CORRESPONDENCE.

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

CORRESPONDENCE.

To THE EWTOB OF THE EVENING MAIL. SiR' — Although you have received by telegram the result of the interview of the Nelson members with the Premier, it might be interesting to your readers to learn fuller particulars of what then took place than could be conveyed by wire. Of course the first subject brought forward was the continuation of the railway from Foxhill, and the advisability of the Government obtaining an appropriation during the present session of Parliament jon that accouut. Mr Vogel explained very clearly that the survey was not sufficient to justify him in asking for a vote this year, in fact, he did not know what amount to ask for, as although Mr Rochfort bad sent in a most excellent survey, showing to the Government that ihe line was feasible, yet he reported that it could only be constructed at such an enormous cost that it would not only be necessary to have a more complete survey, but also a further exploration of the country with a view endeavoring to cheapen the line by deviating wherever practicable, so as to avoid tho very heavy cuttings and steep gradients, numbers of which are from 1 in UO to 1 in 35, and not a few 1 in 40, thus bringing the roughly estimated cost up to an average of a little over £8000 a mile, or nearly, if not quite, double that of any railway which the Government are constructing, and making the total cost of the work about one million and a quarier. Under these circumstances, Mr Vogel said that it could not be expected that he should propose any definite sura to be voted by Parliament this session, but that he recognised this railway as part of the colonial main truck line, and considered the Government pledged to construct it. The surveys will still be carried on under Mr Rochfort, and tho Eogineer-in-Chief will visit the line as soon as the session terminates. With this explanation the members were obliged to rest satisfied, although it appeared to them that the continuation of our railway into the interior was as far off as ever. The next matter mentioned was a request to increaso the bonus of £5000, which the Government proposes to be given to Nelson, to £10,000, aud also an enquiry if the Government could see their way to assist Companies on the goldfields with loans, to be secured on the plant, machinery, <Sc, but Mr Vogel declined to entertain either of these propositions. I may add that tha members, not feeling quite satisfied with the uncertainty which appears to exist as to the line the railway is eveutually to take, waited on the Minister of Public Works this morning, to ascertain how far the railway was to deviate from the line already surveyed, and they had an opportunity of looking over the plans sent in by Mr Rochfort, which certainly bore out what bad been told them by the Government of the heavy u&ture of the work,. Mr Richardson could give no definite information as to the direction in which the line would ultimately be taken, but stated tbat Mr Rochfort would still go on with the survey and exploring, and a vote of £10,000 foe those purposes is to be asked for, as stated iu the Public Works Statement. I hope I have, without making this letter unnecessarily long, made all that has taken place between the Government and the members sufficiently clear to your readers, and can assure you that we are working for the public good, and, if success is not so great as could be desired, it is from uo want of zeal or exertion oa our part. I am, &c, A. J. Richmond. House of Representatives, Wellington, Ist August, 1874.