THE TUAPEKA V. THE WAIPAHEE-RAILWAY.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 246, 17 October 1872, Page 8

THE TUAPEKA V. THE WAIPA-HEE-RAILWAY.

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„ Las. £| week, j un^nr receipt: pjt.the .amendecf report by Mr r Millar. T\S.AI, upoh°tne " Otago Great Central Trunk Railway/ .we, promised at an early date ! to express an opinion regarding it. But we find that to some extent such a promise was inconsiderate and hasty. There is realiy, we think, but little to express an opinion upon, or to criticise, in the report. Now that, the Government are pledged to the. construction of the line to' Tuapeka, we presume there can be no occasion for the carrying out of Mr Millar's plan of railway from Waipabee, via Tapanui, to the Teviot : any line to the latter will in all likelihood s be simply an, extension or continuation of that to Lawrence. As regards the second and third sections of Mr Millar's report, — viz, upon a railway from the Teviot to Cromwell, and upon " branchlets " — first to St. Bathans, Naseby, &c, second from Cromwell to Laks Hawea and Wanaka, and third from Cromwell to Queenstown, — we are perfectly convinced of the feasibility of their construction, but of their payable nature when constructed, we have grave doubts. They are in advance of the age, and, fo far as we can see, are not likely to be undertaken for a very long time. Mr. Millar, itis evident, has notjtraversed the whole of the ground, nor visited the whole of the localities, of which his report treats. His geography is faulty. For instance, he speaks of the Nevis as one of the " townships to be embraced " by his " branchlet " from Cromwell to Queemtown. To anyone who knows the district, this is an absurdity. There are other mistakes of a like nature ; but perhaps such errors of fact are in Mr Millar's estimation of little moment in a report upon so gigantic a scheme as this.