Colonial Treasurer's Office,

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 138, 29 September 1870, Page 5

Colonial Treasurer's Office,

Wellington, September 6, 1870. Sir,— l have been directed by the Hon. Colonial Treasurer to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist inst., in which, on behalf of the Tnapeka Railway and Water Supply Progress Committee, you request him to urge upon the General Assembly and the Government the importance of a proposed railway in the Tuapeka district, and the probability of its being a directly reproductive work. I have also been directed, in reply to that letter, to request that you will inform the Committee that it is not possible their proposal should be entertained during the present session of the Assembly, but that it will receive consideration during the recess. I have the honour to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, E. Fox. William Nott Gooday, Esq. , Hon. Sec. T.K. and W.S.P.C. The Provincial Secretary's letter, which appeared in a previous issue of this journal, was then read. The following communication was received from Mr. Bra4shaw, M.H.R. : - House of Representatives, Wellington, Sept. 7, 1870. Sir, — I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the Ist instant yesterday, relative to the construction of a railway line from Tokomairiro to Lawrence, and in reply beg to state that prior to the receipt of your communication I called on the Honourable the Colonial Treasurer, and ur^ed on him the desirability and justice of constructing the very line you now seek to be made. The Kailway Bill, with altered schedule, was then before the House, and I pointed out to Mr. Yogel that in the original Bill the. Government contemplated a line to Tuapeka, thence to Dunstan, and thence to Queenstown. His reply was both pointed and brief. It was this :— That the Government could not alter the schedule of the Bill in this instance ; if they did so, they would be called upon to alter it to suit many other localities, and that thi j y intended to stand by the Hill as it was. The lines contemplated for immediate construction by the Government are those that have begun their preliminary work, such as survey, specifications, &c, the data for which are on the table of the House. In every instance the data has been furnished by the several Provincial Governments, and the costs and charges paid by them respectively. The exceptions are lines from Invercargill to the Mat aura ; from Moeraki to the Waitaki ; and from Wellington to the Seventy-mile Bush ; thence diverging east and west to Napur, and to New Plymouth, as shown in schedule three of the Bill, which I now send you. The Colonial Government undertake to make the necessary surveys for t!ie3e lines during recess, and recommend their construction to next sesion of Parliament. Since writing the foregoing part of this lette*-, a deputation, consisting of Messrs. Macandrew, Bradshaw, Brown, Main, Mervyn, Haughton, and M' l ndoe, waited on the Colonial Treasurer relative to the Tuapeka line. Mr. Macandrew recommended the line to the favourable consideration of the Government, and went so far as to state that he preferred its construction to any of the new schemes. Mr. Yogel, although adhering to his original intention of not altering the schedule of the Bill, nevertheless stated that the Government would, during recess, make the necessary enquiry ; and at the same time Mr. Yogel recommended that the Superintendent and the Provincial Council of Otago should take such steps in the meantime so as to be iv a position to lay before the House next session reliable data for consideration of Parliament. This no doubt can, and will, be done, for I have very little doubt, in fact 1 mean to say that I have no doubt that the Superintendent and tho Provincial Council are favourable for the construction of your line, and that the surveys, specifications, &c, will be made by the provincial authorities, if not by the colonial. The steamer leaves immediately, and, therefore, you receive this hurried written letter. I have the honour to be, £ir, Your obedient servant, J. B. Bradshaw. William Nott Gooday, Esq., Hon. Sec. T.R. and W.S.P.C. P.S. — Messrs. M'lndoe and Mervyn have not been communicated to by your Committee, but they nevertheles.-i give their warmest support for the scheme. — J. B. B. The following letter from Messrs Ross and Hotson, civil aud mining engineers, was then read, and the thanks of the Committee recorded for their kind offer : — Princes-street, Dunedin, September 13, 1870. Sir, — We had the pleasure ->i speaking to your chairman, Mr. Bastings, when in Dunedin about your proposed railway and water works, and at his suggestion we now write to you in referenca to the preparation of the preliminary surveys, plans and estimates ut either, or bjth these works. Believing that a railway and water works are necessary for the continued prosperity of your district, and that sooner or later they will be carried out, we are willing, along with the Committee, to risk something to hasten that desirable end. We are preparod to make surveys, plans, and estimates of your proposed works, and assist the Committee in any way desired, upon payment by them of the actual expenses connected with the work when out of Dunedin, and of a small sum per day for professional services. This offer we make with a view to some future advantage ; but, of course, we would not expect to bind the Committee in any way beyond the present arrangement. We have both had great experience in railways and water works in Great Britain and Victoria, and are well ac-

quainted with all the recent improvements in them. We are, sir, Your obedient servants, David Boss, John B. Hotsov, Civil and Mining Engineers, &c. William Nott Gooday, Esq., Hon. Sec. T.R. and W.S.P.C. The correspondence was then received and open for remark. ' Messrs. Ross and Hotson's letter sug- ! gested a very important conversation as to the best parties to be entrusted with the necessary survey of the proposed works. The general feeling of the Committee . was against employing purely professional engineers — they would prefer men of more practical experience. It was remarked by Mr. Cormack that the total cost of bringing all the water \ipon the Spur did not exceed the amount Mr. Millar charged for his plan of the Tuapeka Basin, &c. The discussion of this matter was decided to be held over till next meeting, meanwhile the secretary was instructed to write the Government reminding them of the reconnoitring survey promised by them, and pointing out the necessity for reserving that portion of country known as the Tuapeka Basin as a site for a reservoir. Mr. Morrison suggested that in taking evidence from miners and others in the district it would be very advisable for the Committee to be assistfid by a representative of the Government. iMr. Simpson, he thought, would be a very suitable gentleman. Mr. Monat suggested a commission, but he feared commissioners might have tho disadvantage of being unacquainted with the district, and not in a position to understand the matter. A mixed commission might answer, including the Warden Mr- Simpson, as had been wisely suggested. Mr. Morrison then moved, that the Government be asked to appoint the Warden or some other qualified gentleman to assist the Committee in taking evidence as to water supply. Secluded by Mr. Cormack. MEETINGS. Mr. Morrison stated that he and Mr. Mouab went to the Blue Spur. The people there were not unwilling to subscribe, but would like to wait and hear the committee's statement of the ex;tcs course they intend adopting, and get a general idea of tho scheme they proposed. A conversation then took place on Mr. Millar's plan of the Basin. It was generally admitted that it was more expensive than would be required. A meeting was arranged to be hold at Tuapeka Mouth on Friday next. The Committee then adjourned for 14 days.