WEST COAST RAILWAY.

Kumara Times, Issue 1407, 5 April 1881, Page 2

WEST COAST RAILWAY.

A deputation of persons interested in the promotion of a railway from Christchurch to the West Coast waited on the Hon. John Hall, at Christ-, church on the 29th ult. The deputation consisted of the following gentlemen ;—MessrsThornton, Pratt, Weston, Nathan, Wickes, Pavitt, and Parker. The following is the draft of the Bill presented : EAST AND WEST COAST RAtLWAf. It is suggested by the committee of the promoters of the West Coast. .Rail' way that the Government should intro* duce at the next session of Parliament a Bill to enable them to deal with- individuals or companies willing to construct, maintain, and work, for a period to be agreed upon, or to construct alone for the Government, trunk lines of railway of no less than, say, fifty miles in length, as distinguished from such lines as are contemplated by the District Railways Act, 1877. The Bill, it is urged, should provide, amongst other things 1. That in cases of constructing alone, the Government should have power to grant land in payment for the line, the value of the line, to be based upon the cost of similar works in the colony, whilst the land granted should be taken, not at a statutory price, but at the market value immediately prior to the initiation of the scheme, without reference to any prospective value that the proposed undertaking may give to it. 2. In the case of constructing, maintaining, and working a line, a free

grant" or concession of land, valued as Stated, and being equal to not more than per cent, of the cost of the ‘work, estimated in manner mentioned, Should be made to the contractors. 3. That approved areas of land along the line, and extending for a distance of twenty miles on each side thereof, be withdrawn from sale, be surveyed and nut up into blocks of not less than 100 Seres and not more than 10,000 acres, and be drawn for by the Government and the contractors alternately until the concessions to the latter are satisfied. 4. That free grants out of the waste lands of the Crown be made for station sites and workshops along the line and at the termini. 5. In the construction and maintenance of the line the contractors be permitted the free use of the timber, stone, and other material upon the Government land adjacent. 6. That reasonable terms be made by the Government for carrying along its lines such material, workmen and other employes as the contractors may require to construct the line. 7. That the contractors be allowed to Carry the line and material required to construct it through private property, the owners being compensated in manHer provided by the Public Works Act. 8. Contractors to have the use of the Government lines that connect with their own upon fair and reasonable terms. 9. That the contractors for making, maintaining, and working any line shall hand it over to the Crown, at such time ns may he agreed on, upon receiving a fair valuation therefor. Christchurch, March 29, 1881. The following letter accompanied the foUgh drafts of the Bill: The Hon. the Premier. fetr—By direction of the committee of the promoters of the West Coast railway scheme, I have the honor to enclose herewith suggestions for a Trunk Line of Railway Bill, applicable to the colony at large, which to the deputation yesterday you expressed your Willingness to accept and consider. For the reasons advanced by them they trust his Excellency's Executive will be able to introduce and carry such a measure at the next Parliament. To elaborate upon the advantages which must'result from the construction of trunk lines throughout the colony with private capital is, in the opinion of the Committee, superfluous. With a heavy burthen upon the colony, in face of our inability to negotiate further loans, the one object of Parliament should be, we think, to open the country ,in manner suggested, to the end that the portion of the public estate which, being inaccessible, is worthless, might be made available, that the Customs revenue might be augmented, that the security of the public creditor might he improved, and that employment might be given in the development of onr vast resources to those who at the public Cost have been brought to our shores, and who should be retained and made reproductive. I shall be glad if you will kindly send me for the use of the committee any Bill your Government may deem it wise to introduce before Parliament meets.—l have, &c., R. Preston Baln, Secretary. Christchurch, March 30, 1881.