Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1880. COMMUNICATION WITH SANDON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 102, 17 August 1880, Page 2

Manamatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1880. COMMUNICATION WITH SANDON.

In the Counties Act Amendment Bill introduced by the Hon. Mr Hall, and now before Parliament, there are some most important provisions relating to County tramways, which may prove of very great importance to this district. It is proposed to confer upon County Councils the power to construct lines of tramway within their respective boundaries, and to work the same. All the powers conferred on Councils as regards the construction of roads are to apply to the laying down of tramways, and provision is made for the making of bye-laws as to the motive power to be employed, and all other matters in connection with the tramway. Power is also given to the Council to lay the tramway along any road not directly under its authority. The whole cost of the line, buildings, &c, is to be defrayed out of the County

fund, into which all moneys derived from the working of the line are to be paid. The most important clause, however, is No. 20 which provides that

A County Council way, by special order, authorise any corporation, company or persons (herein termed '• the promoters ") to exerciso all or any of the powers hereby vested in it for the construction of tramways, on such terms and conditions as the promoters and the Council shall agree; and, upon any such agreement being made, the promoters shall have all the duties and liabilities which the Council would have had in respect of any suoh tramway. There is a proviso, however, that the Council alone will be permitted to make bye-laws. This we think rather arbitrary, as the bye-laws include the making of the timetable, and other matters of pure administration.

If the above provisions become law, they should prove of great value to this district in connection with the union of Foxton and Sandon. We have for some time past regarded the railway scheme as hopeless, — first, on account ol the opposition of the Government ; second, because of the great difficulty that would be experienced in these dull times of finding the necessary capital; and third, because the railway rate would press unduly upon the district, now that we groan under a shilling County rate, a property tax, and increased Customs duties. Good and easy communication between the port of Foxton and the Carnarvon and Sandon districts would, it is admitted on all sides, prove of incalculable benefit to both town and country, and the question has frequently presented itself to us, if a railway cannot be obtained which would be best, a metalled road, or a tramway ? Aa regards the road, the original cost would be so great that it would be beyond the powers of the County Council to construct it, unless some unexpected stroke of luck placed that body in possession of a very much larger revenue than is at present probable. Some months ago we published an estimate by Mr G. Nye, who is thoroughly competent to give an opinion from his long experience, as to the cost of forming and metalling the road from Carnarvon station to Sandon bush — a distance of ten miles. The cost Mr Nye estimates at £4,928, a sum which would be expended to doubtful advantage unless the remaining six miles from Foxton to Carnarvon station were formed and metalled, and this could only be done, according to Mr Nye's estimate, at a cost of £2,688. It will therefore be seen that nearly £8,000 would be swallowed up in making a good, useful road between Foxton and Sandon bush. Then there would be the cost of maintenance, which upon that line would be unusually great, owing to the absence of metal, and the heavy nature of the traffic there would be along it — including large mobs of cattle en route for Wellington, drays laden with timber, merchandise, produce, &c. ; in fact, we believe the cost of maintenance would absorb a very large proportion of the rates receivable from Sandon and Carnarvon Eidings. It will thus be seen that both as regards the origiual cost and the expanse of maintenauce, the road scheme is at present impracticable, for it should be borne in mind that to spend a thousand pounds in road work at each end would be only to waste the money. A carter loads his dray for the worst part of the road, and unless he has a good road all the way through, he can convey only so much to or from town as his horse cpn draw over the worst section of road. Therefore, we say that unless a scheme can be devised by which the road can be metalled the whole distance between Carnarvon railway station and Sandon bush, it might as well be left in its present state.

Having pointed out what we think are the obstacles to a macadamised road, we will refer as briefly as possible to the advantages that would accrue from the construction of a tramway. We may remark here, that iapcn the West Coast of the other island, tramways have proved capital substitutes for roads. There are now two in constant work— the first from Hokitika to Kanieri, a distance of 3 miles ; the second from G-reymouth to Kumara, a distance of 18 miles, and both yield fair returns. In the month of March last, the writer of this article communicated with the directors of the Greymouth and Kumara Tramway Company, asking certain information as to the cost of that line, and was courteously supplied with answers to the questions. At this point we may mention that the tramway referred to is laid with wooden rails — said rails being of red pine, anrl the size 6 inches by 3 inches. The tram is ilr'wn by two horses, proper provision being made for exchanges on the way. A speed of about 6 miles per hour is attained. Nearly the whole of the line we are referringto had o ba laid through a heavily-timbered country, yet the secretary assures us that the cost of labour and material was only £450 per mile. Considering that the cost of the formation between Carnarvon and Sandon would be very small, owing to the flat nature of the country, also that sand ballast could be obtained along the road itself all the way, that timber ia plentiful in this district, and that labour is much lower now than it was on the West Coast when the Kuoaara line was made, we are justified ia believing

that a line of wooden tramway could be laid between Saudon and Carnarvon for about £300 per mile. Thus for about £4000 a means of communication next in value only to a railway could be laid down, and could be maintained at a very small cost. The success of the whole scheme would depend upon the strictest economy in carrying it out. Wooden rails (which on the West Coast last from three to four years) and horse power would give the necessary outlet for the produce of Sandon, and would be within the means of the district, I whereas iron rails and steam power would at once place the scheme beyond the range of possibility. We feel confident a company could be started that would be able to lay a tiamway on the lines we have suggested. If such were done, the County Council could guarantee 5 per cent, interest on cost of construction, and the £200 per annum necessary to provide that amount could be obtained by. special rate in the Foxton, Sandon, and Carnarvon Eidings, under sections 108, 109, and 110 of '• The Counties Act, 1876." In fact, when it is remembered that the construction of a good tramway would almost entirely do away with the necessity for expending rates in the maintenance of the Sandon road, and save the necessity of an enormous expenditure iv metalling that thoroughfare, we think it will be admitted the Council might stretch a point, aud guarantee 5 per cent interest on construction without levying a special rate. However, the interest need not be a difficulty in the way, as, taking the rateable value of property in Sandon, Foxton and Carnarvon ridings at £33,000, Hd in the £ would return interest at 5 per cent on over £4000. Some features of the scheme we have sketched in this article may need further consideration, but if Parliament passes the Amendment Bill referred to, and places tramways in the same category as County roads, the settlers of Foxton and Sandon will deserve to continue in the Slough of Despond if they do not take advantage of its provisions, and make a strong, united, and well-di-rected effort to attain what they have wanted so long — a good means of communication.