600 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION J. 



large and representative assembly. The company in the first 

 stage of its existence had many difficulties to encounter. The 

 decision of the Home Government in matters of vital importance, 

 for the success of the enterprise, was withheld for a long time, 

 and in spite of the support and encouragement given by the local 

 Government, the position of the directors was a most trying one. 

 In January, 1857, Mr. Shields resigned and Mr. Mais temporai'ily 

 succeeded him. On March 12th the tender of Mr. Wallis for the 

 construction of four and a-half miles of lines from Haslem Creek 

 towards Redfern was accepted for £10,000, and all went well 

 until the discovery of gold in the Bathurst country, which 

 increased enormously the cost of labour and materials, embarrass- 

 ing the directors and threatening the contractor with ruin. On 

 June 30th Mr. Mais resigned, and Mr. Wallace succeeded him as 

 Engineer-in-Chief . Mr. Wallace recommended a double line from 

 Sydney to Parramatta. Mr. Wallis, the contractor, was released 

 from his contract, and Mr. Randle accepted one for works between 

 Cleveland Paddocks and Ashfield. The diflSculties of the labour 

 market resulted in the importation of five hundred railway 

 labourers from England. The financial difiiculties of the company 

 induced them to apply to the Government for a loan of £150,000 

 —two-fifths to be subscribed by capitalists and three-fifths from 

 the public money. The request was complied with, and it was 

 agreed that, in future, the directors should be partly elected by 

 the shareholders and partly nominated by Government. The 

 total cost of the line to Parramatta and the Darling Harbour 

 branch and station was £389,000. The capital of the company 

 was only £250,000, thus leaving a deficiency of £139,000 which 

 was provided for by means of another loan of £150,000 from the 

 Government and £100,000 more of subscribed capital. 



HUNTER RIVER RAILWAY COMPANY. 



While the Sydney company was struggling with the unpre- 

 cedented difiiculties of the times, a movement took place in 1853 

 for the construction of a line between Newcastle and Maitland, 

 and an Act was passed incorporating the company on the 10th 

 of October the same year. It was anticipated by the share- 

 holders that this undertaking would be very successful, as the 

 country around Maitland was productive and populous. The 

 agricultural, pastoral, and mineral wealth was also considerable, 

 and there was plenty of fine timber for railway purposes. Mr. 

 Wallace was appointed consulting engineer, and Mr. Gall resident 

 engineer. Arrangements were made for bringing over five 

 hundred labourers, and a tender for the construction of a line 

 from Honeysuckle Point to Hexham was accepted. The company 

 lasted a little more than a year, and only succeeded in making the 

 preliminary arrangements for carrying out the works. The con- 

 tinued advance in the price of labour convinced the shareholders 



