Page 4 Advertisements Column 1

Thames Star, Volume XII, Issue 4044, 14 December 1881, Page 4

Prospectus - j fPHAMES VALLEY AND ROTOJL RUA RAILWAY COxMPANY (LIMITED). Nominal Capital, £400,000, in 400,000 shabeß of £1 each. PeOVISIONAIi DIBBCTOES : Hon. James Williamson, Chairman. J. L. Campbell, Efq., M.D. F. D. Rich, Esq. Wm.CrußhDaldy.Esq. E. F. Boche, Eeq. Jai.MoCosh Clark, Esq. Thos. Peacock, Esq. Bobert Grahßm, Esq H". B. Walker, Esq. James Dilworth, Efq. Wiii. Aitken, Esq. George Holdship, F-pq. Nga Huruhuru | Joieph Howard, Eeq. Petera Pukuatua | John Wilson, Esq. Henere Pukuatua j Thos. Morrin, Eeq. Eolohiko Haupapa Win. InnesTaylor, Ecq. \V. Maibi Te Rangiknheke C. J. Stone, F.Bq. Aretalera To Wertv A.W.P.Halcombe,Etfq.Kra Paimoi Bankebh: Bank of New Zealand. SoLiciTons: * Messra Jackson and Rubsoll, Fort street, Auckland. Enginbee: J, Stewart, 2fsq.,M.lnst. 0.E., late District Engineer. INTEETM SrOEBTATJX : Jas. Stewart, Esq., C.E. The proponed railway will be about seventyfour mile* in length, and commences at a point on the Hsnoilton-ThamPß Railway, near the town of Morrinsville. From this point it funs southward through the centre of the great wlley of the Upper Thames, by a very •Biy route, for a distance of thirty-five miles ; it »hen mounts to the wooded plateau which divides the Fpper Thames and Tauranga (liatriots; firm this it decremle, by nu eaoy route to its terminus at the town of Ohinemutu, making » further distance of thirtynine teilen. This completes an unbroken chain of railway communication between the city of Auckland and the Hot Lake district, which is the central point of attraction for tourigta to New Zealand. The cost of the line has been estimated— aftef exploration—by Jas. Stewart, Eeq , la*e District Engineer, to be £2000 per mile for the firßt section of thirty-five miles ; of the I remainder, twenty-four miles will cost £3000 per mile, end ths remaining fifteen miles, about £4500 per mile; making a total rost for construction (of the class of the Government railways, aud exclusive of rolling stock 1! of £209,600. The cost of buildings and rollingstock is estimated at £38,000, making a total cost ef £247.500. It is proposed to construct the Railway in two sections; the first section of thirty-eight miles under the provisions of "The District Bailway* Act, 1877," by which, on approval by the Government, the Colonial revenue is security for interest.on the cost of construction and equipment, not exceeding 2 percent., and the neighbouring lands (rated in proportion to the benffits derivable from the construction of t.Le line) are liable for interest not exceeding a further five per cent., thus giving a certain int> rest of 7 per cent, on the investment, even if the line itself only pays working expenses. The majority of l«nd holders abutting on this section have expressed their willingness that their properties •hall be brought under ths operation of "The District Railways Act, and the Amendment Act, 1878." For the construction of the leoond geotiou, passing, us it does mainly through native land?, w; ich it is not possible to bring under " The District Railways Acts." it'is proposed to work, if possible, under the " Railways Construction and Land Act, 1881." By this Act, the Colonial Government is empowered to contract with a Company for the construction of this P.ai!way, among others, and to grant such lands as are available as an endowment. Iv this case only 28,000 acres arc available, situated in the Patetere Country. Thi9 would not be a sufficient endowment, without rating power*, to warrant the construction of this section of the line, hut the native proprietors have, in addition, agreed to give a considerable nrca of ]a«d to the Company. It is also proposed that the Company should acquire, by purchase, a further portion of native lands adjacent to the line, which may bo expected to be largely increased in value by ifca construction ; and with this view, the Capital of the Company has been fixed at a euui sufficient to include such purchases. By this means, it is hoped the construction of the second section may be undertaken almost simultaneously with the first. The prospects of immediate and very con« sidertible traffic on the line are as good, or better, than can be shown on any new line in NfW Zealand. The rapid strides made during tire last few years in the Upper Thumes and Waikatb districts show that the country has a power of production and of supporting a large population in proportion to its area—equal to almost any other 1 part of t c colony. The prrjerted Tailway »ill open up an area of from 1,500.0000 2.t 00,000' of acreß of a»ailable land, a large portion reHdyfor immediate occupation, but at present wholly linocoiipied, owing partly to the want of mean" of commutiioation, and partly to the fact that a portion of ttiis territory has but recently been acquired from the native owners. The s-ttle ment of this extensive area must necessarily, for some years to com?, create a very large import traffic, and year by year, as settlement progresses, the export traffic of grain, stock, and other produce must also increase to very large dimensions. But, indepnndently of the ordinary sources of supply towards a railway traffic which agricultural and pastoral settle ■ ment of the country affords, there are special reasons which justify the expectation of an unusually rapid development of a varied, extensive, and paying business on this line, It is now generally known that the purchaser* of the lands known aa the Patetere District are taking active steps towards the immediate colonisation, by comparatively small holders, of the whole of the lands they hove icq-iired, or are acquiring, through the agency of a powerful company in England. Ihe importations consequent on the introduction of a large population cannot fail to be very considerable during the first years of their settlement. Again, the line in its course toOhioemutu, taps a valuable forest of magnificent timber, from which—as soon as the line is completed no far —the whole of the j Upper Thames and Waikato districts will undoubtedly draw their supplies of timbar for house building, fencing, and fuel; and laßt, but certaiuly not least, the Urge and ever increasing stream of tourists visiting New Zealand from all parts of the world, attracted by the wonders of Obinemulu and Rotomahana, will certainly prefer to use this line of railway, which will convey them easily iv one short day from the City of Aookland to the Hot Springs, by an easy and most interesting route, thus giving to the line the exceptional advantage of a large passenger traffic at onca, quite irrespective of the ordinary passenger traffic of the country. It may also b9 pointed out that for a distance of fully forty miles the Hue proposed snuifc, afc a future and no far distant da's, form part of the main line connecting, Auckland with Napier aud Wellington, through the iatorior of ths island. Regarding the traffic which may he expected, a oomparieoo may be made with the exisUojf line iv Auokbad. Seeing thatau ttaie )m» thorp &re sissy mi\w of uuproduc-