THE NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 236, 2 October 1908, Page 5

THE NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY.

THE BATTLE OF THE ROUTES.

Mr Gerald Peacocke, chairman of the Auckland Bail ways League, writes as follows:—'"The Auckland Railways Lffagna has consistently abstained from taking any part in discussing questions of alternative routes in connection with the North Auckland Main Trunk line. Our policy has been to urge the speedy con« struction of the line by whatever route the engineering experts employed -upon the -work considered was the best. The responsibility for the fi-Hrig of the route and for pushing on the construction work with reasonable dispatch was thus placed upon the shoulders of the Public Works Department, where it ought to be. For any unnecessary delay, owing to uncertainty and indecision as to the best route to adopt, the Department must, in that case, take the blame. But if a section of North Auckland settlers begins to condemn the decision of the railway engineers as to the best route for the line, and approaches Ministers with petitions and deputations to get the route altered; after it has been fixed, while another setetion of settlers exhorts the Government to finally adhere' to the advice of their engineering experts, and not to allow the line to be deviated to suit this or that particular district, what is the obI vious risk thus incurred? Is there not a 1 great possibility that the fact of the local controversy on the question may be taken advantage of to delay the whole work, so that the vote of £80,000 thia year, secured in a great measure by the persistent efforts of the League, may only be half spent? Personally I do not think it likely that the Minister for Public Works will be deterred by any local agitation from acting upon the advice of his engineers in such a question. At the same time, I would point out to those who are clamouring for a deviation of very doubtful utility, that if a plausible excuse were wanted for >not spending the money voted during the next 12 months, that exense is being provided by this local squabbling about - a difference of two or three miles, east or west, in the locating of the line. The main thing we should all be united about is the pushing on of the line northward through Maungaturoto and on to Omapere with as little delay as possible. The engineers can have no local interests to serve, and may, I feel sure, be trusted to take the line by the best route in the general public interests. The requirements of special localities some distance from the main lijie must be provided for later on by branch lines where these are warranted. It is foolish to expect a trunk line to be twisted about to suit everybody. At any rate, experience has I taught most of us that a rival route controversy is fatal to the expeditious construction of Government railways."