NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY.

OPENING THE AHUROA SECTION

The six miles extension of railway; line from Tahekevoa to Ahuroa, the opening of which yesterday was commemorated by the running of an excursion train up from Auckland, passes through an interesting piece of country. The line follows the course of the wind, ing Makarau creek, and is consequently of a very crooked and novel description. The creek runs in a narrow ravine at the foot of a majestic bill, which is covered from summit to base with heavy, bush. Here and there magnificent pungas and nikaus protrude into the light, and many ferns rare to Aucklanders are to be observed from the carriage windows. The principal timber is white pine, but kauri is occasionally, visible, and Mr Burns, an old resident of Ahuroa, has left an isolated clump of kauri standing close to the railway line. Where the valley broadens out along the railway side the bush has been felled and burned, and the land surface sown with grass, and stocked with sheep, which graze among the stumps. Agriculture is but little engaged in. The soil along most of the. Kaipara line is tenacious and expensive' to work, but it is claimed by the North Aiickland Railway League that the best of the land is only now being entered upon. Until Kaipara was reached the line for a great distance has been passing through an unproductive country, and as the progress of the line through this class of land has been incredibly slow a great waste of money has been, going on through the delay in pushing the line to a paying centre. The line has now reached the border of the Kaipara Flats district, and is within a few miles oE Port Albert settlers. One result of tha opening of the line yesterday was tha sale by an Ahuroa lady settler of a truck load of fat sheep, which were sent by return train by the purchaser to Auckland.

The number of visitors who travelled to Ahuroa to take part in the opening celebration was greater than had been anticipated by the most sanguine of the Ahuroa League members. The rumours of a shortness of food at Ahuroa had evidently not deterred the excursionists, and any suspense that might have been felt on this account were quickly, dispelled when the train entered the station by glimpses of a - dinner table seen through the doors of the statiott shed. Later on, by arranging for a series of sittings, the whole party of some 300 or 400 were amply fed. A streamer bearing the word "Welcome" was hung across the station, and as the train' passed beneath this it cut some ribbons of red, white and blue, which were held across its path in time-Lori-owed fashion by Mrs A. Woodcock, junr., and Miss C. Woodcock. The excursionists on leaving the platform were "taken"' by a "Graphic" photographer, and then hunger attracted them to the dinner shed. Here they were welcomed by Mr Skelton on behalf of the Ahuroa branch of the North Auckland Railway League, who emphasised the importance to the settlers of the extension of the railway, and expressed the hope that its further extension would be rapidly, promoted.

Mr R. R. Hunt, secretary of the Auckland centre of the League, said it was the duty of all who were interested in the JSTorth to push on the construction of this line, because it was admitted to be essential to their prosperity. To do this, however, they must have money, and he advised the settlers themselves to contribute more largely than they had done in the past to the working funds of the League. He pointed out that the people of Auckland city were liberally supporting the League,. having subscribed £ 139 last year. The citizens looked upon the welfare of the Northern settlements as most important to the city, and whether the settlers themselves helped or not the League meant to continue the work. The League, however, considered that the settlers themselves should agitate more than they did. Mr Hunt pointed out that £100,000 was voted to the Otago Central railway, where the land was fit for nothing but feeding rabbits. But for the 'North Auckland railway, which affected forty thousand white settlers and ten thousand natives, only £15,000 was voted last year. The League considered that the position should be reversed and the £100,000 voted to the North Auckland railway. The settlers should not cease to demand the vigot , - , ous construction of their line till Hokianga was reached. Mr Gerald Peacocke urged that the settlers should send resolutions down co Wellington to show those at headquarters that they were earnest about the line, and that they looked upon it as a political question, to which they, attached the greatest importance. Maungaturoto was now twenty-seven miles distant. Although it was a' plaJe where the earliest fat lambs in the colony could be raised they could not be got to Auckland in good condition for want of good transport facilities. Messrs Coates and Jenkins (Auckland) also spoke. "* : Mr Thomas Jenkins (Ahuroa) moved, "That the Government be thanked fof the train facilities which they have afforded by the construction of thi* railway, and urges that it be extended to Maungaturoto without delay." Mr A. E. Dunningham seconded this motion, and it was carried with acclama , tion. The excursion train left Ahuroa at 1.25, and reached Auckland four and » half hours later.