THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Kumara Times, Issue 942, 7 October 1879, Page 2

THE RAILWAY DEVIATION.

The following is the petition yesterday forwarded to R. J. Scddon,’ Esq., M. H.R. for presentation to the House of Representatives, praying for the deviation of the Hokitika and Greymouth Railway from the sea-beach" through' the centres of population,' There are 1707 signatures to the petition, made up as follows:—lCuraara, BG7 ; Greymouth, 448; Hokitika, 142 Goldsborough, 127 ; and Stafford TowiL’ 123:-

To the honorable the Speaker' and the Members of the Ho*?se of Uepresextatives, t ii" Parliament assembled.

ine Petition of the residents in Hokitika, Grey mouth, 4 L-Umara, Goldsbofough, Stafford Town, and the adjacent-goldfields sheweth—1. That your Honorable House has resolved to expend the sum- of £220,000 in constructing a railway between Hokitika and Grey mouth, for the purpose of connecting those two towns, and pro-’ ■in.oting the settlement of the intervening district. 2. Th:Vfc the railway as laid out is divided into sections by the rivers Arahura and Teremakau. 3. That the two' end sections, viz.,' from Hokitika to the Arahura, and: from Grey mouth to the Teremakau are in course of construction, and give general satisfaction.

4. That the middle section namely,' that between the two rivers, on which no work has been dona and for wljich'. no tenders have been called, is laid out along tlie barren sea beach, where there .is a very sinall population and nothing" to encourage settlement. 5. That there is a cluster' o‘f hills and* terraces between the two riveis and that whilst on the seaward side of these, hills the country unsettled devoi 1 of minerals and good timber, oir the landw’ard side there is a large population, the largest goldfield in -the colony, splendid forest, and rich soil. , G. That by making a detour’ round" these hills, the railway can - he carried through the heart of the goldfield and' through all the centres of population," viz., Kumara, GoldsborougK, Stafford Town, &c.

7. That the population'which would " be benefitted by the proposed detour is upwards of 5000 ; and that a refer-, euce to the returns of the late general : election will shew the difference of the population on the two Hues, the votes polled at the booths, on thO beabh J line being 37 against 1726 polled at the booths on the inland route, S. That the inland route will not have to cross a hill or a river arid will save the cost of two very large and expensive bridges over the months of the Waimea and Kapitea Greeks which would be necessary on the beach’line.

9. That the line along the beach will only serve to connect two towns, each being a "seaport.

10. That the inland route will secure an irr.r'nAnso and rapidly increasing traffic in passengers, goods, timber and coal.

11. That your petitions' believe that that the Coast line will never pay working expduses. 12. That they believe the inland ' route would secure traffic wliich ' would make it one of the best paying lines in the colony. t 14. That it 1 las been shciw'n by contracts already let that the works can be done for less than was originally estimated, and that the probabilities are that. the cost of the line with the detour will not exceed the sum appropriated. 14. That, owing to the cluster of hills before mentioned, it .is impractical >le to make branch lines into the country from the Beach, except by following the proposed detour, in which ca e there would be two lines of railway required instead of one. Jf

Your petitioners pray that -your honorable. House will take the foregoing representations into consideration, and order that the inland route wav be adopted; or otherwise deal with* the question as you may think fit.

And your petitioners will ever prayt