THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 170, 18 July 1907, Page 5

THE MAIN TRUNK LINE.

With a view to urging the eaxly completion of the North Auckland Main Trunk line, and also the East Coast (Auckland - Gisborne) Railway, the Auckland Railways League has decided to forward circular letters to the members of Parliament, embodying the following resolutions passed at the annual meeting of the League: — (a) "That it is in the public interests to push on the extension of the North Auckland main trunk line to Managaturoto as speedily as possible, in order that the advantage of the grnatly increased traffic which will immediately result on reaching that point may be secured, and the development of the country promoted; and that with this object in view, the Auckland members be asked to press for a vote of £100,000 on this year's Public Works Estimates." (b) "That it is most important to put in hand, without delay, the survey work in connection with the extension of the North Auckland Main Trunk railway beyond Maungaturoto in order that the route of the line and the site for the .stations may bs known as a guide to local bodies in their expenditure upon road and bridge construction." (c) " That the time has arrived when railway connection between Auckland and G'isborne should be established via the East Coast, and with this object in view this League urges upon all Auckland members to endeavour to get a sum placed on the Estimates for the prosecution of exploration surveys to. determine the best route for the line between Opotiki and the Rotorua line, and between Opotiki and the Thames-Auckland line."

It is pointed out in the circular that if the connection between Auckland and Gisborne were made, via Waihi and Paeroa, it would enable a connection to be made by rail later on from some point on the Auckland-Waikato line between Pokeno and Papakura. This, it is claimed, would shorten the total distance between Bisborne and Auckland by some 44 miles, and at the same time would open up about 200,000 acres of magnificent swamp country in the Piako district.