THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY CONTRACT.

Inangahua Times, Volume X, Issue 1569, 3 July 1885, Page 2

THE EAST AND WEST COAST RAILWAY CONTRACT.

The contract entered into between i Her Majesty the Queen and the con ! tractors for the East and West Coast railway has been laid on the table The contract is signed by Sir Wna. Jervois on behalf of the Queen, and J. Ghrystal, John Tucker Ford, John T. Watson. T. S. Weston, George Hart, J. H. Cock, Charles Y. Fell, H D! Jackson, Albert Pitt, and James SclanoVrs, and is dated the 17th January, 1885. The premises set forth are that the contractors are desirous of constructing and maintaining a line to counect the East and West Coast of the Middle Island from Springfield, Canterbury, to Brunnerton, Westiand, so as to connect at Springfield with the Government railway already constructed, connecting Bi'unnerto'u with the town of Greymonth ; and also a farther line of railway from Brunnerton to or near Belgrove, Nelson, so as to connect there with the Government railway already constructed and leading thence to the city of Nelson, and connecting the same with the first before mentioned line of railway, and which two several lines are intended to be conatrncted simultaneously. It is set forth that the route of the railway is to be by way of Arthur's Pass to Brupnerton, and the said railway is intended to be constructed as nearly as may be; by -that ronte. The following terms and conditions are sef forth, and, deprived of legal peculiarities of language and reduced to plain Saxon, are:— (l.) The whole length of the line is to be constructed and in working order before ten years; (2.) That everything in connection with the works shall be approved of by the Government engineers appointed for the purpose; (3.) That all plant and rolling stock shall he equal in quality to that used on the Government railways; (4.) The contractors to deposit within twelve months from the date of the oontract, the sum of | £5000 as a deposit, to t* held ss security for the due performance of the contract according to the conditions, and to be returned with interest accruing if the conditions are satisfactorily performed, but to be forfeited if not so performed; (6.) £150,000 to be expended on the work hy the contractors within two years ; (h.) Tli'> Government may ordcm pairs, aM?M >ns. or alterations to be maile on t"' ■■ v:nr)i9 if ;i<lvifled that tht\V are n •■: .-su v ; tf,) Upon completion t>* ,'i'= ' »nf'-i''t, t!ie «v>nfrrtctorß to run * cJ}m'T'. h.i»p fpcli way : {S ) l'» fSouiraeUw a way, uoi aeai^u ilie oontaii'l

wi tbout tbe consent of the Dover >..,•• (9.) The land required for the to be placed ia the possession contractors as Boon as the surveyed and marked oat; (1 soon as convenient after the c.v of the contract the lands » . reserved from sale and set apan rgranted to the contractor >„• ; purpose of such selection? estimated total cost of const the railway is £2,500,000, tb length being estimated at 285 i which £1 ,600,000 is the estima of that part of the said railwi Springfield to Brnnnerton, and '■'< ■':■ » 000 estimated cost of that part >, -i railway from Branneiion to Be . : provided that no Lund isgraot^l \ I the contractor or contractors at h less v* ue than 10s per acre, all h'.o<k* of land so granted to have a fro>iii^ to the railway of not less than om fifteenth of tbe depth of socb Mock : as soon as a section of the line is tit for opening for traffic, the contractors t. > he at liberty to select tbe land ; all by laws, regulations, Ac., for working the railway to he subject to the approval of tbe Government ; if the contractors shall not finish ihe railway within this period, it is provided that the Governor in Council may, if satisfied that the delay has not been occasioned l>y wilful default or neglect jrf the contractors, extend the said periods or either of them for such time as he shall deem reasonable. The power of purchase may be exercised within tnn years lrom the completion of the railway ; if the deposit of 45000 is not made as provided tbe contract nwy be rescinded ; in case any provision of the contract as to the allocation of land 1 shall be modified either wholly oi in part by resolution of the General Assembly in the ensuing session, the contractors shall not have any dsVin or demand upon or against the Queeu or Government of tbe colony for any loss or damage by reason of such modification or in consequence of the opera tion of any such resolution, and any such resolution, and any property estate, right, or interest that may have been acquired by the contractors shall, to tbe extent and in the manner specified in any such resolution, -c deemed to have again become the property of the Qneeu, or to re-v*st in tbe Queen as tbe case owy require.