MIDLAND RAILWAY. PROPOSED DEVIATION NEAR LAKE BRUNNER (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1890 Session I, D-08b

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1890. NEW ZEALAND.

MIDLAND RAILWAY. PROPOSED DEVIATION NEAR LAKE BRUNNER (CORRESPONDENCE RELATIVE TO).

Return to an Order of the House of Representatives, dated 25th June, 1890. Ordered, " That all papers and correspondence that have passed between the Midland Railway Company and the Government re deviation of the Midland Railway at Lake Brunner be laid before this House." —(Mr. Seddon.)

No. 1. The Engineer-in-Chief and General Manager, Midland Eailway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Dear Sir, — Christchurch, 4th December, 1890. I enclose plan of the Lake Brunner district which will be affected by the New Zealand Midland Eailway. Upon this the contract line is shown on the western side of the lake, and was surveyed by Messrs. Mollison and Dobson, connecting with Mr. Napier Bell's survey of the Arthur's Pass line at or about the point marked E on plan. I enclose a longitudinal section of this line from Stillwater Junction to point marked E. From this you will see that the line has to pass over a summit of 193ft. above the flats of Stony Creek, and 188ft. above water-level of Lake Brunner, rising with a ruling grade of 1 in 55 from west to east, and lin 50 from east to west. I need hardly point out that such a summit would be a constant source of expense in working this line; and, with the view of obtaining a deviation to obviato this, I have made a careful examination of the surrounding country, including the district to line east of Lake Brunner, with the result that, as far as I can see without careful survey, a deviation of the line can be obtained giving marked advantages. The deviation in question would start from a point at Stony Creek marked A upon the line as laid out; keep upon flat ground, crossing the Arnold Biver at point B, passing up the east bank of the river to the shores of Lake Brunner, which it would traverse for about three-quarters of a mile, cross the Crooked Biver at a point about two miles from the mouth, follow the course shown by dotted lines in red, joining the full red line near Lake Poerua, and connecting with contract line again at point marked E. An approximate longitudinal section of the proposed deviation is shown by a line dotted red upon the tracing of longitudinal section, giving a very favourable comparison with black line of contract section. The advantage of proposed deviation would be : First, to obviate the summit, which in practice means lifting and lowering the train-load 193ft. higher than necessary each journey, thus increasing cost of working and reducing speed of running. Doing away with this summit would be a permanent and important advantage in all future lines. Secondly, the line would be about three-quarters of a mile shorter, and would probably be less costly to construct. Thirdly, owing to the Arnold Eiver being about 12ft. to 20ft. deep, and flowing slowly (about half a mile per hour) for about three miles from its exit from the lake, it forms a natural harbour or storage-pond for timber in bulk, which can be conveyed to this point from all parts of the lake. The eastern bank, along which the deviation lino would pass, is by nature rendered favourable for permanent sawmill sites : this has an important bearing upon the early development of the timber trade of the district. Fourthly, the lands upon the east side of the lake are good in quality, and some settlements now exist which would rapidly increase upon the construction of the line to Lake Brunner. Under clause 4 of the contract, the company cannot deviate from plans of the line from Springfield to Brunnerton without the consent of the Governor; therefore, before incurring the cost of further survey, I beg to ask you, if, upon completing the survey of proposed deviation, the advantages named are shown to exist, the necessary consent will be given. Being anxious to proceed with the survey and construction of this line at once, I ask the favour of your early reply. I have, &c, Eobert Wilson, Engineer-in-Chief and General Manager. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. •

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No. 2. The Under-Secretary for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. (Telegram.) Public Works Office, Wellington, 14th December, 1889. Be your* letter of 4th instant on subject of deviation railway at Lake Brunner. Have been in correspondence with Minister on this subject for some days, but matter not yet decided. Will let you have reply as soon as possible. . C. Y. O'Connor. B. Wilson, Esq., Engineer-in-Chief, &c, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 3. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. Sir, - Public Works Office, Wellington, 26th February, 1890. - I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4th December last, on the subject of a proposed deviation from the surveyed line of the Midland Eailway near Lake Brunner, and inquiring whether—in the event of a detailed survey showing that the proposed deviation really possesses the advantages over the surveyed line which a preliminary examination of the ground seems to indicate—the Government will be prepared to recommend His Excellency the Governor to consent to the same, in terms of clause 4 of the company's contract of the 3rd of August, 1888. In reply thereto, and in reference to the several interviews which have taken place between yourself and the Hon. Mr. Eichardson and myself on the subject, I have now the honour to state that this matter has received the careful consideration of the Cabinet, with the result that it has been decided to have an examination made, by one of the principal Government Engineers, of the country which would be traversed by the proposed deviation, and a full report prepared on the relative advantages and disadvantages of the contract and deviation lines. On receipt of this report the question will again receive full consideration; but, as the Government is advised that it is doubtful whether the Governor has the power to consent to such extensive deviations as the one now proposed, the company should not be unprepared for the final decision of the matter having to be deferred until opportunity has occurred of laying the proposal before Parliament for consideration. I have, &c, T. Fergus, Minister for Public Works. E. Wilson, Esq., C.E., Engineer-in-Chief, &c, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 4. The Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works to the Grneral Manager, Midland Eailway Company. (Telegram.) Public Works Office, Wellington, 26th February, 1890. Mr. O'Connor, who is leaving Auckland to-morrow on his way to Wellington and West Coast to report on proposed deviation near Lake Brunner, wishes to know whether you think that it would be best for him to proceed to Coast via Christchurch or Nelson. Question probably depends on where he could meet you most conveniently. Kindly let me know soon, and I will wire Mr. O'Connor. H. J. H. Blow, Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. E. Wilson, Esq., Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 5. The General Manages, Midland Eailway Company, to the Assistant Under-Secretary for Public Works. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 27th February, 1890. Either way will do. If he goes via Nelson, Napier Bell will meet him and make arrangement, to whom please wire. If he goes via Christchurch, ask Napier Bell meet him with horses at Jackson's, from which point can see most of country. I will try meet Mr. O'Connor, but if impossible Napier Bell will act as substitute. H. J. H. Blow, Esq., Public Works, Wellington. Eobert Wilson.

No. 6. The General Manager, Midland Eailway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. (Telegram.) _. Christchurch, 29th March, 1890. Have you decided to consent deviation Lake Brunner? ' *CS»Bra. Hon. T. Fergus, Wellington. Eobert Wilson.

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No. 7. The Hpn. the Minister for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. (Telegram.) Wellington, 31st March, 1890. Midland" Eailway.—Proposed deviation at Lake Brunner. Cannot reply finally till decided upon by Cabinet. Will bring it up for consideration as soon as possible after return of Premier to Wellington. T. Fergus. E. Wilson, Esq., General Manager, &c, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 8. The General Manager, Midland Eailway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. (Telegram.) Christchurch, 10th April, 1890. Have not yet heard decision re Brunner deviation. Am anxious let contract as soon as possible. Hon. T. Fergus, Wellington. Eobert Wilson.

No. 9. The Under-Secretary for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. (Telegram.) Wellington, 16th April, 1890. Be proposed deviation at Lake Brunner. —Your telegram of 10th instant. It has been impossible to transmit this to Minister, as he has been beyond reach of communication. He is, however, expected here to-night or to-morrow. Will lay your telegram before him immediately on his arrival. The question has besn considered by Ministers several times, but, so far as I know, no definite decision arrived at as yet. C. Y. O'Connor. B. Wilson, Esq., General Manager, &c, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 10. The General Manager and Engineer-in-Chief, Midland Eailway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. (Telegram.) Greyinouth, Ist May, 1890. Lake Brunner deviation. —Plans furnished for six and a half miles; trial line cut about eight. Most satisfactory line obtained, so much superior to old line that I cannot advise directors to proceed with work towards Teremakau unless deviation granted. Trust to receive official consent soon, as I wish to let this new section without delay. Eobert Wilson, Engineer-in-Chief and General Manager. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington.

No. 11. The Hon. the Minister for Public Works to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. Sns,— Public Works Office, 20th May, 1890. Eeferring to my letter of the 26th February last, and to subsequent correspondence on the above-mentioned subject, I have the honour to state that, a full report having now been obtained, the question has again been carefully considered, but, in view of the fact that a doubt exists as to whether the Government has the power to sanction deviations of such an extensive character, even though such deviations might have special advantages over the line as originally surveyed, it would seem to be necessary that the matter should be submitted to Parliament. It is suggested, therefore, that your company should get a Bill prepared to authorise alteration of contract to extent required, which the Government will introduce, if approved by Ministers, after being revised and reported upon by the Law Officers. I have, &c, F " T. W. Hislop, (For the Minister for Public Works.) E. Wilson, Esq., C.E., Engineer-in-Chief, &c, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 12. The General Manager, Midland Eailway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. g IE _ Christchurch, 22nd May, 1890. I have the honour t<s acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 20th instant re the proposed deviation at Lake Brunner, and will have a Bill prepared. Before doing so, however, I should mention that the Hon. Mr. Fergus suggested that this matter should be dealt with at the same time as the question of a slight alteration in grades at the Nelson end, and the company's proposals re lease- of the Greymouth-Brunnerton and Grey-

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mouth-Hokitika lines. Kindly therefore inform me whether the Government wish these to be included in the same Bill, or, say, the Brunner-deviation and Nelson-grade questions in one Bill, and the .Greymouth-Brunner and Hokitika proposals in a separate one. It is important that the two former matters should not be delayed in consequence of the last. I have, &c, Eobert Wilson, General Manager, Midland Eailway Company (Limited). The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington.

No. 13. The Engineer-in-Chiep to the General Manager, Midland Eailway Company. Sir,— Public Works Office, Wellington, 10th June, 1890. I am directed by the Minister for Public Works to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 22nd ultimo relative to the Bill proposed to be submitted to Parliament, having for its object the sanctioning of the projected deviation ©f the Midland Eailway near Lake Brunner, and asking whether the Government would also wish to have provision made therein authorising alterations in the grades at the Nelson end of the line, as well as power to lease the Greymouth-Brunnerton and Greymouth-Hokitika Eailways to the company. In reply, I am to state that the Hon. Mr. Fergus thinks that the proposed Bill should deal only with the projected deviation of the line near Lake Brunner, as it is not considered that the negotiations in reference to either of the other proposals alluded to in your letter have progressed sufficiently far to warrant the preparation of Bills dealing with them at present. I have, &c., W. N. Blair, Engineer-in-Chief. E. Wilson, Esq., C.E., General Manager, Midland Eailway, Christchurch.

No. 14. The General Manager, Midland Eailway Company, to the Hon. the Minister for Public Works. Sir, — Christchurch, 12th June, 1890. I have the honour to enclose herewith a draft Bill authorising deviations from the original line of route which may be approved by His Excellency. In the absence of information as to the wishes of the Government upon the matter, it is drawn in a general way, which would seem to be the best, but which can be amended if necessary. I have, &c, H. Alan Scott, For General Manager, Midland Eailway Company (Limited). The Hon. the Minister for Public Works, Wellington. [Approximate Cost of Pap _■.—Preparation, £1; priutiug (1,300 copies), £_ ss.]

Authority: Geobge Didsbuby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB9o.

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SECTION OF THE GRADIENTS. STILLWATER TO THE TEREMAKAU.

PLAN TO ACCOMPANY D.-8B.