THE ORETI RAILWAY.

Southland Times, Issue 1354, 30 December 1870, Page 2

THE ORETI RAILWAY.

The probable ; date for opening the Qrefci railway line., is a subject respecting Which public curiosity has of late been excited. It has been rendered more pressing from the fact that the various Northern mail have been entered iato.with.the. view of making the railway available for their Conveyance as far as Wincon. ■It seems that the usual complications have arisen between the Engineer and the contractors. Tve r former has discovered that the permanent' levels between- the register pegs are " out" in many places- from two, three, to four inches.' The effect of such a state of things upon the rolliag-stock would be a strain producing double the wear and tear of a line finished strictly in compliance with the contract. , That discovery is the result of -tt-strrvßy wliluu Luok-plaee-in- accordance with the contract, an-i for which provision was made preparatory to the line being taken off the contractors' hands. ■ A; report of the matter was forwarded to the G-orernment bo the 'months ago, but no notice whatever -was 1 taken of it. In the meantime the postal contracts were, becoming ripe to be taken: up, and. in addition to the, Lapplicationa warded by the Engineer, • the district Postmaster has been in communication with the Government. Withia a day or two back, the report has been taken notice of by the G-overnment, but as yet no decided step has been taken with the view, of bringing the dispute to an issue. That, as we understand it, is a brief statement of the case. Apart altogether from the original dispute,.' the -Govern-. ment is to blame for not haying instructed their Engineer what to do in the matter. When the line will be opened is altogether problematical. Meantime the Government is losing the best season of the year, viz., the wool season, and the public is losing the benefit that would otherwise be derived from the ' opening of the throughline. The dispute ■really should be terminated one way or another. Unless something decided is ; done, it may continue to hang over long enough.. . .. . . . ,

■ A Hbbarton angler filled his 'basket i with fourteen trout, ayeragiag pver two, ilbseachyin 'a ifew hours fishing in the i river Plenty ; one, day . lately. Both i fly and, bait were used, and; the fiver was jdifficutt '' to' "fiak' in of the I quantity of dead • timber in the stream.; I The fishing. appears to opened j rather too early after 4he4apawning season, -but it is stated thit, about Christmas the ! sport will be all' that could be 1 de3ired. L