The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1897.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 19, 23 January 1897, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 1897.

THE OVERLAND ROUTE TO TARANAKI.

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A t__i_eg__am from our own ftdrr.-jponddn. at Wellington to-day in reference to the vote of money granted by the Cabinet for railway construction shows that the vote is not for the Ohinemuri section, as waa thoughb yesterday, but for the southern continuation of the main trunk line in the North Taranaki province. Our corresI pondent wires :— "An appropriation of £3,000 haa been passed by tbe Cabinet to be expended on tbe Ohinema section of tbe North Island Main Trunk Railway. This section extends from the,present terminus of the ; Mokan section 'to Kawakawa, where the line joins the Stratford-Ongaruhe Road, fwbich connects the Auckland and Taranaki districts. It ia expected when the line is completed to Kawakawa that it will be of considerable use to settlers and travellers.*" Although tho sum of £3,000 wifl not carry the line very far, yet the vote is of importance, as being a further step towards through connection between Auckland and Taranaki. The railway line south of Auckland is oow open as far as the Poro-o-Tarao tunnel, south of the Mokau, the range through which the tunnel rune being the watershed of the Waipa and tbe Wauganui river systems. Trains are now able to run through the tunnel to a small station on tho southern side, and tho railway authorities announce that a goods train will now run up from Auckland to Poro-o-Tarao every Monday. The point of divergence of the Central aad Stratford railway routes is Kawakawa, about 35 miles south of Te Kuiti, and 15 miles south of Poro-o-Tarao. Thero is ab proseob a fairly good road leading from the tunnel to Taamaranui via Kawakawa, down the' valley of the Ongaruhe, and it is close to thia road that the railway line will run as far as Kawakawa. The country along this section aa far as the Ongaruhe ia all open pumiceand volcaaiccoun try, flanked on each side by bush-clad ranges. The grades are easy, but aeveral bridges will be required over tlje Ongaruhe, a shallow abream which runs into the AVanganui. There ia at present- no European settlement anywhere near the Kawakawa section, but the line will giye access to the fertile Ohura valley, which is sure to be opened up shortly. A cart road is at present being constructed from Stratford, in Taranaki,to the Ohura Valley, whence there is at present a dray road to Kawakawa and Poro-o-Tarao, and when this work is completed there will, be through communication, partly by road and the resb by rail, with Taranaki. Kawakawa, the point of divergence, is IO3J miles;, from Stratford and 156£ miles from Marlon, and tho cost of construction per mile of the respective routes was estimated some time ago at £9,960 for tho Stratford route from the Mokau, and £10.0.12 per mile for the central connection with Marton. At Kawakawa the Stratford route turns off to the wesb, while the central route line continues in a southerly course. The North Island trunk railway loan has been exhausted, and it is not probable that Parliameob will authorise the raising of another million to complete the railway either to Stratford or to join the line now under construction norbh wardsfrom Marton. Butifagood coach road were completed from Stratford to the railway terminus no doubb through traffic, by roil and coacb, would soon be established. We hope the Governmenb will take early and. vigorous steps to cat up into suitable sections and settle the land which they have already acquired in the King Country. The advance of settlement will, in a very few years, determine the long-debated question of routes.