THE ORETI RAILWAY.

Southland Times, Issue 1241, 29 April 1870, Page 2

THE ORETI RAILWAY.

♦ .JFrom a .visit made to the railway works on Wednesday, we are in a position to speak of the progress made since our last trip up the line — three months ago. At that time the engine could only proceed about 10 miles out, while ballasting was done" only for seven.' 'Now* the "permanent way is entirely finished to the Makarewa, seven i miles ; the lower ballast is laid for five more ; i" the rails are full " sleepered" twb-and-a-half miles further ; double middle-sleepered to the 16-mile post, and the plates down for a mile more* The ' formation-men are, of course, ahead of that again, and all the bridges and culverts ore ready fortlxerails. Good gravel not being available at the Makarewa, as was anticipated, has made the ballasting a slower process than it otherwise would have been, owing to the material having still to ■ be drawn from the pits down the Bluff line.- On leaving the station a marked improvement was viaible in the slopes flanking, the track. The heaps of "plant" have all been removed, and the old wooden rails sawn up and burnt as fuel for the engines, leaving the grass room to grow and hide the inequalities of surface, thereby imparting an air of neatness arid finish to the whole. Crossing the Waikivi, we had a hasty glance at Messrs Shearer and Co.'s flax-mill, which is now at work, .and appears to be an extensive and well-arranged establishment. . Just beyond this point, the West Waikivi Road crosses the line in a cutting. Gates have been placed on the toad to prevent accident, with the civil request legibly painted oh them, " Please shut the gate," but it appears that, notwithstanding the reasonableness of the advice, it is seldom complied with. The engineer drew our attention to them swung wide open as we passed, and complained of their being always so. So persistently is this the case, that the drivers of the locomotives believe it to be done purposely. If so, it is a most malicious act, and it is a pity that the guilty parties cannot be caught arid punished. The next noticeable feature was a siding at Wallacetown Road, where we halted to deliver two trucks of gravel, and where teams were busily at work carting away former deposits for the formation of the North Road. Nearing the summit of the Makarewa incline, the engine unhitched and ran on ahead, into Buxtori's sideing, leaving the waggons to descend the incline to the river by their own momentum. The velocity, attained on the decline carried them over the bridge, and a good distance up the next gradient, when the engine catne up and pushed them on in front of . her. A quick run was then made through the Ryal Bush, and away across the Winton plains for three or four miles, where a halt was -made, and the train hooked on to a smaller engine in waiting for the purpose. The unfinished state of the line beyond this point rendered it unsafe to run the heavy locomotive over it, arid thus was explained the purpose of the manosuvre at Buxtons. After proceeding for a short distance, a truck of gravel was detached at intervals, until all that remained of the train was three" waggons loaded with iron. Another "shunting" was then effected by means of a temporary siding, the engine again took a rear position, and sent the waggona on . some distance further. Coming to a red flag— -the emblem of danger— the engine pulled up and left the trucks — to which we had transferred ourselves— to proceed as far as the " way " on would take them, where, just as they were " slowing " they we're taken in tow by a pair of horses, and so hauled on to the end of their journey — the " linking in " sqsad, about a mile on. From the point where the engine was attached, 16 miles, the run home occupied 50 minutes, including eight stoppages to pick up the different squads of laborers returning from work, empty trucks, 15 bags of potatoes, 6 bags of chaff, a lot of firewood, and two female passengers. A little traffic, it would appear, is done in this way already, the people insisting on using the line where at all available, . and the contractors, although not encouraging the trade, not refusing such little obligations. A discovery has just been made which will possibly retard the completion of the line for some time, unless the want can be quickly supplied. It appears that the late Mr Paterson, in giving the order for chairs, estimated them at 251bs. each, so many tons to the mile, whereas the greater portion of them weigh 281b9., and this extra weight not having been allowed for by the shippers, the number required is deficient by some 80Q0. - '