CAMBRIDGE BRANCH RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume XIV, Issue 1200, 6 March 1880, Page 2

CAMBRIDGE BRANCH RAILWAY.

MEETING OF COMMITTEE. A meeting of the committee appointed to carry out the preliminaries in regard to the proposed railway, was held at the Fanners' Club, Cambridge, on Wednesday, to receive Mr Chvynneth's report •' There were present: Messrs. Eobert Fergusson (chairman), W. A. Graham, W. L. Martyn, E. Maclean, F. Hicks, J. A. Douglas, JR. Kirkwood, James Hally, Jn. Runciman, Thomas Wells, and J. P. Campbell (Hon. Sec). Mr F. A. Whitaker was also present. The minutes of the meeting having been read and confirmed, The Hon. Secretary read the following leport from Mr Gwynneth, which, together with the complete plans and sections, had been laid on the table : — Cambridge, 3rd March, 1880. To the Chairman and Members of the Cambridge Railway Committee. Gentlemen,— l have the honor to report that I have completed my survey of the proposed line of railway from Cambridge to Rukuhia station on the Kaipara Puniu railway, and furnish herewith plans and sections of the same drawn in accordance with the District Railways Act. As instructed, I have not dealt with the question of a station for Cambridge, leaving that to be dealt with by the inhabitants themselves, I may however state that the railway can be taken to any part of the town from my starting point. The line commences at the end of the Hamilton Road (near the lake), on the main Taupiri or 2-Chain Road, better known as the Tramway Road, and runs along the east side of that road for about 7^ miles to the Narrows Bridge Road, then along the west side ot that road (generally) to the Waikato River. A small portion of land will be required trom J. A. Douglass, Esq., at 5 miles 70 chains to ease a curve there, and another small piece at the N.W. corner of section 64, Tamahere District, to ease the curve into the Narrows Bridge Rocd. The line leaves the Narrows Bridge Road at 8 miles, for about 25 chains, passing through sections 60 and 61 of Tamahere and back into the road again, continuing along the west side of that road to about 9 miles 14 chains, then passing into the property of Messrs Graham Brothers, and through a reserve to the Waikato River, crossing that river near the site of the present bridge, thence through sections 131, 130 and 129, the property ot Messrs Hunt j Brothers, thence through sections 127, 121, 120, 119 and 116, the property of Messrs Bell Brothers, crossing two district unmade roads into and through a portion of section 152, the property of Mr J. Atkinson, thence into and through a por- I tion of section 153, the property of Mr Gnbblc, j thence through a portion of section 150, the prop- ' ertyofMr J. Atkinson, crossing the Ohaupo Road into and through portions of sections 159, 158 and 366, or the Rukutiia Swamp, the properties ot the Hon. Tames Williamson, to the Kaipara Puniu Railway at Rukuhia. Station, near th* 1 89J mile post. The line is nearly level throughout, except at the crossings of the Mangaone Creek and the Waikato River, the steepest grade on the whole line occurs at Mangaone Creek, this is 1 in. 52.13, but may be reduced .t little by making a slight cutting at the crossing of the Hamilton Road. The following are thu lengths of the different grades, i.e. j

These arc remarkably easy gradients and the line throughout ran bo very cheaply constructed, the only engineering difficulties worth mentioning being the bridges at the Mangaone Creek or Crawfords Gully, and the Waikato River, but these are not serious and can be overcome at a comparath ely low cost. I have made an estimate of the cost and find that the whole line can be made, including bridges, culverts, swamp openings, draining, ditching, iaseining, forming, engineering supervisiion, complete ready to receive the ballast for thirteen thousand six hundred pounds sterling. And the ballasting, rail laying, sleepers, points and crossings, stations, 2 engines, 6 waggons, 3 carriages, 2 luggage vans, ten c attic waggons, for the further sum of fifteen thousand pounds sterling, or the whole line thirteen and three quarter miles long, complete for twenty-eight thousand six hundred pounds, plus contractor's profits, .of, s.iy ten per cent, two thousand eight hundred and sixty pounds, making a grand total cobt of thirtyone thousand tour hundred and sixty pounds, or an average of per mile, complete and ready for work ; this is a very low rate ot cost per mile, the average cost of the Government lines throughout the colony, is something over per mile. As a guarantee, however, of the correctness of my estimate, I am prepared to undertake the works as specified for the sums stated above, and to give ample security for its due completion for those sums. Mr Ashwell has supplied me with a summary of the returns obtained by him of the traffic between Hamilton and Cambridge, during the year 1870, from these it appears that the up traffic amounted to £4829 4s, and the down traffic to £826 ss, making a total of £5657 gs ; this traffic reduced to present railway rates would amount to the sum of £2720 6s 2d, being a difference 111 favor of the public of £2937 2s lod, or more than one half less than the present rates, this saving would give 9^ per cent, on the cost of the railway. Hut it may, I think, be fairly inferred that the formation ot the railway would double the traffic in twelve months, and that it would go on steadily increasing as the country progresses. I have also estimated the cost of working the line, tor double the (above) stated traffic, which amounts to £2300 per annum, worked as economically as possible, with a view to the public safety, this would leave a balance in favor ot the railway on present traffic of only £420 6s 2d. Rut should the traffic be doubled, as it ought to be, in twelve months, then there would be a profit of three thousand one hundred forty pounds, twelve shillings, fourpence, after paying the working expenses, which would be equal to ten per cent, on the cost of the railway completed. Awaiting your further commands, I have the honor to be, Gentlemen — Your most obedient servant, John Gwyvnlih, C.E. Mr Campbell also read a letter from Mr Gwynneth, pointing out that the work of surveying and levelling had been of a I much more difficult nature than he had anticipated, and asking for additional remuneration. He enclosed his account, amounting to £215. After* a little discussion, it was resolved to call in all the promised subscriptions in full, the balance, if any remaining, to be distributed among the subscribers pro ratu. An account from Mr Ashwell, for collecting statistics, &c, in connection with the traffic of the proposed railway, was received and laid on the table. The Chairman asked what Sstepa the committee now proposed to take. He did not suppose they were merely going to lay the report and plans aside. A considerable discussion then arose regarding the course proper to be fol- J lowed, some of the members avowing J that it now remained for them to lay the matter before a general meeting of the public, by whom the committee had been appointed, several, however, dissented from this view, and urged that they should not meet the public until they were 'in a position to supply them with full information concerning the intentions of the Government. Mr W A Graham remarked, that the present line had been decided on owing to refusal of the Government to construct that known as " Breakell's line," connecting with the Thames-Waikato railway, now in course of construction. Mr Maclean said he understood that the Government had since changed their mind. Ultimately, it was resolved that a subcommittee of the following gentlemen wait on the Minister of Public Works, ' during his approaching visit, for the piu--pose of obtaining the final decision of the Ministry, to report at a public meeting to be called thereafter : — Messrs. Robert Fergusson, J. P. Campbell, T. Wells, W. A. Graham, and the Members for the district, Messrs. Whyte and VVTritaker. This was all the business of importance, and the committee shortly afterwards adjourned.

"You made a fool of me," said an irritated man to his wife, "and that's the i way you got me to marry you." — "My i love, " sweetly responded the wife, > "you do yourself an injustice. Call yourself a fool if you please, but remember that you are in all respects a self-made man,"

Mis. Chs. Level ... ... . 2 13 Grades \ar> ing from iin 2000 to lc\el 0 36 „ „ „ 1 „ 1000 to lin 2000 o 54 „ „ „ 1 „ 500 „ l „ 1000 4 12 » » » 1 » 200 „1 „ 500 4 35 „ „ „ 1 „ 100 „1 „ 200 o 20 „ „ „ i „ 52 „i „ 100 1 48 Total miles 13 58