ROOM FOR A MILLION.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 120, 21 May 1909, Page 3

ROOM FOR A MILLION.

BETWEEN WAIHI AND GISBORNE. | PROFITABLE NORTHERN RAILWAYS. " CBy Telegraph.—'Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, this day. What railway construction means for settlement in the Auckland province may be gauged by the statement of the Minister for Public Works, who has just traversed the railway routes of this island. "Between Waihi and Motu, through which I have just passed, you could put half a million settlers to-morrow," said Mr. McKenzie. "They would all make a good living, and the total population spread over that wide area at the present time would not exceed 10,000. "We have four lines of railway in the North Island now under construction," said the Minister. '"The line from Karaka to Motu, Poverty Bay, will be through in about four years: The Helensville northward line will take about 20 years to complete. There are something like 300 miles yet to construct. The Grahamtown-Kawakawa line is rapidly approaching Grahamtown. but then it will have to go on to Kaikohe to connect with the North Auckland Main Trunk line. There is also the extension of the line from Stratford to connect (at a point yet t-o be determined) with the North Island Main Trunk railway. There are 742 men now employed on those works, and good progress is being made. "All these railways, I am sure, are tapping profitable country. The North of Auckland line is getting into country which will render it profitable. The Stratford line is not yet extended far enough to render it profitable. It is going through a big gorge, and cannot be made profitable before that is left behind. The Helensville northward line is getting into the settled parts of the North of Auckland Peninsula. It. has been completed to about S2 miles north of Auckland, and is just about tapping profitable country. The Gisborne-Motu line will be one of the best paying lines that we have when it gets into the bush. There is an enormous extent of splendid bush country there, but the construction works are very expensive. They (as on the Stratford line) arc in a gorge, Ibllt when th.ey 'have been carried on for about another eight miles, we will get into profitable country. On the whole, I am very well satisfied with the prospects of the railway lines now under construction."