THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume V, Issue 279, 24 February 1874, Page 2

THAMES VALLEY RAILWAY.

IiEPOJIT OJ"rUBTHA\IK!j VALLIcy ltviL^AYSoiJ COMWITTIE, AS ArjOPTKD BY THB GbNBKAI, COMMITTBE AT A MEETING HfeUD IN GRAHAYMTOWtf, Off THE 16TH FeBBUABT. 1874 " Gantlgmen, — Your 9iib-comnoitt.ee have the honor to submit for your approval tho following report re the Thanns "Wley Railway :—lt: — It appears to your' committee the advantages to be derived' from the execution -of this desirable work art 1 10 apparent ai not to require a lengthened statement in order to impress upon the Hon the Premier andthe Hon the Minister for Public Works the a Msability of placing it upon the cchedu'ie of works in the tiexi enduing session of Parliament. The undertaking may be viowed from many standpoints, but all are alike favourable. Your committee dcoiic* primarily to impress- upon the Government its political and social results, xhc country is committed to very large measures un-ier the Public Works and Immigration Act, and in order to cam these out agreeably to the yiewt of the Hon the Premier it is absolutely necewary that railways should bo projected through such ternary as would' afford to immigrants a good climate and a fertile soil. The hue which now occupies the attention: of the committee is universally acknowledged to offer, in a very high degree, these essentials to tho present ami future prosperity of this country, and the civilisation of its native population. It will promote the settleme-it of the land, and in&M^se the rovenue of the Government, besides establishing extraordinary facilities for profitably utilising the mineral resources which are known to abound in the district through ■■which the line will run. It is also one which can be constructed at lest cost' than perhaps any other on the schedule, from the singular absence of all engineering difficulties. Vi3wed as a reprod active work, its prospects are more encouraging and certain than many of the accredited lines in the North Island, and would compare favorably with many in the South. It would have the advantage of supplying ,the daily wants of a large central population, besides a heavy guaranteed transit of coals from the Waikato mines. It would equally meet the wishes and subserve the interests of the settlers hv the Waikato and the inhabitants of the Thames Goldfields, by affording to (he former a market for their produce, and to the latter m\ abundant supply of agricultural and dairy produce, besides openihg up and fanililating communication between the Thames n\v\ the East Coast. It, should also be prominently noticed that during the past eighteen months a l»rge and still increasing exodu» of steilmg settlers has taken place from the Thames district — not alone from the class of labour, but unfortunately from those who, having acquired a competence from the goldfiolds, have left to settle in those , colonies which offer abundance of good land at a moderate prise, railway and other direct communication, with many other inducements for settling, none of which the Government iv tULs district, aye en&btad to offer." The Committee have annexed the following table of Statistics iv support of the foregoiag report : — European Popblaiion. (According to the census of 1871.) . Thames Electoral District 11,950 Waikato „ 3,274 East Coast „ ... 1,853 Total European population 17,077 Estimated native population who might be expected to use this line, say. 5,000 Giving a total of 22,077 Note.— Taking the districts as a whole, it may be expected that at the next census a eouuiderable increase in the population will be shown, although at the Thames there has been a slight decrease IjAI. D. The area fit lor settlemenc in the thiee electoral ihsuricts named ftbova, is estimated At several tuilhous of acres. The following figures show the extent of holdings at the lust census, but since that time they have been enormously increased.

The land under crop Was 40,298 acres, of this only 1,562 acres being within the Thames electoral district. The following figures show the actual consumption of coals, food, etc., by the people of the Thames townships only, all of which imports are carried by sea :—: — ('oal. — The annual consumption of coal at Tons, the Tha.nies.it the present time is about 19,200 Beef and Aluttoii.— The consumption of live stock from returns obtained is mow, per anuum ... 1.500 Breadstuff*, per amwm 2, 7 '¥] Potatoes, per annum 3,250 Corn, etc., for horse feed, per aunuuv ... 1,440 Hay, for }iorse feed, pc/ aim urn 1,080 Bnttor, fra*h aud salt, per lunum ... . 120 Cheese, per annum ]5

27,542 Exclusive ,t>f eggs, poultry, vegetables, eke, all of which might be expected to pass over the railway, in addition to a large amount of passenger' traffic; to this may also, be added a heavy amount of timber ami flax that would, be carried over this line. Ifote. — The Government mia;ht reasonably expect to have a traffic double that shown by the above figures when the line is opened throughout,, as there would be * large amount of le'mrn traffic. To show the importance of the Thames may be mentioned the following facts : — Number of batteries at the Thames .38 Number of stamper* 807 Number of pumping machines 10 Number of tailing plants .. t> Nnmber of saw-mi H e... ... ... .. 4 Number of gasworks . 1 Steam engines at the Thames are equal to 1,500 nominal horse power. The average amount of gold and silver produced since the opening, of tue goidrield is as follows :—

Say for six yeans ami three mouths (Simdaje excluded), an average of £1,560 13s per day.

*ol<l ... lilvu853,688 215,584 Value Value 2,95f1,876 61,228 Total ... 3,051,104

freehold rhames .., 38,004 IVaikato ... 178,!7O East Coast ... 27,820 d. Leasehold 29,749 102,733 183,240 1. Leasehold Pasturage. 1,562 27.2D5 11,531 Total. 75,763 284,053 2J5.157 Total acreage ... 614.973