MILLAR'S REPORT

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 239, 29 August 1872, Page 5

MILLAR'S REPORT

ON THE WAIPAHEE-MOA FLAT RAILWAY.

(By Electric Telegraph.) Wellington, August 24. The following is the report of Millar, F-S.A., on the above railway, which has been laid on the table of the House of Eepresentatives : —

In pursuance of instructions from his Honor the Superintendent, I proceeded and examined the portion of the westerly extension of the Southern Trunk Railway, surveyed and reported upon by Mr. Brunton, where it passes through Clinton, trending towards Mataura. Having traversed the line through Popotunoa and "Waipab.ee districts, I adopted it as the base line, and established the junction nine miles from "West Clinton, or 84 milesfrom Dunedin. From this point the great central trunk line starts, taking a northern direction, and taking parallel portion Waipahee river, between point indicated and its confluence with the Pomahaka river. Passing the latter the banks afford favorable abutments for a railway bridge landing upon the north east side. Following windings by side cuttings in solid ground through the gorge between or across Tapanui .ranges and base of Conical hills, a level plateau is reached, stretching to the west side of the town of Tapanui, twelve miles distant from junction, and adjoining extensive forest of valuable timber, where are situated five steam power saw mills, at present fully employed and apparently will be for many years to come. From Tapanui the line continues through, a magnificent tract of 250,000 acres chiefly alluvial an unsurpassed in the excellence^of its soil and in fertility. The plain comprises Pomahaka Valley, Roberts Flat, the base of the Tapanui ranges, which gradually blend with the central plateau right up the Spylaw Creek, and is ready for immediate agricultural settlement upon a permanent and extensive scale, with no difficulties in the way of the construction of a railway. The Spylaw range is of inconsiderable altitude, and may be ascended by simple contouring, with moderate cutting. A township. might, with advantage for public convenience, be established where the" line crosses under the highway between Dunkeld and Swftzers. Ranges fine for settlement. Ascent from Moa Flat through leading valley, is of easy contour gradients, cutting through saddle of little mere than half a chain in width at apex The descent through the Benger distrirt

windings and correspondi^.'araneys, down the plains between^&enog* town ' upon the opposite side tralrdr2B nactua Jand Clutha, upon auriferous banks of the river at Ettrick, 36 miles from Waipakau Junction, pursuing comparatively level gradients along Clutba bank for seven miles to Boxburgh, from whence a line would be continued to Alexandra, distance to 22 miles, Alexandra being passed upon the west side. I lay down for choice alternative line through that township, at an increased cost. Railway bridge over the Clutha, forming communication 'with Clyde, distant four miles. Taking Southern Trunk Eailway and its western extension as base line, I find the distance from Tokomairiro to Ettrick via Lawrence, 55 miles, whereas from the same base line at Waipahee Junction to Ettrick is but 36 miles, saving 19 miles construction, In any case the western extension is required to communicate with Invercargill. Being of opinion, however, that Otago would be best served by the line being continued 13 miles further, with its terminus at Cromwell, I have traced the line in that direction upon the west bank of the Clutha, being preferable and economical. It presents features fitting for railway construction ; obviating the necessity for interferring with narrow expensive roadway, excavated out of the mountain side. Upon the opposite bank, or west side, the line would pass over river level to preserve the line being flooded by snow melting upon the upper ranges. The line by this plan would enter Cromwell byabridge over the Kawarau, thuß rendering unncessary a more expensive structure over the Clutha. The total mileage of line, 82 miles from Waipakapu Junction, or 166 miles from Dunedin. In addition to this, I recommend for future consideration the construction of three 24-inch gauge tramways ; first, north-easterly from Alexandra up the valley of Manuherikia, affording access to five mining townships, Ophir, Drybread, Blacks, Blackstone Hill, and St. Bathans ; second, northerly from Cromwell, embracing seven townships, Bendigo, Upper Ferry, Alberton, Cardrona, Pembroke, Newcastle, and Gladstone ; third, westerly from Cromwell, to eight townships, Kawarau Gorge, Nevis, Morven, Shotover, Skippers, Arrow, Frankton, and^Queenstown. These twenty towns and postal districts, together with seven towns upon the trunk line, and three from Spylaw Station — Horse Shoe Bend, Dunkeld, and Switzers — make altogether thirty towns and postal districts, this railway puts into almost direct communication with Clyde. I will state a few of the many advantages which would assuredly accrue to Otago were this line is constructed. Fit at, area of land tributary to railway returns within watershed, Tapanui ranges east, Umbrella Mountains west from the forty-sixth degree latitude, to northern boundary of the province, where the available country with water sheds spread out to sixty miles at widest part, comprising upwards of three million acres — onefourth of Otago — a considerable portion of which is adapted for colonisation and agricultural settlement — the most fertile of Otago, with equable climate. Second: The pastoral portions of the districts are of the finest character, which is amply proved by sheep census returns, last year numbering 801,000 sheep, although the runs are understocked. I have taken advantage of that fact, and supplemented an item, wool carriage, by estimating the produce in 1873. Third : Mining resources of locality — thirty townships and postal districts, as detailed" in " Gazette " returns for 1870; gold, 102,000 ounces; 1871, 101,000 ounces, value £390,000 — two-thirds of the production of the entire province. Fourth : The population of the district, from census returns, number 10,792 — one fourth the population of Otago, after including the fixed population centred in the city of Dunedin and suburbs, and the towns of Lawrence and Invercargill. A problem difficult in a new country to solve is the value of traffic, which in the usual course of events may be expected to increase when tributaries to new railway become settled down into working order ; an increase is sure to result from the substitution of a railway for ordinary roads. It will, however, be admitted that the expected receipts of proposed line, calculated from known statistics, are not over-estimated, and if submitted to the rigid scrutiny of experts, must be correct. My tabulated estimates of traffic simply represents the value of only such traffic framed upon reliable data, showing net proceeds over expenses, and leaves a large margin to cover all possible charges. At the present time, owing to the nature of the intervening country, carriage of goods up and down is scattered over many tracts, and goods are conveyed to their destination at vast loss to settlers. Cartage rates from Dunedin to Ettrick, via Lawrence, are £5 10s. per ton. It would pay a railway at one-fourth this amount. The construction of this line would remedy all this, seeing that the traffic of the " great central baain " of the province would thereby be conveyed to one point, that point being Waipakau, through Conical Hills Gorge — the only legitimate railway outlet for the western extension of the Southern Trunk Railway. The vast additional concentrated traffic which would be contributed to the latter

line would itself be sufficient to ensure its being a remunerative enterprise, rendering the "Great Central Trunk Railway," in conjunction with the Southern Line, the most important line of the Middle Island. — Millar, F.S.A. Traffic estimate between Waipakau and Ettrick : — Wool, 2163 tons, £1946 16s. 6d. ; sheep to market, 75,000, £2812 10s.; cattle, 30,000, £950 ; horses, £300 ; timber, 300,000 feet per week, £3900; lime and lignite from Teviot, 3000 tons per annum, £2700; merchandise, 11,000 tons, £9900; agricultural produce, 5200 tons, £4680; gold, 100,000 ounces per annum, £411 13a. 4d. ; police, £600 ; passengers, per day, 50 to and from, £9390; miscellaneous, £2400; total, £40,000. Dr.— Working expenses, £500 per mile, £20,000; to interest on construction capital, £5000 per mile, £180,000 at 5 per cent., £9000 ; surplus balance, £11,000. Millar, F.S.A., Consulting Railway Engineer, Dunedin.