80

its length as compared with the alternate line by
Spooner's Range, upon which, in all probability, the
most severe gradient would be 1 in 55.

17. The alternate line by Spooner's Range would
    be more costly, mile per mile, than the longer line
    by the Big Bush; but I am not prepared to say what
    this extra cost per mile would be; for though several
    attempts have been made to arrive at this point, by
    ascending the Rivers Motupiko, Hope, and Owen, in
    order to examine the district, the weather was
    always unfavourable to my having that clear and
    well-defined view of the country that I desired. The
    extra cost per mile of the alternate line would not,
    however, form a heavy addition to the gross cost of
    it; and the advantage of the alternate line would be
    confined to the reduction of working expenses.

18. If the line is carried by the Big Bush, the
    distance from Nelson to Cobden would be about
    180 miles.

19. And if carried by Spooner's Range, the dis-
    tance would be about 172 miles.

20. So far as earthworks are concerned, on the
    longest route by the Big Bush and Lake Rotoiti,
    until you arrive at the Devil's Grip on the River
    Buller, a distance of sixty-one miles from Nelson,
    they are very light; there are only two small sad-
    dles to deal with, both being very narrow, and they
    may be approached and passed through with ease,
    securing gradients of about 1 in 60, by short cut-
    tings of about forty feet deep.

21. All the earthworks on the Buller, below the
    Devil's Grip, will be more costly than any other
    portions of the line, and this cost will increase as
    you descend the river, being the greatest on the
    branch to Westport.

22. The Buller River, from the Devil's Grip
    down to near Westport, is generally bold
    banks rising abruptly from the water's edge, in
    some places nearly perpendicular, and in other, and
    more numerous places, falling back to slopes ranging
    from one to one, to three to one.

23. Granite rock appears in many places.

24. There are numerous lengths of the river banks
    flat.

25. On the whole length of line gravel of the
    finest quality for ballasting abounds, so that the
    cost of providing ballast will be moderate.

26. All the cuttings necessary, with a few excep-
    tions, will be side-cuttings, so that no long leads are
    necessary, as most of the material excavated can,
    when desired, be disposed of by the shovel only.

27. Timber for sleepers and bridge purposes can
    be had all along the line, excepting from Nelson to
    Fox-hill, a distance of about twenty-two miles.

28. From the Devil's Grip to the River Newton,
    there are some special works necessary to secure
    good curves on the line of railway, by regulating
    and controlling the wide bends of the river bed,
    where its course is in various channels, only used
    when in flood. The cost of these works would be
    about £10,000.

29. There are numerous important bridges to be
    provided, some of which are costly; for instance,
    over the Rivers Wairoa, Wai-iti, Hope, Owen, Ma-
    tiri, Newton, Buller, Inangahua, and Grey. These
    are all large rivers, subject to heavy floods.

30. From the observations I made in the early
    part of this report regarding the height and velocity
    of the floods to which these rivers are subjected, it
    is necessary that, when practical, the water-way of
    these bridges should be in one span; for it is not at
    all desirable for any bridge structure over such
    rivers to have supports in the water-way; but there
    are four cases where this is not practical with
    timber as the material.

31. With the material that can be procured along
    the line, there is no difficulty in constructing timber
    bridges with clear water-ways of 200 feet, to carry
    a single line of rails, at from £16 to £20 a foot
    lineal, according to the width of gauge. Exact esti-
    mates of the cost of these bridges cannot be given
    in the absence of detailed drawings, but the prices I
    have named in the estimate attached will be ample
    to construct substantial bridges to carry a single line
    of rails.

32. While on the question of these large bridges, I
    would draw your Honour's attention to the ease
    with which they could be constructed to accommo-
    date both railway and ordinary road traffic. It
    would, in my opinion, be a desirable stipulation to
    make with any company undertaking the construc-
    tion of the line, that this public convenience should
    be secured, which could be done at a very small ad-
    ditional cost, and without one traffic interfering with
    or endangering the safety of the other.

33. Upon the whole length of this route there is
    only one tunnel apparently necessary. This is on
    the south bank of the Buller, about one mile below
    the junction of the Lyell with the Buller.

34. I am not sure but that a detailed survey
    would show that even this solitary tunnel could be
    dispensed with; for its construction is only neces-
    sary in order to shorten the distance of the line
    about three miles. The length of the tunnel would
    be about 600 yards.

35. Some extensions, and a well-drained and
    metalled horse-track, extending from Jacklin's store
    to the Saddle, has lately been finished by Mr.
    O'Connor, which enables me to form some opinion
    of what material this tunnel will consist. It will
    have to be carried through, rock which is granitic;
    and water will, I think, be found very troublesome
    for the tunnel, in preference to the shorter line
    having a tunnel. I shall, however, in my estimates
    provide for the tunnel being constructed.

36. When the proposed route leaves the valley of
    the Buller, it ascends the broad and comparatively
    level valley of the River Inangahua, where the works
    may be said to be very light, and no real difficulties
    present themselves; for though there is a high sad-
    dle dividing the watersheds of the Inangahua and
    Little Grey Rivers, the conformation of the dividing
    range is such as to allow the ascent to the saddle to
    be attained with a gradient of about 1 in 60, and the
    saddle, which is remarkably narrow, may be passed
    with a cutting of about 45 or 50 feet.

37. From this point the descent by the valley of
    the Little Grey River is easy, and the earth-works are
    very light. I should observe that it is preferable to
    keep the line on the right bank of the Inangahua as
    you ascend, and the right bank of the Little Grey as
    you descend, as affording easier gradients and the
    least expensive line.

38. For similar reasons, from the junction of the
    Little Grey with the main or Big Grey, I propose
    bridging the Big Grey at this point, keeping the
    south-west bank of the river until the River Arnold
    is reached. This part of the line passes through a
    level district, and opens a large extent of rich flat
    land.