THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

Kumara Times, Issue 3016, 3 July 1886, Page 2

THE MIDLAND RAILWAY.

[united press association.] Wellington, July 1. Mr Blair, Assistant-Engineer-in-Chief, lias sent ia a voluminous report on the Midland Railway, dated April 7, in which he forms a more favourable opinion of the feasibility and prospects of the work than in his former report on the same subject. He states that he devoted seven weeks to the work, and has seen every part of the island likely to contribute directly or indirectly to the support of the line. Ho estimates the length from the East Coast to Brunnerton at 95 miles, cost, £750,000 • Nelson section 154 miles, cost, about £1,330,000. A minute description of the character and resources of the country through which the line passes is given, and Mr Blair estimates that £10,550 square miles will be served by the new line. In this, however, lie excludes the branch Tophouse to Blenheim, 67 miles, cost, £375,000, which, he says, is easy of construction. The latest surveys have shown that the grade of 1 in 50 can be sustained without the necessity of such heavy inclines as 1 in 16 at Arthut's Pass, as at first supposed, while the curves have been equally modified. Blair now sees reason to alter his first opinion, that the railway would barely pay working expenses. He now thinks it will yield at least £120,000 a year; but he cannot say how much will be profit, as it is difficult to calculate working expenses. Under ordinary circumstances this would give about 2f percent, on the cost of the line. He has also altered his opinion as to the effect the development of the harbours of the West Coast on the railway, and now urges that the more harbours are developed the more trade and population will flow in to produce paying traffic for railways. He concludes bis report of 26 pages as follows : " I shall now briefly sum mat i.se the principal conclusions arrived at "The route adopted for the East and "West Coast and Nelson Railway is the

beat available, and it fits in with the fatnre railway system of the colony. (2). The alignment and levels of the railways are equal to those on the Middle Island main line, and the engineering difficulties are confined to the crossing of the main range and the gorges of the Waimakariri and Buller. (3). After being almost stationary for a long time, the population of the West CoHst has begun to increase through the development of the coal industries. (4). There is a considerable extent of arable land on the West Coast, but the principal resources of the country are timber and minerals. Most of the good land is covered with dense forest, so that it caunot be settled rapidly. (5). The forests are of great extent and value, and many of them are favorably situated as regards a market for the timber. (6). The West Coast contains a great variety of minerals, but gold and coal are the only ones yet found in quantity and worked. (7). The alluvial gold diggings will will last for many years, but there is no prospect of new fields. Quartz mining is a permanent industry, capable of considerable extension. (8). The coalfields on the West Coast are of very great extent, and yield firstclass coal, and the coal mining industry is capable of enormous expansion. The East and West Coast Railway will probably yield a revenue of £120,000, -but the nett return cannot be estimated'."