The Lyttelton Times.

Lyttelton Times, Volume X, Issue 605, 25 August 1858, Page 4

The Lyttelton Times.

Wednesday, August 25. In pursuing to-day the subject of our remarks on Saturday last, we propose to use the word " Tramway/ 5 to distinguish a Railway on which the motive power is obtained from horses, or other draft animals, instead-of from steam, the agent now universally understood to be employed in the working of a " Railway." The idea of constructing a Tramway from Christchurch to Lyttelton was viewed with no inconsiderable share of popular •■ favour in 1855. Had -the Province then! possessed the means, as it does now, of entering upon the work, it would certainly have been, if not by this time completed, so far tried as to place beyond all doubt its great advantages over any mode of. transport now at our command. In October of that year, Mr. Ollivier proposed a resolution in the Provincial Council, having for its object the imme-1 diate prosecution of such a work, as far as Sumner in the first instance. The Executive, which included Mr. Tancred, Mr. Brittan, and Mr. Hamilton, had gone so far as to consult the Provincial Engineer, who then estimated the cost at about £6000. This sum, however, was so lai'ge compared with the provincial revenue, as at once to conclude both the Government and the Council against further considering a proposition, upon which otherwise in the main they agreed.

The distance from Christchurch to Sumner being about seven miles, gives the cost of a Tramway at less than £1000 par mile. Metalling* two miles of road alone from the Heathcote Ferry'cost-some £1500; nor. would twice this sum have sufficed if the material had been carted instead of being brought by \vater from the gravel pits. Generally, then, we may

assume the cost of a Tramway and of a metalled road to be about equal.

Now the plan we should desire to see carried out would be one of far more general advantages, extending* its benefits over a far wider range of country, and among a more numerous population, than the very paitial one originally proposed. We would substitute a provincial for a local undertaking*. Assuming for the present either the Heathcote Ferry or Sumner as the terminus of the water carriage, we would carry a main line of Tramway as far as the hard dry ground of the Plains above Riccarton, some four or five miles from Christchurch. From Christchurch we would carry a line down the Lower Lincoln Road and across the Halswell; another main line to Kaiapoi. Thence north-westerly striking across the swampy tract, through which the Rangiora direct road is to pass, we would again bring* the line out on the hard dry ground of the Plain, making it assist also in the drainage of the swamp. These three lines would run through the heart of the finest of our agricultural districts, and might be further extended i by branches, as occasion mig*ht require. One of our earliest settlers, before returning to Canterbury, had an opportunity of seeing* the working of Boydell's new "traction engine," which carries with it and lays its own rails, and passes easily over ground both uneven and soft. His opinion,—-and it may be trusted—is that this engine, could be worked profitably on the hard ground of the Plains; and he spoke specially with reference to the bringing* down coal from the Malvern Hills to Christchurch. By the employment, then of these engines, we would, at a comparatively cheap cost, extend our system of Tramways over the whole of the" Plain country north of the Rakaia as far as the Ashley, if not farther. We do not pretend to lay it down arbitrarily that such a system of Tramway would be perfect ah initio, or completed in any rapidly short; space of time, but we; have good reason to believe that professional men would, from the first, view the idea of it favorably, and would think it one deserving of close investigation. It might be made the first stage towards ultimately completing- the system of Steam Railways for which reserved lines-ought now to be chosen. Assuming- ";the"'-^;:tframways;."'';;t6.'..'-'T)e laid on the side of our present roadways, the following- are some of the advantages we should derive/from them.

They would assist to' metal our roads, both cheapening the cost of doing so and of keeping them in repeir. They would bear the -present heavy traffic so that a thin. coat only of metal would be required for our light, traffic. In winter the; metalled surface would remain in good preservation, while easy and expiditious transport would be ensured for bur exportable produce, and for our imports. Saving would be effected both ways. They would largely add to the value of our cultivated lands; while those now too ' remote from the shipping place for growing exportable crops of inferior value, such ] as potatoes, at a profit, would at once be thrown open. I Thus a permanent Land Revenue would be secured to the province. Population, the source of all wealth, would spread gradually out over the whole country, reacting again upon the land by creating value for that at a distance from the towns. Coal might be brought from the-Mal-verns, timber from Harewood Forest, for much below the present prices. Prices of provisions would be equalised in the towns, the market kept well supplied. Animals might be slaughtered far fronythe towns; the loss of weight resulting from driving animals to slaughter and from changing their pasture would be done away, and a superior quality of meat obtained. '•" ;■ „

Greater facilities might be given in the transaction of Customs business. Bonding Warehouses might be established at the inland towns, —goods passing from the Port to the warehouse under the Crown's lock and key, either by land carnage entirely, or partly by boats under sealed hatches, and partly by special carriages on the tram ways. Places for the examination of goods destined for Cliristchurch might be established on the Plains side of the hills —the goods being sent direct from the ship's side under the Crown's lock.

A large quantity of labour now employed to a great extent unprofitably in transport w^iild be released for tbe cultivation of Jpid or other more productive

employment. This alone might be estimated as equivalent to a large arrival of immigrants. The cost of transport beino* cheapened we have greater certainty of finding at all times a market in Australia, even when prices are low. The delays in transport being reduced, shipping will be detained a much shorter time in Port for cargoes, and thus be enabled to lessen their freight charges. Our most important export, wool, would be delivered at the shipping places cheaper and quicker than at present. Time would thus be given for pressing it before lading in the coasters, so as to secure its delivery from them in a condition for immediate iind final stowage in the vessels lading for England. If our wool ships by this means could obtain their cargoes in a month, whereas of late they have waited three months, we clearly save two months' colonial interest, —no small sum at 10 or 12 per cent, when we bear in mind that last season's wool was worth £100,000, and that we may ere long send away £300,000 worth. In short, it were endless to detail the thousand ways and methods in which outlay would be saved to the whole community by the improvement of our communications.

In proportion as the art of transport by land and water is brought near to perfection by a country, so is the extent of its. commerce. In proportion as the cost of transport is diminished, while speed and safety of delivery are augmented—so is consumption and production stimulated, and so are national wealth and prosperity advanced.