PROVINCIAL PROGRESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 213, 7 September 1921, Page 2

PROVINCIAL PROGRESS.

LIGHT RAILWAY BIOVESEEIfT SUPPORTED BY AUCKLAND MKROHAXT-S. GOVERNMENT APPROVAL DESIRED The fact that a petition i< now bein™ largely eigned in tlie Waikato prayiny for Government approval of the c-onsti-tution of a district uml-er the Local Railways Act of 1!J14, lia.-s again drawn : attention to the advantage of the proI posed light railway system for the WaiIcato and the West Coast: of this province. Tlie movement to form this district and construct some sixty miles of ligJit line to connect tlie ports of Raglan and Kanvhia with the. Main Trunk line at Fnwikton is now well developed, and the petition itself is backed by a supporting one whioh Mr. .(. TJ. Gunson, the Mayor of Auckland, anl other influential citizens have signed, while the movement is also receiving the support of many of the larg<«t business houses in the province. In fact, the advantages of this light line, whii-li will when completed form a great "V" with its prongs, running to . the two ports a-nd its junction at Moerangi, have been so extensively canvassed that finance and construction have already been arranged. All that is now required is for the Government to approve of the constitution of tie area as a local railway district, when a Railway Board ■with powers similar to those of a Oouniy Council will be formed, and its members elected by the people. Indeed, the originators of the , movement have received such wide support that they are confident the approval sought will be gained, and have formed a provisional board to arrange all preliminaries necessary under the Act. Mr. George Parr, of Hamilton, is chairman of this body, which includes such men as Messrs. Rawlinson, Finlayson. Cooper Smith, Houchen, Cooper, Scott, Morris and Labbage. all of ■whom , are widely known in the district. Captain Dansey is the engineer to this Board, and Mr. Percy Watts is solicitor. The proposed line wi\l be a feeder to the 'Main Trunk at Frank ton, and will solve many pressing present difficulties in the •way of transportation in the vast southwestern areas of the Auckland province. Some idea o-f the support now being given to the light railways movement by local mercantile arid official circles may be gauged from the fact that the vast majority of large Auckland firms have formally signed the petition now being circulated by Messrs. Parr and Dansey in support oi the original request. 'Trom the knowledge we have gained," says the preamble to this petition, "we feel sure that the Government would be acting ■wisely in the ibest interests of the country to give every encoirragement to tlie" Waikato and West Coast petition. The promoters' primary object is to endeavour to develop an immense area of at present practically undeveloped country by providing an economical means of transporting produce and merchandise in that territory." ESTIMATES ADVANTAGES. The area tapped by this line contains a great deal of mineral wealth, as well as many millions of feet of timber and a vast acreage capable of supporting dairy and grazing industries. Preli" minary surveys of the country have established the fact that in one small area near Moerangi there are something like 22 million feet of millable timber, j while another area near the shores of the I Kawhia Harbour lia.s already been taken lup by a syndicate, and this is estimated to contain IS millions of feet of rimu, white pine and tawa. Extensive deposits of blue metal, suitahle for road-making in a district that is not particularly famed for the quality or the extent of jits good roads, will'be tapped by the line, -while limestone of excellent quality within sixteen miles of the Main Trunk is now being worked a little during the ' summer months, but activities in this I direction have to be suspended during the j winter, because of the difficulties of transport. Coal of good quality is also found in cheaply accessible positions in various parts of the district. It is anticipated that the timber available for freightage by this line will alone recoup the board for its construction costs, and everything is now under -way, with the possible exception of a definite understanding regarding the actual gauge of the proposed lines. Even the matter of financing the undertaking has been arranged, and all that will remain when Government approval has been gained and formalities arranged, will be for the parties concerned to meet to conference and decide finally and definitely whether the track shall be laid for a two-foot or a two-foot-six gauge.