THE HON. MR. MACANDREW IN OAMARU.

Oamaru Mail, Volume IV, Issue 975, 4 June 1879, Page 2

THE HON. MR. MACANDREW IN OAMARU.

INTERVIEW WITH THE MAYOR. . : ' ' TJjp.flon. ftjr, jitacancVrgß'j Minister for £»!$)? • J n Qamaru. by special train, at halfrpgit nine o'clock last evening, from - Qhristchurch. j,:Bfe was shortly ■ afterwards' waited, upon by his Worship the.:Ma.yor, who presented to the Minister for Works a memorial from a number of the-uriemploved ? asking that some public works might be started as soon as po'.~ib l e, in order to provide them with employment.-- In reply, fcfye 309. ;said .that a portioh of "ffie. iiii'ingstoniß , be: coni jgaense4 iwithin' He would endeavour' to haye a~portion ofthe wort done by giece : work. The hon. gentleman also mentioned tijat ft was tlxg

intention of the Government to have an area of land near the line laid off in small sections, for settlement on the deferred payment system, the terms to be easy, and the payments to extend over a considerable period. In reply to a question, the Hon. Mr. Macandrew stated that the delay in the commencement of the railway station had arisen from unavoidable circumstances. As soon as matters had been definitely arranged with the Harbor Board the work would be proceeded -with. Again, in reply to a representation as to the inexpediency of making the junction of the lines in the middle of Thames-street, the Minister for Public Works said the matter had not escaped his notice, and that provided a curve of sufficient radius could be obtained by starting at a point clear of the street, it would be adopted. The Mayor said that he was advised that theie would be no difficulty in obtaining a curve of 7 or 7i chains without encroaching on the street.

INTERVIEW WITH THE HARBOR BOARD. At ten o'clock this morning the Hon. Mr. Macandrew had an interview with the Standing Committee of the Harbor Board, of whom there were present— Messrs. Sumpter (Chairman), Hassell, and Steward. The first and principal question mooted was that of tlio amount of compensation required by the Board for the portion of the lagoon to be taken for the loop lino from the new railway to form a junction with the main South line.

The Minister for Public Works said that he thought the Board might, in view of the improvements the line would effect to its property, grant the land without compensation. The work was going to be a very expensive one, but he was not quite sure that the plan to be followed was tho correct one. If lie were dictator, he would abandon the proposal to remove tho passenger station altogether. Ho would keep the station where it is, and carry the South line by means of a tunnel through the hill. This would have to be done some day, in order to avoid the steep grade on the line approaohing the town. Of course, the sanction of Parliament would have to bo obtainod to such a proposal, and that meant delay. They had, therefore, to consider the beat means of meeting the requirements of tho railways, " Mr. Sumpter said he thought he could promise that the Board would raise no obstruction to the Government carrying out these proposals, but would endeavour to meet the Government in a liberal manner. At the same time he might point out that in many respects injuries would be done to the Board's property, while the taking of a portion of tho Lagoon for the line would be taking a part of what would, when reclaimed, form a very valuable property. Ho thought that if the Government would, when making the line across the Lagoon, fill up the gaps that would be left and so form a bridge to connect Tyne and Humberstreets, the Board would accept that aa full compensation. The Hon. Mr. Macandrew said lie waq not in a position to agree to the and he would first hayfi to fibtain information as to \vhat wqqld be the cost of the work, fie was anxious to come to an understanding speedily as possible, as he wished to have the station commenced at once.

Mr. Sumpter suggested that the work might be gone on with at once, and the matter of compensation left to be settled afterwards. The Board, he was Buro, would not prefer any serious claim. The Hon. Mr. Macandrew said he die not purpose buying any section at present for the station, which would not be s) grand an edifice as was anticipated, but it would be sufficient to meet all require' ments of the department and the town. He did not, in fact, purpose having a permanent and complete station erected at once.

Mr. Sumpter said that the public decidedly anticipated that the station to be erected was to be a permanent and complete one. Even though the building to be erected might only bo a temporary oneit should, he thquglyt, foi-'in a'part cif tli§ complete plan. The Hon. Mr. Mapandrew replied that, in view of the fact that there was a probability of the lino having eventually to be taken through the tunnel in the interests of the railways, and the passenger station removed again to the present site, he did not think it would be well to expend more money on the work that could be avoided. The worki. he proposed carrying out would entail a! J expenditure of sofiie LIB,BBO. He wj perfectly cpnyincfHl thtifc' the jiTah 11 suggested was thp correct one, iviid that 11 tunnel should bo made through the hi.' the stone obtained from whicli would greatly assist in valuable reclamations' the port. The damage likely to be done to Thamesstreet by having a double line of_ rails across a portion of jt and the points in it? centre was than rererred po, aniij Mm; andrew he' 'libpeii' to be Hb'li'fij obviate the evil. Several other small matters having been talked over, the itttefi view terminated, VISIT TO THE BREAKWAI'EII. The Hon. Mr. Macandrew, accompanied by several members of the Harbor Board and the Secretary, then paid a visit to the breakwater, The Minister for PuWjj Works expressed h»n)s>e|£ highly with the works and the ease and safety with which the large number of vessels lay within the breakwater. While at the port, a trial boring was made to ascertain the feasibility of deepening the harbor, when [J was a|t&? gomgTlirqilgli a OT of conglomoriite s&Veral'feet'of bluo clay was met with. This showed that tlicrfl would be no difficulty in sfl deppei'i n g harbor as to obtain feet of wuUjpW low tide. All present, including % tt o '*' Mr. Macandrew, wgre dolightccl with tM result of the trial, The Hon. Mr, Macandrew loft for Dunedin by special train,