SHELLY BEACH RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 190, 11 August 1921, Page 5

SHELLY BEACH RAILWAY.

" -5 DISCUSSED BY SETTLERS. A FAVOURABLE REPORT. (Special to "Star.") DARGAVILLE, this day. > One of the largest and most influential meetings ever held in Dargaville took place yesterday, when the much discussed Helensville-Shelly Beach railway and harbour scheme again came under review. Settlers and business people from up and down the river were present, anil the meeting was fairly lively at times. The committee appointed at a previous meeting presented a favourable report, which was adopted by a substantial majority. Messrs. F. J. Dargaville, .1. Stallworthy, Captain McLeod, Capt. Dansey, and Mr. Oldam supported the proposal, and Mr. J. Stewart, of Helensville (who was armed with a lot of data), Messrs. T. Webb ,and B. Coleman opposed the committee's report. The latter showed that two routes had been surveyed — one a direct line, 101 miles of standard gauge, heavyconstruction, including a wharf estimated to cost £40,000, a bridge near - Helensville, and all necessary station buildings and sidings, at a total cost of £102,000; the other a route of 12J miles, bearing inland to avoid crossing a swamp, of a standard gauge but of somewhat lighter construction, providing a wharf estimated to cost £15,000, and including a bridge and station buildings, the whole to cost £100,000. The committee reported that owing to a considerable drop in the cost of railway material since the estimates were made the present cost of either lino would be reduced. The committee had been offered rails (the biggest item in the estimate) at £15 per ton landed in Auckland, which is less than half the cost ruling when the estimates were drawn up. Tlie committee fully understood that the Government were not to be harassed by any request for money towards construction of this line. The passing of the Local Railways Act, 11)14, provided the machinery necessary to enable such a line as this to be constructed by local enterprise, and the whole of the money for construction was available from a big railway construction corporation outside of New Zealand. Particulars of this offer were in writing, and held <rood in a reasonable time. Pending the constitution of a Railway Board, whose business will be to go further into details, the committee, with power to add to their number, were reappointed and instructed to take all necessary steps with a view to having a Railway Board constituted. > ' -