The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1874.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume IX, Issue 173, 4 August 1874, Page 2

The Nelson Evening Mail. TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 1874.

Inspector of Sheep.— The appointment of Chief leepector of Sheep, for tbe Province of Neison (for which there were twenty-two applications), was to-day conferred by the Provincial Executive on Mr Charles Canning. Postponement of Sale.— lt will be seen by advertisement that the sale of tbe Lun.iour Runs, and other property connected therewith, by Messrs Sharp and Pickering, i 8 postponed until the 18th inst. Stoke Concert —A very successful entertainment was given last night at the Stoko Public Hall, which was crowded. The musical selections were interspersed with readings and recitations, and a very pleasant evening was spent by nil who were present. University Scholarships.— It will be seen by our tolegrums to-day that Nelson College has taken a remarkably good position in the recent examinations for University Scholarships, no less than seven having been taken by pupils from that institution, while all

who went up for examination from here have secured high places in the lists. Such a result cannot but be highly gratifying to the masters, and the Board of Governors. Inland Communication Committee. — At the meeting held last night it was thought desirable not to call a publio meeting until fuller and more authentic information had been received of the intentions of the Government with regard to the Foxhill aud Brunnerton liue of railway. The chairman was therefore directed to telegraph to Mr Curtis, asking him to see the Premier, and obtain from him a deGnite reply to tbe question whether it was proposed to extend the line through theTarndale country. The reply, we hope, will be received in time for publication to-day. Should it be unsatisfactory, a public meeting will be called at once. Tbe Colonist to-day gives the following telegram from Mr Luckie: — Wellington, August 1. The deputation of members who interviewed the Premier yesterday, waited on Mr Richardson, the Minister for Public Works, this morning for the purpose of looking over the survey books of the line from Foxhill to the West Coast. Mr Rochfort's survey is completely set down, and the plan *hows the line, which presents, during some 70 miles of the route, heavy cuttings, fteep gradients, and various costly tunnels bridges, and culverts. Mr Richardson, who was accompanied by Mr ("arruthers, Englneei-in-ihief, snd M r Rrchfort, explained that to take the present survey plans es a contract scheme would, from the nature of the cuttings ani the extremely rugged character of the country, require at least £8000, if not £9000, per mile, which would be equal to nearly a million and a quarter sterling. How fnr wrong the Inland Communication Committee were in their calculations of £2000 per mile is shown by this survey p'an and rough estimate. Mr Richardson showed the line of a suggested central connectfoj, by running a line from Foxhill, by WAy of the Top House, Tarndale, Carencs, and Acheron country, communicating thence with Picton, West Coast (Greymouth probably), and Canterbury. 'Ihis country is some 4000 feet above the sea level in many parts, and is singularly inhospitable and frightfully rugged. Mr Robinson, member of the Upper House, informs me that during three months of the year it is snow-bound for a distance of some forty miles, and there is scarcely any locality throughout that region where a settlemrnt is possible. The winter is so long and severe that settlers who went to some parts oi it with sheep have abandoned the place, and the sheep too, and come down to the Canterbury Plains Augarde and Cappe*, who suffered severely from frost-bite, wiil tell you what this country is like. Bad and costly as the Buller route may be, in a railway point of view, this U, as described to me, a far worse; rugged costly, impaasaule, and barren, with a long and wretched winter. Tlie idea of the Government as to this Acheron rcu'e i3 merely a tentative one, and irom what could be galhere 1 from both the Premier and the Minister of Works, the route by the Buller, as opening mineral country, was considered the most advantageous in that respect. The cost, as shown by present surveys, was the tarrltr, and the plans of this survey undoubtedly show thnt a resurvey, in order to alter and amend the route and gradients, ho aa to lessen the cost, is necessary, In illustration of this, Mr Richardson stated that by making repeated surveys of the railway by Rimutsku, in Wellington Province, some fifty or sixty thousand pounds { were saved. It was urged on Mr Richardson that the road by Tarndale, &c , would not ! only do little good to Nelson, bu f , as part of a I colonial scheme for a main trunk liue would j be a mistake, as passing throuah country bad in every respect and causing great coat. D. M Luckie.