RAILWAY TO AKAROA.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 11945, 14 July 1904, Page 5

RAILWAY TO AKAROA.

m (SP_OIAT. TO "THB TRESS.") WI2LLINGTON, July 13. Mr Rhodes has been asking for information regardbg the extension of the Akaroa railway to the head ol the Littlo River Valley. ITie Minister replies that there is no Tiropc*nl to extend the- Akaroa railway to the liead of the Little River Valley. To make such on extension) would preclude the chance of the railway ever being continued to Akaroa .except by such a very long tunnel that iti wu« luurdly likely tlie Government would ever find the money for it. In order tw reach Akaroa at anything like a reasonable cost, the line must take to the hills immediately on Jeaving the present Litifo River station. A line constructed by this hill route, to Akaroa would cost shout £345,000, if constructed according to the present standard. If, however, a light railway would suffice, this would be a very. good country in which to construct such a tine, as beir.g hilly and difficult a material saving would, m this cose, be effected. A flight line with curves of, say, three chains radius, and grades up to about 1 in 24 on the straights, and compenratimi for curvature would cost about £115,000. If thß idea of taking the railway to Akaroa were abandoned, an extendon to tlie .bead of the Little River Valley, as suggested in the question, would not cost very much, aa the distance. wa«| only about two or three miles and the country easy. Being so dope to an existing railway, however, it was a matter for consideration whether such an extension was worth constructng at all. It would be inadvirable to construct a railway to Akaroa until after some of tho iargei estates had been purchased, and closer settlement accomplished.