IMPORTANT CANAL SCHEME. MANAKAU-TARANAKI.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 150, 21 December 1907, Page 4

IMPORTANT CANAL SCHEME. MANAKAU-TARANAKI.

[BY TELEQK&PH — PHESS ASSOCIATION.'] AUCKLAND, 20th. December. At a' general" meeting of the Onehunga Chamber of Commerce last evening Mr. J. E. Taylor, of Marigere, delivered an address on the 1 Manukau-Tara-nald canal route. Mr. Taylor stated that for twenty years past he' had interested himself in cutting a- canal ajong the Tamaki route. The system he advocated was a low level canal with only one rise, so that there would always be high water in the passage. A canal connecting the Manukau and Tamaki would not only shorten the distance between Auckland and Sydney, but would lessen the journey by half for vessels trading to Auckland from the West Coast, via the North Cape. The increase in trade from the West Coast ports for Home steamers should be tremendous. At present the Westport Coal Company sent annually fully 60,000 tons of coal to Auckland by steamer via North Cape, these vessels being limited to a draught of 22 feet owing to the Westport bar. Between Onehunga and New Plymouth the Union Company handled about 5000 tons of cargo, and the Northern Company about 48,000 tons on the West Coast in and out. With a canal connecting the Manukau with the Waikato river ,a considerable amount of revenue would be derived from that source; also with the canal constructed a very large shipping trade would grow up around the isthmus, especially near Oiahuhu, with all the kindred industries such as docks, shipbuilding and railway sidings. The project was a big one. He (Mr. Taylor) would like.'.tbe Chamber to .organise - a party and* go ' over the, route, besides which he thought ,'bf inviting' Sir Joseph Ward, Mrl-W. r ,F. Massey (leader of the Opposition),' and Mr. Lang, M.P., for Manukau, to visit the site. The distance between Auckland and tho Manukau Heads, via, the Whan, was twenty-two miles, and via the Tamaki thirty-one miles, but against the difference vessels ■would be able to travel for a. greater distance along the Tamaki at full speed. The Mayor, in inviting discussion of the subject of Mr Taylor's address, mentioned that when- Mt. Napier Bell came out from Home he was asked by the then member for Manukau to report on the rival routes, and this unbiased, report to Parliament was absolutely favourable to the Tamaki route as being the best and cheapest. If Onehunga were situated in a similar position to Wellington instead of Auckland, there would be no attitude of blinded prejudice in connection with the Manukau, but' the work would bo decided on within twenty-four hours.