MR. CLIMIE AS AN ENGINEER.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5038, 17 May 1877, Page 2

MR. CLIMIE AS AN ENGINEER.

TO THB EDITOR OP THE SEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sir, —I shall feel obliged if you will do me the favor of publishing the following in your valuable paper. In common with other ratepayers, I attended the meeting last night, in j the Odd Fellows' Hall, on the drainage scheme. I gathered from the remarks which fell from some of the speakers that Mr. Climie is a stranger to them, and that they would like to know a little more about him. Knowing that I have been slightly acquainted with that gentleman for some years, several persons have requested me to give the Wellington public a little information respecting him; and with your permission I will do so. Mr. Climie is an engineer whose ability has been recognised both in Great Britain and Australia. For many years he was engaged in the construction of railways and other important engineering and hydraulic works ifi Great Britain and Ireland, in all of which he gave the greatest satisfaction. In 1869 he was engaged by one of the largest railway companies in London to proceed to Victoria to introduce the nariow-guage railways into that colony. His duty consisted in taking plans of the country, with a view to advise the company as to what price they could offer to construct railways for the Victorian Government. In the Home Neizs of October 1869 there appeared an article announcing the fact that Mr. Climie had taken his departure for Victoria, and speaking of him as "an engineer of great eminence and experience." Previous to that the Victorian railways had been constructed at the enormous cost of £40,000 per mile. Acting upoH Mr. Climie's advice, the company offered toconstruct any number of railways at £SOOO a mile; at which price the lines in that colony have since been constructed, thus saving the Victorians £35,000 for every mile of railway laid down. In 1872 Mr. Climie surveyed the line of the Gippsland railway. This line was violently opposed by the Government engineers, both as to route and expense. They contended that the route was impracticable, and that the cost would be enormously above Mr. Climie's estimate. Strange to say this line is now being carried out along Mr. Climie's route, and at a cost slightly under his estimate. - In 1872-3 the Tasmaniau Government agreed with an English company to construct a railway from Hobarton to Launceston, a distance of 121 miles, for £650,000, Government guaranteeing interest at 6 per cent. The company's engineer decided to take the line, for nearly 50 miles of its course, out of the settled districts, on the ground that no practicable route could be obtained through these districts. The landed proprietors were in despair. To set the matter at rest the services of Mr. Climie were obtained, and he showed that the line could be taken through the said districts, and that the route would be shorter, cheaper, and at an easier gradient than that decided upon by the company. This line was subsequently re-surveyed by two engineers, who certified to the correctness of Mr. Climie's opinion. Further, regarding the railway itself (then in course of construction) Mr. Climie stated that it would not be safe; that the materials used were not good nor in sufficient quantity, that tile average speed required by the Act, of 25 miles an hour, could not be obtained; and that the company were not spending the money £050,000 (for which the colony would have to pay interest), upon the line. For a time, through the loose wording of the Act, the company were able to set science and public opinion at defiance. When the line was finished it was found to be in a dangerous and unsatisfactory state. The Government refused to pay the interest. A commission was appointed, consisting of the Chief Engineers o£ Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland, who fully sustained Mr. Climie's predictions. As I was a keen observer of most of the facts mentioned above, you will not wonder that I have formed a very high opinion of Mr. Climie's abilities.—l am, &c, A Citizen op Wellington.