RAILWAY WORKSHOPS FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5638, 25 April 1879, Page 5

RAILWAY WORKSHOPS FOR THE SOUTH ISLAND.

(PER PRESS AGENCY.) Do nedin, Thursday. In reply to a letter from Mr. Macandrew asking by whom the allegation was made that tho chief workshops in tho Middle Island were to bo at Addington, Mr. Wobb, secretary of the Chamber of Commerce, writes as follows : —“Dunedin, April 22, 1879. —I am instructed by (the committee to say as to railway workshops that common rumor appears to be supported by tho fact that almost all important work ever since the opening of the through line is executed at Christchurch, very little here. Whether rumor is well founded or not, it will be very satisfactory it you will authorise tho committee publicly to contradict it. The Honorable Mr. Reynolds informs tho committee the resolution referred to was carried in the House ou your motion.” To this Mr. Macandrew replies : “It is scarcely to be credited that the Chamber of Commerce should so easily bo gulled by common rumor. Were I publicly to contradict all that common rumor says it would be an endless matter. There is no intention whatever on the part of the Government to concentrate the workshops for the Middle Island either at Addington or Dunedin. If a resolution on the subject was carried in the House 6f Representatives on my motion, I have no recollection of it, nor can. I .find any record of it. lam not aware that any important work for the Dunedin section which could have been executed in Dunedin, or indeed any work at. all for the Dunedin section has been executed in Christchurch. I have caused, however, inquiry to be made on the subject so as to ascertain the facts of the case. Plans have been prepared for employing tho Dunedin workshop with a view of meeting the increasing requirements of the line. Tho work is expected to be in hand shortly. The shops will no doubt continue to be enlarged from time to time os the necessity for so doing increases, without, I hope, eliciting paltry local jealousies elsewhere.”