Interesting Evidence Given Before the Provincial Council

Captain McLean, a partner in the firm of Dalgety, Buckley and Co., in giving evidence before the Committee of the Provincial Council regarding the proposed railway between Lyttelton and Christchurch, stated that he estimated the population of Canterbury at that time (1860) at about 12,000. If the Government spent £10,000 a year on immigration, the population would be doubled in 1866, when it was expected the railway would be opened. So far as he could judge, the tonnage carried between Lyttelton and Christchurch was about 15,000 tons a year. In his opinion, if the population were doubled, the tonnage would be doubled also.

With regard to the river steamers, he considered a paying charge was 25s. a ton from ship at Lyttelton to store in Christchurch. If the steamer had full occupation a less charge would pay, but those conditions were not then existing. A steamer fully employed would carry 80 tons a week, but could not make a trip daily; also, navigation was sometimes impeded by weather conditions for many days together. If guaranteed 30,000 tons, steamers might carry at a charge as low as 10s. or 15s. a ton, delivered; but, personally, as he saw no prospect of such a guarantee, he had not calculated this closely. The existing rate for cartage from Aikman's wharf to Christchurch was 5s. to 6s. a ton. Steamers now made a profit charging 25s. a ton direct from ship at Lyttelton. (This rates does not include wharfage and cartage at Lyttelton, which costs about 1s. 9d. a ton.) Sailing vessels charged about 5s. a ton less than steamers. He could not say whether the steamers paid dividends. He could not form any opinion as to the number of days per year that steamers could enter and leave the Heathcote River. The largest vessel that could work the river would be about 80 tons register, and might carry 100 tons. The practice of merchants is to use the quickest and safest means of transit if the same rate is charged. He would pay a higher rate by railway because of the saving of time. In his opinion a steamer could not compete with the railway with railage charges at 15s. a ton. A railway would improve the export of grain to Australia.