TUAPEKA. RAILWAY AND WATER SUPPLY PROGRESS COMMITTEE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 135, 8 September 1870, Page 5

TUAPEKA. RAILWAY AND WATER SUPPLY PROGRESS COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the above Committee was held in the Athenseum, on Friday last. Present — H. Bastings, Esq., chairman, and Messrs. Mouat, Harrop, W. D . Morrison, Hay, and secretary. The minutes of previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following copy of a letter forwarded to the mayors of Clyde, Alexandra, and Cromwell, also to Messrs. J. Beighton and G. Mackay, Roxburgh, and Mr. Skene, Switzers, was read :—: — Sir, — As Secretary to a Committee appointed to promote the construction of a railway from Tokomairiro to Tuapeka, and for obtaining the expenditure of a fair proportion of the proposed loan for water supply, for the construction of water works on the Otago goldfields, I am directed to invite the cooperation of yourself and the residents in in the objects of the Committee. It is unnecessary that I should point out to you the benefits that are likely to arise to the goldfields by success in these objects, and the heavy burden that will be entailed upon them by the misapplication of the sums of money proposed to be borrowed for public works. All these considerations are no doubt sufficiently present to your mind. It is submitted that the railway to Tuapeka will be beneficial to the whole of the goldfields adjacent to the valley of the Clutha, and if once constructed to Tuapeka, would no doubt be continued onwards to Roxburgh, Alexandra, Clyde, and Cromwell. The benefits of additional water supply are sufficiently manifest. Trusting you will see your way to a hearty cooperation with the Committee, I have the honour to be, Sir, Yours obediently, W. Nott Gooday, Hon. Secretary.

A copy of a letter to several gentlemen in the district, inviting them to allow their names to be placed on the Committee, was also read.

The sub- committee appointed to draw up a list of questions to be submitted for answers by way of evidence, gave in their report.

It was thought, as regards the Blue Spur, Tuapeka Mouth, and Waitahuna, that the best way to obtain evidence would be to hold public meetings at these places. It was therefore proposed by Mr. Hay, seconded by Mr. Harrop, "That the committee call public meetings at these places, for the purpose of explaining the objects of the committee and taking evidence with regard to water supply, &c." The Secretary was instructed to write a letter to Mr. Cable, of Waipori, similar to those forwarded to the other gentlemen, and also one to the Rev. Dr. Copland, inviting him to join the committee The following draft of a memorial to the Governor and his Executive, was then read and adopted :—: — To His Excellency Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Knight Grand Cross of the most distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Governor and Com-mander-in-Chief in and over the Colony of New Zealand and its Dependencies, and Vice- Admiral of the same: And the Executive Council of New Zealand. The memorial of the undersigned settlers and residents in the Tuapeka Goldfields, in the Province of Otago, humbly sheweth — That your memorialists have learned with satisfaction that the Government intend to promote the construction of the Otago Southern Trunk Railway. Your memorialists respectfully submit that in conjunction with the proposed line, a branch line in connection therewith as far as the township of Lawrence would be eminently desirable, and tend greatly to make the main line directly reproductive.

Your memorialists submit the following grounds in favour of the above suggestion, namely :— 1. The traffic between Tuapeka and Dunedin is at present greatly in excess of that between Balclutha and Dunedin ; 2. If such a line were constructed, all the traffic between the greater portion of the Otago goldfields and Dunedin, which at present is chiefly carried round by a different, tedious, and lengthened route, would be diverted to Lawrence, and be carried along the railway line ; 3. The proposed branch line would not exceed twenty miles in length, and presents no engineering difficulties of any magnitude, and might therefore be constructed at a small cost ; 4. It would pass through country all of which is well suited for settlement, and which is at present being rapidly occupied ; 5. The land for the site of the proposed line is still in the hands of the Crown, and the difficulty and cost in treating with private proprietors would not occur ; 6. No main line of road has yet been constructed along the principal part of the course of the proposed line, and the entire absence of suitable materials will render the construction and maintenance of ordinary roads costly and inefficient ; 7. It has been conceded by all the engineers acquainted with the goldfields that the route by way of Tuapeka is the natural highway to the interior of Otago, and that which any railway which may hereafter be constructed must necessarily follow.

Your memorialists would respectfully draw your attention to the statistics and papers published by the Provincial Government, which, if examined, will furnish much of the necessary information, and will conclusively substantiate the statement of your memorialists.

Your memorialists would respectfully submit that the inhabitants of Tuapeka and the Otago goldfields have contributed largely to both the General and Provincial revenues, and that up to the present time they have shared but in a very small degree in the advantages of public works constructed by the Provincial Government ; that the province and the colony generally have derived great advantages from the Tuapeka goldfields, both directly and indirectly ; that the colony unquestionably owes to the enterprise of the mining population which came to Tuapeka at their own expense, and without any charge or assistance to or from the Province, not only the development of the Otago goldfields, but to a large extent the discovery and development of the important goldfields at the West Coast of the Middle Island and in the province of Auckland — and yet they have been oppressed with a burden of taxation unparalleled in any country in the world, and

their interests so far neglected that up to the present time they are almost destitute of ordinary roads, and liable to have communication with their principal seaport entirely cut off in the winter season.

Your memorialists therefore pray that your Excellency's Government will be pleased to take the premises into consideration, and cause enquiry to be made touching the allegations above mentioned, and take such other action in promoting the views of your memorialists as to your wisdom may seem best. And your memorialists will every pray. Mr. Holmes was appointed to obtain signatures to the memorial. Another memorial with regard to the water supply was decided to be drawn up. It was then decided to intimate by advertisement that public meetings would be held at the Blue Spur, Waitahuna, and Tuapeka Mouth — the date to be fixed by the chairman. The committee then adjourned for fourteen days.

Since the above meeting was held, Mr. Gooday received the following letter from the Secretary for Lands and Works: — Provincial Secretary's Office, Dunedin, 3rd Sept., 3870. Sir, I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the date quoted in the margin, in which, on behalf of a committee appointed for the promotion of the construction of a railway from Tokomairiro to Lawrence, you enquire whether the Government is inclined to assist in forwarding the same, &c.

In reply, I have to state that the Government heartily approves of the proposed movement, and will have a reconnoisance survey of the line made as soon as the services of the staff of the Roads and Works Department are available. They will also temporarily reserve the lands through which the line will pass. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your obedient servant, D. Reid, Provincial Secretary. W. Nott Gooday, Esq., Lawrence.