The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 88, 14 April 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1874.

Some twelvemonths ago a correspondent who had been on a visit to Picton, and having an idle duy in that town had devoted it to an examination of the railway works, pointed out in our columns what appeared to him to be inexcusable errors in tbe formation of the culverts in some places, and the neglect to place any at all in others. That he was correct in his opinions was proved to demonstration some three months later, when there occurred the first really heavy rain that had fallen subsequent to his visit. One embankment to which he specially called attention as not being provided with any outlet for the water was found after a twelve hours' rain deposited in a garden belonging to a gentleman who resided some fifty yards below, and who on rising in the morning found on his neatly kept flower beds and walks an ornamental coaling of clay several inches in depth. In other cases the culverts were found to be far too small, and have since been replaced by larger and better constructed drains. The mistakes that on the Picton line were so glaring as to attract the eye of tbe unprofessional visitor, appear to have been repeated in the construction of tbe Brunner line. So at least we should judge from the comments made by the Grey River Argus on the damage occasioned by the recent floods. Our contemporary says:— " The present condition of the road and railway works between Grej mouth and the coal mines induces one to ask the question whether it would not have been more economical if the Government had paid a considerable premium to some skilled engineer for finishing the education of the gentleman to whose inexperienced hands the laying out of the railway and road was entrusted rather than he should have obtained his experience at the heavy cost of the thousands of pounds that have already been wasted and the thousands of pounds that will be required to remedy the many wretched faults of design with which these works abound . We had a full opportunity yesterday of examining the whole length of tne railway lino, and although prepared to expect detects which no bush carpenter or working navvy would ever think of being guilty of we did not anticipate to see so many evidences of faulty design. Bridges that the first heavy raiu either washes away altogether or floats from their position; approaches without protection, and of course constantly falling away; culverts where there is no water to be carried off, and none where there is a good deal; earthworks placed in the most favorable places for being destroyed by the river; and generally the evidences of stupidity or ignorance, or both — are what anyone can see who will take T,he trouble to walk along the line. Add to these advantages that for a considerable distance the line is actually four feet under water at times of flood, and a fair idea of this great undertaking may bo formed. The fact is that the whole affair has been frightfully bungled from the first — badly planned and designed, without apparently any regard to future natural damages and risks. In short, the Brunner Railway is what may be called an « office railway,' made. of India ink and tracing paper. Take that part of the line for the first mile or two out of town. Does any sane person expect the works now going on to stand? We will guarantee that no one with the slightest experience would undertake to guarantee its safety or endurance for six months, and unless some alteration is made the road would go away as well. We saw sufficient yesterday to warrant our stating that it is of the greatest importance that either the Engineer-in- Chief or Mr Blackett should, without delay, make a close inspection of tbe line, and order such alterations and improvements as experience has shown to be necessary. In many p'aees the embankments are slipping bodily away, there is not marly sufficient provision for carrying off water, and the bridges require to be pied and tied instead of being simply erected on sills as at present. How the difficulty is to be got over with regard to that part of the line between Wickes' saw mills and the coal-pits, where, for a mile or so, it was covered with water, four or five feet deep the other day, is a more difficult question. We suppose it was laid out for the express purpose of being occasionally inundated; at least people who do not wiite C.E. after their names would imagine so." Tho severity of the foregoing remarks is, probably, perfectly justifiable, but in our opinion the writer has not gone to the root of the matter. It is no exaggeration to say that to the minds of all unprejudiced observers the selection made by the General Government of the south bank of the river as

the most favorable site for the railway is perfectly inexplicable. It is true that the decision was arrived at upon the recommendation of Mr B'ackett aud Dr Hector, and to question the correctness of their judgment wculd at thr time bave'been regarded as an act of impert'nence in an unprofessional maD. But when we find that on the occasion 6f ihe very first flood of any consequence that has occurred since the commencement of the works, the predictions of those who had foreseen the difficulties that, as they said, would inevitably have to be contended Bgainst in the construction of the line on that side of the river, have been so fully verified, it is no longer an impertinence to comment upon that which is not now a merely imaginary error, as to the existence of which there may be contrary opinions, but has been clearly shown to be a mistake of a most serious nature. Tho Argus attributes the damage that has been done to faulty engineering in the detailß of the line, but the real question is, why should the railway be carried through a locality where it must always be exposed to floods, when it could have been taken where the ravages of the river would only havo affected it in a very minor degree. No doubt it can be protected against perils by water where it is being constructed, but only at a very great cos% whereas on the other side of the river protective works would be comparatively unnecessary, while the line "itself could have been constructed ot a far smaller expenditure. Indeed, it ia currently reported that so fearful were the General Government that a railway suitable lor the coal traffic might be made by the lessees of the mine on the Nelson side of the river, which presents unusual facilities for such a work, that they insisted upon a clause being inserted in the lease renderiug it compulsory that the coal should be taken down their own line. It is easy to say that more care iv the construction would have resulted iv less damage, but there are very many who will persist, and very reasonably so, in asserting that the one great fault of which the colony has to complain in the construction of the Brunner railway is that a very expensive and dangerous route was selected when a cheap and safe one was obtainable.