the leaseholders Would probably be willing to give np their leases if that were likely to facilitate matters in any way; Hon Mr Gisborne was glad that the questions had been brought under his notice for it enabled him to explain that the Government had, last session, prepared and laid before the legislature a carefully drawn bill on the subject, (a copy of which hill he handed to the deputation.) This bill it would be seeil provided that the reserve should be brought under the jurisdiction of the Warden and under the'operation of the goldfields laws, and also for the extension of miners right and business licenses on the reserve. Bill also would if: passed unable the reserve to be exchanged, with the consent of the School Commissioners for other land in Westland* He also made provisions for granting leases of land over the whole of tVe Kumara township both outside and inside the reserve for 21 years, and enabled the Governor if the land occupied was not auriferous to sell it with bile value of improvments added to tie upset price, so that the improver should get the benefit of his improvements. If the land was included in the reserve, the consent of the School Commissioners to the sale would have to be obtained. He should be glad to obtain from the Borough Council before next session their views on the provisions of this bill.

To this the deputation expressed their .satisfaction, and seemed to think that the bill as prepared would meet most of the requirements of the case. With regard to the necessity for providing a better approach from the town of Kumarrt to the new bridge over the Teramakau, Mr Wylde urged that the present road was steep and dangerous, in fact almost impracticable to travel over, and that the proposed deviation would be only 25 chains in length, that it would be a really a servicable road, and would not cost move than £SOO. That Borough Council would undertake to construct it for and maintain it afterward : at their own cost. To this the Hon, Gisborne replied that he would mug the matter under the notice of the Minister of Public Works.

With regard to the desirability of widening tbe track from Hillman’s to tue Christchurch road, Mr Blake pointed out that the work would be a very beneficial one, as it would give Kumar a direct communication with

the whole interior of the country. Thai the length was miles, and ihat if it were constructed the whole of the traffic now going along the Christchurch road would come through Kumara, coach traffic and ail, which would save the cost of maintenance of one road. Mr O’Connor (The District Engineer, who was also present) in reply to a question said the cost of construction would be about £6,000. Hon. Mr GisbOi'ne said as regards this subject that he would take steps to have the matter fully reported upon and brought under the consideration of the Cabinet - The deputation then thanked the Hqu. Mr Gisborne for the attention and 'consideration he had given to all questions brought under his notice, •and withdrew.