The Railway Commission.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3564, 29 May 1880, Page 2

The Railway Commission.

This Commission, which consisted of Messrs Oswald Curtis (Nelson) Chairman, E. G. Wright (Coleridge), J. M. Clarke (Auckland), and Col. Pearce (Wellington), arrived here from Waikato, via the Upper 'Thames, yesterday evening, shortly before six o'clock. After a short sojourn in the Te Aroha and Matamata districts, the Commission left Omahu, and arrived at the Kopu wharf at about four o'clock. The evidence was taken at the Pacific Hotel. Mr J. A. Miller acted on behalf of the committee. Dr Kilgour gave ■ a lengthy account of the line, and showed that a capitalist of Auckland had offered to construct it under the District Kail ways Act, 1872, provided that a guarantee of six per cent, on the money spent was given him by the local bodies. Captain Souter was next examined. He said the river was exceedingly dangerous, as it abounded in snags and sandbanks. It took nine or ten hours to reach Omahu by steamer, whereas by the railway they could accomplish the distance in two. The freight for coal from the Bay of Islands was about 12s per ton, and he believed that the Waikato coal could be brought down here for 7s or Bs, and there would not only be a great reduction ie price, but the line would ensure a constant supply, which the present system of obtaining it from Kawakawa did not permit. Captain Davies corroborated. He .said the amount used in mining purposes was 9,000 tons. • Mr J. W. Walker, of the Kuranui Company gave evidence with regard to the coaL used in the mining industry. Last year 9000 tons had been used in mining, but he thought that about 15,000 tons would be used this year. Mr R. Comer concurred in Mr Walker's opinion, and stated that the Big Pump consumed 300 tons per month alone. He also reverted to the difficulty of ensuring a regular supply from the Bay. Mr Brodie said that in addition to the mining industry there was the timber trade, which had already asssumed large proportions, one mill alone turning out 2,500,000 feet every year. Two of the mills cut white timber and one railway sleepers; and if the Thames was connected by rail with tbe Waikato, timber could be sold in the Waikato townships at just half the prices the consumers were now paying. From Omahu to the Thames gold*bearing reefs had been traced, and there was a possibility of a gold field being established in tbe Te Aroha district shortly. Messrs Ehrenfried, Allen, Aitken, Strange, Elliot, F. C.Dean (Town Clerk,) B. K. McGregor and W. Carpenter were also examined.

The Commission rose at 11.15 p.m.