THE LINKING OF AUCKLAND AND NAPIER.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 276, 20 November 1926, Page 20

THE LINKING OF AUCKLAND AND NAPIER.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Having travelled by the time I return to Kiwi, in Hawke's Bay, over 000 miles to attend the conference on settlement, I was painfully disappointed with the form which the discussion took. 1 thought we were to attend and make suggestions as to remedy—the disease is too obvious to have needed discussion. The remedy is as obvious as the disease. It is that Auckland and Napier should be joined with as little delay as possible via Rotorua and Taupo by rail. The. distance, in a direct line, remaning unrailed is at the outside 140 miles—survey will probably show it to be less. Of this country to be traversed at least 120 miles are the easiest in New Zealand—the remainder have recently been discovered to be much easier than was thought. There are practically no rivers to cross. Lot us have a recognisance survey made (in a direction I can indicate) of that unsurveyed 15 or 20 miles of imaginary difficult country. Lord Montague of Beaulieu, one of the leading authorities in England on future railway uses, recently had an article in the Manchester "Guardian," showing conclusively that railways in the future will only serve long distance runs. A long distance run, doing away with the dead end at Rotorua, is exactly what I propose—the cost would be under two millions and could easily be defrayed by the two tow is of Auckland and Napier. These would be the results of my proposal, if carried into effect either by private, municipal, State or Imperial enterprise: — (a) The distance to the Queen City of the North from the Garden of New Zealand would be reduced by 150 miles, (b) By bringing the pumice country within 50 miles of a manufacturing port the problem of the whole vast area of the Taupo Plateau would be solved. (c) Its stock would be increased by at least a million sheep and the menace of rabbits and noxious weeds brought under control, (d) A further increase of at least a million sheep could be carried on the east coast. (e)ln case of droughts easy access to areas which never know droughts would be given, (f) Auckland city and Auckland province would be given easy direct access to fat stock markets and store stock markets, (g) Overseas'" and provincial tourist traffic would be carried right through New Zealand's wonderland from the Queen City of the North to Sunny Napier—not only the fishermen to Taupo, but the whole people of New Zealand, who cannot afford to travel in motor cars.-* (h) The State forests at Waiotopu, at Pukititiri and at Te Haroto would be so cheaply and conveniently served as to greatly reduce the cost of building, (i) Alternative routes would be created, easing the traffic on the Main Trunk line, and when there was a "slip on the Main Trunk line" or a "block in the Manawatu Gorge"—the other route would be open, (j) A city of defence and mobilisation centre could be founded at Taupo for troops falling back from coastal railways too easily assaulted, (k) The problem of unemployment and settlement would be so largely settled, that I claim recognition would be made by the Imperial authorities for the general purposes to which Sir James Allen told us the Empire Settlement Act of 1922 might be put, if representations are made by Mr. Coates, our Premier, who is now at Home. (1) Trade would be facilitated to a marvellous extent between two of the richest and most extensive tracts pn New Zealand—Auckland and the East Coast, (m) Fertilisers of every required constituent, to make and feed and restore pastures on every variety of soil, could be carried railage free from either Napier or Auckland in return for an undertaking by the settlers en route to give their other loading at Government rates. —I am, etc., Hawke's Bay. EUSTACE LANE.