RAILWAY FROM DUNEDIN TO MOERAKI.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 237, 15 August 1872, Page 6

RAILWAY FROM DUNEDIN TO MOERAKI.

Mr Blair, the General Government engineer for this Province, has reported on the above lino. In h ; s reconnaisancc survey, he selected five routes. The first leaves the Southern Trunk line on the Taieri plain, passes up the Silverstream, and down the south branch of the Waikouaiti river to the Waikouaiti township. The second leaves the Southern Trunk line at the southern end of the Caversham tunnel, runs up the Kaikorai valley to the head, then passes to the west of the Dunedin reservoir, aud through a low Bacldle at Lothian Bank into the valley of the Water of Leith. The iine follows this valley up the dividing range between it and the Waitati stream, then works down on the west side of the latter to the Waihema creek, which is crossed a little above the main road. The thirl plan leaves the Port Chalmers Railway at Pelichet Bay, and passes through a saddle at Dundas Btreet and the Botanical Gardens. The Leith valley is then followed up to near the summit, -where -this line merges into No. 2. Ho. 4 leaves tho Port Chalmers Railway at Black Jack's Poiut, and rises up the range to the head of the valley at Sawyer's Bay. It then passes under the main North road, near the eighth mile post, and works down the northern slope of Mount Cargill, and the west bank of the Waitati to the head of Blueskin Bay, where it merges into No 2. No. sis a continuation of the Port Chalmers railway round the coast to Blueskin. Mr Blair firat considers those routts that present the least facilities for railway construction, or are otherwise objectionable :—: —

The country traversed by No 1 line is a very rough one ; with the exception of a few mites at the Taieri plain and Waikouaiti, the rivers flow in precipitous gorges and ravines. The course of the Silverstream is remarkably wild, there bein^ scarcely half a- mile of open valley in the whole distance. Independent of the inconvenient nistance this route is from Dunedin, the difficulties it presents arc sufficient to preclude its adoption. No. 2, or the coast line, would follow the sea from Port Chalmers to Blueskin, and presents no difficulties so far. But beyond this it is impossible to construct a useful line at anything like a reasonable cost. The cliffs of hard rock are almost perpendicular, and of a great height, and ru,i into the sea at all the promontories, while the bays consist of di ifting sand almost as d fficulfc to deal with. This route is, thorefore, rejected as unsuitable.

No. 3, being a low level, would require a tunnel about two miles long through a basaltic mountain, and cannot be considered.

The consideration of the routes from Dnnedin to Blucskiu was thus re luced to three, an l in examining them Mr Blair worked f.»r gradients of lin 50. The result is that he rejects the one via the Leith —or No. 3 — for one between tho head of Siiwyei's Bay Valley and the cast branch ot the Waitati, or No. 4. lis height is about 1100 feet, aud the distance from sea level on buth sides about seven miles, thus making the summit level < f railway about 400 feet below the saddle. The length of tunnelling required will probably be about 40 chains. Mr Blair thinks that generally this route presents greater facilities for the construction of a railway than the one via the Leith, and it has the additional advantage of being a direct continuation of the Clutha line, while the other would leave Duneiin on a brauch. From Blueskin to Dunedin there are no engineering difficulties to speak of. The gradients are all easy. From Waikouaiti to Moeraki the country is much easier, an 1 the plans more definite, so tie line has been laid down with greater precision. Leaving the Government township of Hawksbury, near the middle of the lagoon, it rises on the slope to the east thereof, crosses the main road, and run? almost straight to the saddle, about 20 chains westward from the Bendigo Hotel. At this point the line tends eastwards, recrossing the main road, below Trigonometrical station 11, and regains the flat in section 39, block 4, Havrkalury district. It then ruus round the point of the spur into the Green Swamp an. I Pleasant Valley, striking the latter at the lower fellmongery. Pleasant Creek is crossed on Mr Hepburn's property, and for the remainder of the distance up the valley the Hue keeps to the east of the road, between the creek and the high ground. Opposite Mr Douglas' homestead it takes a sharp curve eastward, following up the water-course in sections 22 and 14, block 4, Hawksbury district, and enters Palmerston by the Manse Guliy and Rimbrake street. Leaving Palmerston, the railway runs due east for two miles, and crossing the Wailiemo about two miles below the main road, it ascends to a saddle in the Horse Ranges immediately below Puke Iritai, aud one and a quarter miles from Shag Point. The coatt is then followed to a lagoon in section 14 block 2, Moeraki d strict, where the line turns sharply inland aud runs down a gully to within two chaius of the main road at the Kar ligi school-house. Ft o n this point to its termination at tho june ion with the branch to Port Moeraki the railway keeps parallel with the North road. The total length of the line from Wnikouaiti to Moeraki is 22 miles, and M r Blair describes the country as remarkably ea3y for railway construction. Th"re are only two places where auy "grading" is requiredone gettiug out of Wiiikouaiti ; the other at the llor^e ranges s iddle, the height of the ranges to be ascended being 130 and 150 feet respi-ciively. The former can be run up and down with gradients of 1 in 60 or 70 ; but on the other side it will probably be necessary to have lin 50. The Waihemo and Pleasant Creek are the only streams of importance to be crossed ; and in both cases bridges will be made. At the former the brid»e will be 150 feet long ; at the other, 60 feet Mr Blair is unable to give an estimate of the cost of the railway between Dunedin and Waikouaiti, because of the peculiarities of the country ; but he has no hesitation in fixing the <;oit of construction between Waikouaiti and Moeraki at something under L 4.000 a mile.

Customs Revenue of New Zealand. — A return from the Secretary and Inspector of Customs has been laid before Parliament which summarizes the duties and revenue collected hy that department, as fol lows : —Spirits (imported) 445.643 gallons L2D7,856; New Zealand, 35,770 gallons, L 10,731 ; cigars and snuff, 45,548 lbs, LI 1,337 ; tobacco, 713,00i)1b5, L 59.125 ; do for sheepwash, 48,160 lbs, L 60 2; wine, 151,675 gallons, I 30,335 ; ale and beer, 225,428 gallons, L 13,591 ; tea, 2 088,400 lbs, L 52.210 ; coffee, cocoa, &c,, 470,320 lbs, L 52.210 ; ground coffee, 1,872 lbs, L 39;3 9; sugar and molasses, 19,5(30,240 lbs L 51 ,501 ; 464 stand of arras, LI 16 ; sporting powder, 9,680 lbs, L 242; Bhot, 746 cwt, L 373 ; measurement goods, L 105,633 ; goods not enumerated by weight, L 36.032 ; duties charged ad valorem, L 2 382 ; opium, 2,014 lbs L 2.01 4; ether duties not specified L 22.305 ; making a total of L 731,883. The other duties collected by the Custom's Department were rents bonded warehouse, duty, &&, which brings the revenue for the year up to L 840,730,