AUCKLAND-TARANAKI RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 225, 23 September 1898, Page 2

AUCKLAND-TARANAKI RAILWAY.

(To the Editor.)

gj r _l S ee that your contemporary the 'Herald' is greatly exercised at false statements being published relative to the rival railway routes. It is refreshing to see that at last your contemporary is waking up to take an intelligent interest in practical politics. For if there is anything practical in political matters and of vital interest to this part of the colony, it is railway communication with the rest of the colony by the best means and in the best interests of the colony and district. If the 'Herald' thinks 'false statements' are being disseminated, the obvious work of that paper is to contradict the statements and give us the true particulars, and warn the public from perusing the false statements m the 'Star.' As one who ought to know something about the matter, as it has been a twenty years burning question with me for railway communication with the Taranaki district, of which country I hope the 'Herald' will give me credit for knowing something about, I herewith beg to give a few extracts from sworn statements, which, if false, must be perjured statements, on which the finding- of the 1892 report was based. C. W. Hursthouse, road surveyor, sworn :If you look at the section on the wall behind you, that indicates some high land for seventy or eighty miles on the Central route, is that of a character fit for settlement? Well, it is not so high as to be unfitted. It is not a matter of height that would be against it, but the quality of the soil. Waimarino Plain is very bad soil. The good land would be about here. Taumarunui, that is good land; but I must say that this (indicating on the map) is not good Jand; it is forest from Waimarion to Taumarunui. It would be all very well for a few years, but after that it would be worn out. The soil is not strong enough to carry permanent pasture? It is pumice land. There is some splendid totara growing on it; but directly you get below the surface six or seven inches it is very light sand like soft broAvn sugar. You can stick your finger in it without doubling it up, although anyone riding through the bush, looking at the luxiiriant growth, would think it beautiful land. If you were about to select a block for settlement to make a home upon, which land would, you prefer, the low land on the Ngaire (Taranaki route) or the high land on the Central? Oh, the low iand, most decidedly; but not because it is low. The elevation has nothing to do with it. So far as climate is concerned you think it would be a bar to setltement along the Central route? Not the least as regards climate. Would they be liable to b& blocked by snow? I think not. When I say that I would add that it might be necessary to use a snow plough occasionally. No very great danger of it? No, I do not think so. Mr W. K. Holme's, railway engineer, evidence: — The Chairman: In page 13 of the report sent in by you on the 26th November, ISB9, there occur the following paragraphs: 'Owing to the severity of the climate, sites well sheltered on the southern side must be chosen for these habitations, otherwise the occupants may occasionally find themselves snowed up dining the winter.' And again, 'Gardens are at a discount in this country, as only those vegetables grow that will stand the frost all the year round.' The committee would like to hear from yourself the ground upon which you based the above conclusions? On my observations during the time I was engaged there? How long were you engaged there? About fifteen months altogether. Were you up there in the winter? Yes. Were you more than one winter there? No, I was only one winter. Have you any reason to suppose that the winter was of exceptional severity? No, it was a mild winter. ! And still you are justified in making those notes? Yes. Can you give the Committee briefly the facts upon '; which your observations were made; also what was the degree of frost you experienced, and whether there was imuch snow falling? We had a good deal of trouble with the snow on several occasions; our tents being broken down. Once or twice we had to turn out at night to scrape them down occasionally during snow storms. Have j the, natives there much difficulty in growing potatoes? Yes. How do they manage? They generally grow them I under the shelter of trees on the edge of the bush. What • particular part of the route are you referring to? About

sixty miles from Marton junction. Can you state what the altitude is? From 2000 feet to 2(500 feet above the sea.

1 think this enough of evidence for one letter. The two gentlemen named are not birds of passage, but have lived in the district. Now they are agreed that from (50 miles north of Marton to the 156 miles to the point of divergence at Ongaruhu for the Taranaki route, nearly 100 miles of country is worthless, and the contention of some of us is that to put a line along that country would be a criminal action and against the best interests of the colony and this district.. As a member of the Auckland-Taranaki Railway League Printing Committee, I intend to do my best to get leaflets' published from this sworn evidence to scatter broadcast to educate the Auckland district and the colony generally, and' would call upon every patriotic man who has the welfare of the colony and this district at heart to help us to disseminate true literature as obtained from sworn testimony. We are not afraid to publish in leaflet form all the evidence given before the 1892 Committee. —I am, etc., P. E. CHBAL.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Mr Duthie, in yesterday's 'Herald,' as a friend, warns us that except we adopt the central instead of the Stratford railway route to Wellington, we are like to lose the San Francisco mail service. Duthie, however, is a- Welling-

ton man.

First, let us consider how our sister province of Taranaki is to be benefited by the central route; also the extensive, and rapid settlement northward along the Stratford route. These settlements will need a branch line into New Plymouth, so that they in their trade with Auckland, when they start for this city, 'must first start from New Plymouth southwards to-Marton, a distance of 135 miles; then due north for Auckland. It can therefore be seen by a glance at the map that the central route will in no wise benefit Taranaki province; besides all this the rapid settlement on the Stratford route will very soon reach this province, and so on to the Waikato coun-

try; and the greed and ambition, of ' Wellington claims all this, and will'fie-' . prive us o,f the San Francisco mail service' if we do not humble ourselves to her ■ demands. But 'Wellington is not to", blame for our hurailiatiin, .'tis we out»' . ' selves. We have lost the trade and / commerce of the whole of the North Ib. '. land with the exception of this province// and that is now sought to be taken as well and really have we earned it? W ft are humiliated by our scrubber ,repr* : sentatives supporting a Government hf the interests of Wellington, who jeer « us and will give us a railway in the sweet ' by and by. The central line will Injury us by Wellington working on nortft from New Plymouth.—l am, etc., \yr

J. McELWAIN,.