TUAPEKA RAILWAY AND WATER SUPPLY COMMITTEE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 134, 1 September 1870, Page 5

TUAPEKA RAILWAY AND WATER SUPPLY COMMITTEE.

The following are the minutes of meeting held at the Athenaeum, Lawrence, on the 26th ult. Present : — Messrs. Bastings, Tolcher, Harrop, Herbert, Morrison, Hay, and Mouat. On the motion of Mr. Harrop, seconded by Mr. Morrison, Mr. Bastings was elected chairman. Proposed by Mr. Hay, seconded by Mr. Morrison — "That the Provincial Government be written to, and asked whether they will cause a preliminary survey of the line to be made at once." — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Ilarrop, seconded by Mr. Hay— " That Messrs. Bastings, Herbert, Walsh, and Hayes be appointed a deputation to wait on the Superinoendent and Executive, and urge the necessity of an immediate survey, and ascertain their views generally on the proposed railway." — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Ilarrop, seconded by Mr. Morrison — *' That Messrs. Bastings, Hay, Herbert, Mouat, and the Secretary, be appointed a sub-committee to draw up a memorial to the Colonial Executive, urging the advisability of obtaining authority to construct the line during the present session of Parliament, and take means to obtain signatures to same, with the view of its being forwarded at an early date." — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Harrop, seconded by Mr. Mouat — " That it be an instruction to the sub-committee to prepare draft letters, to be addressed to the corporations of Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell, and to Messrs. M'lvay and Beighton, Roxburgh, and Mr. Skene, Switzers, inviting their co-operation in the objects of the Committee. " — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Mouat, seconded by Mr Morrison — " That letters be written to all the Otago members in the House of Representatives, requesting them to ur<>e upon the Assembly and the Government the importance of the proposed railway, and the probability of its paying." — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Morrison, seconded by Mr. Hay — " That Messrs. Win. Kvaus, S. Hales, John Ponsonby, P. Robertson, Win. Goldsmith, Bryant M'Swiney, J. L. Dewes, and J. F. C. Browne, be requested to permit themselves to be added to the Committee. " — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Ilarrop, seconded by Mr. Hay — "That in future the time of meeting be three o'clock p.m. every Friday. " — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Hay, seconded by Mr Morrison — "That Messrs. Bastings, Hay, and Herbert be appointed to canvass for subscriptions at Lawrence, and Messrs. Morrison, Cormack, and Mouat at the Blue Spur." — Carried. Proposed by Mr. Tolcher, seconded by Mr. Morrison — " That evidence be taken as to the necessity for water supply, the area of payable auriferous ground, the available supply at present, and such other information as may be deemed necessary for the objects of the Committee ; and that a sub-committee, consisting of Messrs Hay, Tolcher, and Morrison, beappoiuted to draft a series of questions, to be proposed to witnesses, and obtain written answers. " — Carried. The following correspondence, which had been forwarded to the Provincial and Colonial Secretaries, in accordance with the decision of the Committee at a previous meeting, was read :—: — Lawrence, 23rd August, 1870. To the Provincial Secretary, Dunedin. Sir, — I am instructed by the Committee appointed for the promotion of the construction of a railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence, in connection with the Otago Southern Trunk Railway, to enqnire whether the Provincial Government of Otago are inclined to favour the objects of the Committee, and how far they will be in a position to assist in forwarding the same. I have the honor to inclose a series of resolutions passed at a large and influential public meeting, held at Lawrence on the Bth instaut, for submission to the Government. lam directed to point out the urgent necessity for an early preliminary survey of the proposed line, in order that so much of the livid as may still remain uncultivated may be reserved from occupation at an early date, otherwise it will no doubt be speedily occupied for speculative purposes. It is not considered necessary to point out to the Government the advantages of the proposed undertaking, as the best means of obtaining information on the subject are already in the hands of the Government. It is believed that the undertaking would prove directly reproductive if the works were economically constructed, as all the traffic to and from Mount Benger, Dunstan, Cromwell, Lakes, Teviot, Clutha Valley, Alexandra, Switzers, and Tapauui districts, would certainly be carried on the line as far as Lawrence, I have the honor to be, Sir, Yours obediently, Wm. Nott Gooday, Hon. Secretary. Lawrence, August 23rd, 1870. To the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — By direction of a Committee duly appointed at a public meeting of the inhabitants of Tuapeka, convened by his Worship the Mayor of Lawrence at the request of a number of the residents, 1 have the honor to bring under your notice the attached series of resolutions, passed at the said meeting, and to request that you will be pleased to bring the same under the considei'ation of the Executive Council, with the view of ascertaining — 1. Whether the Government are or will shortly be in a position to make, or to assist the above-mentioned Committee in making, the necessary preliminary survey of a proposed line of railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence. 2, Whether the Government are or will

shortly be in a position to furnish or assist in furnishing the necessary professional assistance for reporting upon such schemes of water supply as the Committee may suggest. 3. Whether the Government will be in a position to devote any of the proposed loans to the construction of any of the above-mentioned works, and whether they are inclined to regard favourably the suggestion to set aside, subject to the approval of the Provincial Government of Otaajo, the return of the Tuapeka Agricultural Reserve (93,000 acres) as a guarantee for the interest of the proposed railway expenditure. I am further directed to bring under your notice the opinion of many competent persons, that the proposed railway and water works would be directly reproductive after construction. The former work, taken in conjunction with the Otago Southern Trunk Line, would be of service to the whole of the residents of the Mount Benger, Dunstan, Cromwell, Lakes, Switzers, Teviot, Alexandra, and the whole of the Clutha Valley and Tapanui Districts, and there can be no reasonable doubt that the greater part of the goods and passenger traffic from the places above mentioned would be carried on the line. The traffic from the Dunstan, Cromwell, and Lake districts is at present carried on by way of Palmeraton from Duuedin, a distance of one hundred and sixty miles, whereas Clyde can be reached from Lawrence in about seventy miles by the road. It is believed that there are no serious engineering difficulties to be overcome in the construction of the proposed railway line, and no tunnelling or other heavy works will be required. The entire absence of proper material for the construction, and the consequent large cost of maintenance, of ordinary roads along the line of the proposed railway, suggests the expediency (economically) of constructing a line of railway in preference to roads. It is also believed that if a good supply of water can be brought on to different parts of this district at a reasonable cost, a very considerable quantity of auriferous ground, which is now unproductive, would be made to yield excellent returns:' I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Wm. Nott Gooday, Hon. Sec. Tuapeka Railway and Water Supply Progress Committee. The following is a copy of the letter sent to all the Otago members in the House of Representatives, referred to in the above minutes : — Sir, — I am directed by the Tnapeka Railway and Wacer Supply Progress Committee to write to you requesting you to urge upon the General Assembly and the Government the importance of the proposed railway line, and the probability of its being a directly reproductive work. The proposed line is a very short one fabout twenty miles), and will pass through country either already settled or in progress of settlement, presents no engineering difficulties, and can be constructed cheaply. There is already a large traffic along the proposed route, which will be increased greatly by the construction of the line. A large revenue has been derived from the goldh'elds, for which they have received no adequate return. The Committee have learned with surprise that a deputation of the Otago members have waited on the Government to urge the construction of railways through comparatively uninhabited tracks of country, whilst no effort has been made to urge a proposal beneficial to almost the wh(>le of the Otago goldfields. I have the. honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, Wm. Nott Gooday, Hon. Sec. Tuapeka Railway and VVater Supply Progress Committee.