The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 6, Issue 1 (May 1, 1931)

History of the Canterbury Railways — (Continued.) — Building the Great South Line

History of the Canterbury Railways
(Continued.)
Building the Great South Line.

New Provincial Superintendent Elected.

On 6th February, 1863, Mr. W. S. Moorhouse resigned the office of Superintendent, and Mr. Samuel Bealey was elected as his successor.

At this time the date of termination of the financial year was altered from 30th September to 30th June. (The financial period which ended on 30th June, 1863, was, therefore, for nine months only).

The Provincial Council assembled on 15th July, 1863, when the Superintendent reported that the Province was in a prosperous condition. In addition to ordinary works on an increased scale, payments for the financial period (nine months ended 30th June) for the railway works, including the Ferrymead Branch and the main line from the Ferrymead junction to Christchurch, had been borne by the ordinary revenue. The Superintendent proposed that the bridging of the Rakaia River proceed at once, and that the expenditure of the loan of £500,000 authorised by the Canterbury Loan Ordinance, 1862, be allotted as follows:—Rakaia Bridge £50,000, Southern Railway £200,000, Northern Railway £200,000, leaving £50,000 for other works. He also proposed that a separate loan should be raised for harbour improvement works.

Harbour and Railway Interests.

A Commission, consisting of Messrs. W. B. Bray, T. Cass, W. J. W. Hamilton, R. Kerr, Henry Rose, J. D. Macpherson, G. Buckley, and J. E. Allen, had been appointed on 10th March, 1863, to advise as to the best means of improving the harbour at Lyttelton, and, particularly, as to bringing the shipping into direct contact with the railway. This Commission in submitting their report recommended that, before proceeding with the work, the advice of some eminent English authority be obtained regarding their proposals.

The Council agreed as to the necessity for constructing the Rakaia Bridge, but asked that the reports and estimates of engineers be laid before the Council preliminary to the voting of supplies. The Council also considered that £150,000 would be sufficient for the proposed Northern Railway, and that £100,000 of the loan should be devoted to harbour improvement. It was also recommended that, with a view to the purchase of private rights, a detailed survey of the land required should be made so as to avoid the extravagant demands for land taken. The Council had before it a return of the cost of the land for the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway.

Steady Progress of Canterbury.

As indicating the progress of Canterbury, the Census of December, 1861, shewed a population of 16,040 as compared with 5347 in January, 1856, and it was estimated that at 30th June, 1863, the population had increased to approximately 20,000.

The revenue for the year ended 30th September, 1862, was £237,896 (including land revenue £207,669, and Customs £17,365). The expenditure was £173,868 which included £46,972 paid on account of the Lyttelton to Christchurch Railway.

In view of the expansion of settlement, and the proposed increase of activity in the construction of Public Works, it was deemed necessary to reorganise the Public Works Department of the province. The chief feature of the scheme of reorganisation was to place the Department in charge of a member of the Executive who would be responsible for its administration, and who could take part in the dis- cussions in the Council, and give explanations as to the proposals. It was also arranged to subdivide the work of the Department into three principal branches viz.:—

Surveys under the control of the Chief Surveyor.

Roads, bridges, and telegraphs under the Provincial Engineer.

Buildings under the Provincial Architect, and that minor local works be handed over to local Boards, each with its own Road Surveyor.

In relinquishing charge of the Public Works Department which had been under his supervision since its inauguration in 1854, Mr. Edward Dobson stated that the programme of works which he, as Provincial Engineer had planned, had been now practically completed. Although they still required much work to bring them into thorough order, main roads had been constructed throughout the length of the Province and connecting with the adjoining Provinces of Otago and Nelson. The whole cost of the works constructed (exclusive of the Lyttelton and Christchurch Railway) was, in round figures, £283,000, all paid out of the revenue of the Province, the whole population of which, even at the date of the report (1st July, 1863) was little in excess of 20,000 souls.

Mr. Dobson retained the position of Resident Engineer for the Railway; and the English Agent (Mr. Selfe) was requested to select a suitable person to fill the position of Provincial Engineer. He engaged Mr. George Aickin, but on his arrival in the colony Mr. Aickin failed to comply with the requirement of the Provincial Government and his engagement was terminated. Mr. George Thornton, who had been assistant to Mr. Dobson, was appointed to act as Provincial Engineer and subsequently was confirmed in that position.

After the passing of the necessary legislation the Hon. John Hall was appointed the first Ministerial head of the Public Works Department, with the title of Secretary for Public Works. The appointment was dated 2nd May, 1864.

On 27th October, 1863, a Commission, consisting of Messrs. E. Dobson, Jas. Wylde, J. F. Roberts, T. Cass, E. Richardson, and E. G. Wright, was constituted to reconsider the lines of railway projected north and south, and the bridges over the large rivers in connection therewith. To this Commission were subsequently appointed, on 17th May, 1864, Messrs. John Hall and R. J. S. Harman, and on 17th June, 1864, Mr. W. T. Doyne.

The original commission made a preliminary report (dated 8th March, 1864) regarding the south line, stating that it had fixed the points of crossing the Rakaia and Waitangi (Waitaki) rivers, and the route of the line between Wash-dyke and Pareora (a difficult section), and recommended that a detailed survey of the whole line be made, and the private land required for the railway, be purchased. It was also recommended that the south branch of the Rangitata River be closed so as to confine the water to the one channel. The south branch was then of small dimensions.

The route of the north line was still under consideration.

Building the Rakaia Railway Bridge.

On 7th April, 1864, the Provincial Council was called together to consider the programme of Public Works, including the building of the Rakaia Bridge and the construction of Railways from Christchurch to Timaru and to the Kowai, and to authorise the purchase of the land required in this connection. Mr. W. T. Doyne, an engineer of experience and standing, had been engaged to report as to the bridge over the Rakaia. It was decided to proceed at once with the bridge, and the railway from Christchurch to the bridge, and that for these purposes a sum of £300,000 be raised under the Canterbury Loan Ordinance, 1862.

Although the financial arrangements had not been concluded, the first sod of the Great South Railway was turned by Mrs. Samuel Bealey, wife of the Superintendent, on 24th May, 1865, and a contract was arranged with Messrs. Holmes and Richardson for the construction of the line from Christchurch to the north bank of the Rakaia, 33 ½ miles for £210,000, payable, half in cash, a quarter in Provincial debentures, and a quarter in land at £2 per acre, the lands estimated at 5 per cent. depreciation of value. The work was divided into sections of approximately seven miles, and the Provincial Council retained the rights to suspend operations at the completion of each of these sections. For reasons hereafter explained, the work was temporarily suspended at the south bank of the Selwyn River.

(To be continued.)