THE SOUTERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume III, Issue 168, 27 April 1871, Page 6

THE SOUTERN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Our Balclutha readers will be glad to learn that there is every probability of the railway station being erected within the township, and the terminus made there in anticipation of the early continuance of the line outwards to the Mataura, a result which was not anticipated when Mr. Paterson originally laid out the line, which reaches the river bank by the gully behind the manse, proceeding along the river bank to the railway station proposed to be erected near the north side of the present bridge. We understand that the engineers, Messrs Blackett and Blair, who last week examined the line at the Clutha end, now propose its divergence by the erection of a railway bridge just above the division of the Clutha river into the Matau and Kaio branches, proceeding through the town reserve to the rear of Clyde street, pi'obably between the Newmarket Hotel and the school, where it is proposed to erect the station, so as to answer the requirements of both the Dunedin and the Mataura lines.

Observing the action taken at Balclufcha regarding the advisability of commencing the Southern Trunk Railway at several points of the line, Mr. Thomas Calcutt, who has been commissioned by the General Government with carte blanche instructions to arrange for the land through which the line is proposed to pass, at once anticipated probable orders from head quarters, and left Dunedin on Thursday last, visiting the holders of land along the line for the first five miles from Balchitha, and succeeded in effecting most favourable arrangements with

them. He >vas compelled to return to Dunedin, but purposes on Saturday returning to resume operations at the point at which he left off. He will probably call upon Tokomairiro land holders towards the close of this week, when we trust they will see it to be to their permanent interest not to open their mouths too widely in the matter of compensation, and arrange to dispose of the necessary lands with Mi\ Calcutt upon as favourable terms as possible. We may mention it is probable that of the entire 52 miles, fully one-fourth or about 15 miles of the land will be given free of all charge by the liberalminded owners thereof. We trust that others in the southern districts will follow so good an example, and so far encourage the Government to comply with the popular wish to commence the railway at several points, in which event operations would, we understand, at once be commenced on the Tokomairiro Plain at Balclutha. — " Bruce Herald."