bered that in 1860 a tunnel one mile and three-quarters in length was almost a world’s record. (The Mont Cenis Tunnel had been started tin 1857, but was not finished till some years later.) There was also the uncertainty of what might be met with in cutting through the wall of an ancient crater of large dimensions. Mr. FitzGerald’s opposition has already been noted, and Mr. Godley, in a private letter, published in the newspapers, counselled caution. Nor did the passage of the two Bills end the matter. They had to be reserved for the Governor’s assent, and this was later refused on the ground that the Provincial Council was trenching on the privileges of the General Assembly. On the Governor’s refusal becoming known, the Superintendent called the Provincial Council together, and carried a resolution asking the General Assembly to authorise the Railway and loan, This time authority was sought to borrow £300,000 instead of £70,000. A public meeting was called at the Town Hall by Mr. T. W. Maude, as Sheriff, and, in spite of the opposition of Mr. Joseph Brittan, it endorsed the railway policy of the Government. Fortified by this support, the Superintendent went to Auckland, where Parliament was sitting, and returned in triumph with authority enabling the Provincial Council to pass the Loan Bill for £300,000, which it did in July, 1860.
Meanwhile, in January, 1860, Mr. Baynes had arrived in Lyttelton and started work at the Lyttelton end of the Tunnel. The start at the Heathcote end was deferred for some months, waiting for plant to arrive from England. But now a fresh difficulty arose. Mr. Baynes had been in Auckland assisting the Superintendent in the passage of the Bills, but soon after his return he threw up the contract on account of meeting some very hard stone, and in November. 1860, it was finally can celled.
Mr. Julius Haast (afterwards Sir Julius von Haast) arrived at Lyttelton about the same time from Nelson,
