CHARLESTON
built under the direction of Mr. A. D. Dobson, as recorded in his Reminiscences.
It is to be noted that the Public Works Department was not established until after the close of the Parliamentary Session of 1870; the first Public Works Statement being presented to the House of Representatives on 27th September, 1871. It was not, however, until 6th December of that year, 1871, that the first Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. D. Ormond, was appointed, with Mr. J. Knowles as Under-Secretary, and Mr. J. Carruthers as Engineer-in-Chief.
In 1867 a proposal to establish a railway between Westport and Charleston received much consideration, and a Provisional Committee to further the object was set up, the Charleston members being Messrs. J. Creed and B. Colready. In May of that year, a prospectus was issued by Mr. H. E. Campbell in an endeavour to promote a Railway Company with a capital of £14,000 in 3,500 shares of £4 each. The estimated cost was £500 per mile. There were to be two locomotives, and 40lb. iron rails were to be laid. Commissioner Kynnersley also advertised, calling for applications from “persons desirous of constructing a railway or tramway from Westport to Addison’s Flat or Charleston,” and stating that plans of the surveyed line to Addison’s were on view at the Lands Office at Westport.
There was insufficient response to either the prospectus or the advertisement. On 11th June, 1867, Mr. Oswald Curtis, Superintendent, in a speech to the Provincial Council stated that a proposition had been made to him “to lay down this railway and, in consideration of certain privileges to be conceded by the Government and a grant of 1,000 acres of land, the proposal had received the reconsideration of Commissioner Kynnersley and was favourably entertained by the Executive Council.”
He explained that “at present Charleston receives the chief part of its supplies in duty-paid goods, from Canterbury; considerably to the loss of our provincial revenue; but the construction of a railway would probably bring the trade with Charleston to Westport, to the manifest advantage of this province.”
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