PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS IN THE PROVINCES OF AUCKLAND, NELSON, MARLBOROUGH, CANTERBURY, AND OTAGO.

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1870 Session I, D-30

D.—No. 30.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF RAILWAYS IN THE PROVINCES OF AUCKLAND, NELSON, MARLBOROUGH, CANTERBURY, AND OTAGO.

PRESENTED TO BOTH HOUSES OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY COMMAND OE HIS EXCELLENCY. WELLINGTON. 1870.

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No. 1. His Honor T. B. Gillies to the Hon. the Colonial Treasurer. Sir,— Wellington, 20th August, 1870. Referring to the statement made by you in the House concerning the willingness of Government to procure authority to proceed with some of the lines of railway about which adequate information is available, and especially concerning the willingness of the Government to ask authority for the construction of a line between Auckland and the Waikato, I have the honor to submit the following information relative to important works in the Province of Auckland : — First.—The railway from Auckland to Tuakau, on the Waikato River, with branch to Onehunga. This line has been surveyed, and plans &c. carefully prepared. An Act already exists for the construction of the line as far as Drury, and there are already between six and seven miles completed, with the exception of laying down the permanent way. At the last meeting of the Provincial Council a sum was voted for the completion of the plans between Drury and Tuakau, and to enable me to enter into contracts for the construction of the whole line by means analogous to those proposed by you. It was then intended only to complete from Newmarket (three miles from Auckland) to Tuakau, a distance (inclusive of the Onehunga branch) of about 37 miles, which being easy country could be well done for £3,500 per mile, using a 3 ft. 6 in. gauge. Herewith I hand you a detailed estimate by James Stewart, Esq., C.E., of the cost. I would propose, however, that the line should be completed to Auckland; but these three miles involving some heavy works, I think it would be well to take power to construct the whole (about 40 miles) at a cost not exceeding £4,000 per mile. I may state that the lands required for the line from Auckland to Onehunga have already been acquired, and a large portion of the remaining land has been granted by the proprietors free of cost, upon condition of the works being proceeded with without delay. I feel satisfied that this would be a highly remunerative line ; and if not taken up and proceeded with at once under your scheme, I would feel bound to proceed with it under the authority of the Provincial Council and of the Act already existing. Second. —A line from Eiverhead to Helensville, connecting tho Waitemata and Kaipara waters, a distance about 17 miles. This line, though not so immediately remunerative as the previous one, is even of greater importance for development of the resources of the country. At present the road is impassable for the winter between these two points, and all traffic has to be by sea round the North Cape. Two-thirds of the line has been surveyed, and a few days before coming to Wellington I went with the surveyor over the line, to satisfy myself of the character of it, and of the practicability of a very cheap line being made. Tho country is almost level —the only cost in forming the line would be a few bridges of no great width, and ditches to drain the swampy portions. So very favourable aro the conditions on this line that it has been estimated as being capable of being constructed for not more than £2,000 per mile. Of such urgent necessity is this line, that the Provincial Council at its last Session authorized me to contract for the construction, guaranteeing 6 per cent, interest; and I hope in the course of a very short time to be in a position to do so. At the same time I shall be glad if you will take the matter up under your general scheme, the Province finding the funds necessary for its construction. I am prepared to satisfy you that the Province has funds which it can and will set aside for that purpose, so that no liability will be incurred by the Colony. Should you prefer not to include this, I shall be prepared to proceed with it solely on the Provincial account. So soon as I return to Auckland I shall be happy to forward to you the plans, sections, specifications, and estimates for both of these works. I have, &c, The Honourable the Colonial Treasurer, Wellington. T. B. Gillies.

No. 2. His Honor O. Curtis to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, 6th September, 1870. I have the honor to state, for the information of the Government, that a preliminary survey of the proposed line of railway from Nelson to Westport and Cobden, 220 miles in length, was executed by Mr. Henry Wrigg, C.8., in the years 1867-68, and that plans of the whole line, upon a large scale, were at the same time prepared by that gentleman ; together with a full report upon the general character of the line and of the country through which it passes, which was published in the Nelson Provincial Gazette, No. 20, of the 23rd April, 1868. The line from the town of Nelson to the Wairoa River, forming the first 12 miles of the through line to Cobden, had been surveyed a year or two previously by Mr. Fitzgibbon, C.E., whose plans I have with me in Wellington. I have, &c, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Oswald Curtis.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE CONSTRUCTION OE RAILWAYS.

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PAPERS RELATIVE TO CONSTRUCTION OE RAILWAYS.

No. 3. His Honor A. P. Seymour to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, 6th September, 1870. In the matter of the Picton and Blenheim Railway Bill, I desire to point out to you that ever since the year 1861 the construction of a railway between the above towns has been considered highly desirable. That on two occasions the Legislature has passed Acts authorizing the construction of the same, and on one occasion has passed a Loan Act for raising the necessary funds. The effect of such a railway would be to give the larger and more settled part of the Province access to a good and safe and convenient harbour, inferior to none in New Zealand. The harbour of Port Underwood is unsuitable, as the only communication with it for the conveyance of goods is through small coasting vessels by way of the Wairau River, which has a bar entrance, and except in times of flood will only admit vessels drawing about five feet water. The proposed railway would carry our wool and flax and agricultural produce to the place of shipment; and, in addition, the line passes through a timbered country suitable for settlement, and this part supplies nearly all the timber, fencing, and firewood consumed in the central portion of the Province. There are now in the office of the Colonial Secretary full plans and sections of the proposed line, executed by one of the principal engineers of the Queensland railways. A similar' communication with Port Underwood, although the line is not so long, would cost far more money to make, from the great engineering difficulties presented on that route, and would not pass through any timbered country nor through a district suitable for settlement. I have no hesitation in saying that, if the Picton and Blenheim Railway^s carefully and economically constructed, the Province will be able, under the present financial proposals, to guarantee interest on the outlay without loss to its future revenues. I have, &c, A. P. Seymour, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent.

No. 4. His Honor W. Rolleston to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — Legislative Buildings, 18th August, 1870. The House of Representatives having now passed the Immigration and Public Works Bill, I beg leaveto place before you the grounds on which, in connection with other Representatives from the Province of Canterbury, I have on several occasions pressed upon your attention the claim which that Province appears to have for consideration in the apportionment of funds which may be raised, during he current year, under the proposals of the Government. The Bill in question provides that railways shall not be commenced under its authority until a further special authority is given by the General Assembly ; it being provided that, during the recess, surveys should be made and plans prepared, to afford full information to the Legislature on the nature and probable cost of any railway works which may be proposed to it. In the case, however, of certain railways in progress and in contemplation in the Province of Canterbury, I beg to point out that the required information already exists, and can be laid before the Assembly at once. I trust, therefore, that the Government will consider itself justified in recommending the General Assembly, in accordance with the terms of the Bill to which I have referred, to take the case into its immediate consideration. It is, I trust, unnecessary for me to point out how undesirable it is that the progress of works of this character, for which all the preliminaries are complete, and which, from their connections with existing railways, will prove immediately remunerative, should be postponed for another twelve months, when no good ground exists for tho delay. I beg leave to forward herewith a map of the Province, showing the railways already completed and those proposed to be constructed, together with plans and estimates of cost for that portion of the proposed lines with which it is desirable to proceed at once. I also annex a memorandum and other documents, furnishing full particulars with regard to those works. They are as follows : — (1.) The portion of the Great Northern Line of Railway between the Addington Station on the Southern Railway, and the Town of Rangiora, a distance of nearly 19 miles. (2.) The portion of the Great Southern Railway which lies between the present terminus of the line now in work and the River Rakaia, over which a bridge is now in course of construction. Tho length which I would suggest should be proceeded with is a distance of about 11 miles 10 chains. (3.) The portion of the Southern Trunk Line between Timaru and Temuka, commencing from the former place, —which is the port of a very considerable agricultural district, —-a distance of about 12 miles. The total estimated cost, as shown in the memorandum, will be as follows : — No. 1, say ... ... ... ... £92,500 0 0 No. 2, say ... ... ... ... 48,000 0 0 No. 3, say ... ... ... ... 60,000 0 0 £200,500 0 0 I hope the information contained in these plans and papers will be deemed sufficiently ample to enable the Government to submit to the Assembly, during its present Session, proposals for proceeding with the works enumerated to the extent above indicated. If however you should require further information, it will give me much pleasure to supply the same.

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In conclusion, it may bo desirable that I should state for your information that the Provincial Government has made arrangements by which, in addition to a ship which recently arrived, and another which sailed on 29th May, four ships with immigrants have left or will leave London between the months of July and November for Canterbury ; and accordingly the undertaking of these works is not likely to interfere prejudicially with the ordinary industrial occupations of the country. I have, &c, William Rolleston, Superintendent of Canterbury.

No. 5. His Honor J. Macandrew to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir,— Wellington, sth September, 1870. Referring to my personal interview with you respecting the construction of the Southern Trunk Railway, I have now to state formally, that this line has been accurately surveyed and laid down at a very considerable cost, by the late Mr. Paterson, Railway Engineer, who was sent out from England for the express purpose. I may say, that the Provincial Government of Otago has obtained the sanction of the Colonial Legislature, to construct the line in question as provided in " The Otago Southern Trunk Railway Act, 1866," and " The Otago Southern Trunk Railway Act, 1867 ;" and further, that all tho plans, sections, specifications, and estimates have been approved of by the General Assembly, and are now in the Private Bill Office. I have, &c, J. Macandrew, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Superintendent of Otago.