PROPOSED ALTERATION OF THE WIN TON AND KINGSTON RAILWAY.

Southland Times, Issue 1565, 19 April 1872, Page 2

PROPOSED ALTERATION OF THE WIN TON AND KINGSTON RAILWAY.

(to the editor of the time.l.) Sir, — It is reported that engineers are juat now running trial lines for the purpose of ascertaining whether the Oreti railwayshould keep the eastern bank of that river all the way to Lowther, i.c , whether the line selected by the late Mr Paterson and surveyed by him should be departed from, and the crossing of the Oreti altogether avoided. MrPaterson'slineaccotnpliahestheminimtttn distance and curvature, combined with the maximum utility and safety, and involves the construction of two long river bridges. The proposed diversion gives the maximum distance, curvature, and danger, and the minimum utility ; ' and involves about ten miles of twisting round rocky bluffs and spurs and rivei* bends, the cost of which would probably go a great way in balancing, if it did not overbalance, that of the two bridges in Mr P. 's survey. One gknce at them«p, or one riile over the country — especially the latter — were enough to make clear to the most obtuse intellect that Mr Paterson's line follows the direction iv every way the most suitable for a railway and the wants of the country. Unless the nature of the ground plainly indicated (which it does not) that a departure fro.n it the extent being sought for would be equivalent to a present pecuniary saving so great as to warrant permanent increase of distance and reduction in the safety of travelling, prospective great cast in widening thd line, and present sacrifice of usefulness to the country, the running of " trial lines," while giving employment to engineers, must in this instince be regarded as a waste of public money. I say " present sacrifice" of ussfulnos^, because no doubt as regards that difficulty, two or three expensive provincial bridges : would sooner or later bj put on the Oreti to give access to the railway from the west side of the river. In the meantime, however, fancy a batch of goods, mails, and passengers connected with the upper Oreti, ( Paringatur t) Aparima, Waiau, and the Te Anau and Mavora districts, arriving at the Jillbow or any other point in the upper Oreti flats when the Oreti was fl >oded, with the intention of proceeding by train to Invereargiil ! Fancy the amiable frame of mind with which. these passengers would contemplate the un-get-at-able train passing down on tha opposite side of the river! Your correspondent is afraid such a " fix " would elicit expressions of disgust conveyed in " stroug language." The line as laid off by the lafce Mr Paterson keeps the east side of the I North Road (going round the east side lof the Fern Hills) all the way from | Winfcon to a point say about half way between Morrison's hotel and ford, where (at the half way point) it ' slants across the road and river ; having "" thus arrived at the west side of the Oreti, it proceeds in one straight level line, about 8 mile 3 long, to the Hofeaaui Gorge, and so on in long lines and easy curves to the Elbow, where it crosses the Oreti at the confluence of that river with the Erthing, the latter here containing all the waters of the Five Rivers. It will be seen at once by those acquainted with the country how this line would give both sides the river dry-shod access to the railway. For example, settlers on the Waimea Plain (opposite BarnhiH's) could, if the Oreti were in flood, get to the railway dry-shod by heading that river At the Elbow, while if the line bo diverted so as to keep the eastern bank all the way, the whole country on the west side will, with a flood on, be cut off from railway communication, besides having no access to the railway at any time without river fording. — Tours, &c., Obeti. April 15, 1872.