RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 91, 18 April 1921, Page 8

RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

PROBLEM OF THE ROUTE.

The question of what is the beet route to adopt Tor railway and road connection between Wellington and the .Wairarapa is one for engineers to decide. Owing to the rough nature of tho country, it is recognised that the experts have a difficult problem to solve. Various, suggestions have been made by non-professional men for the consideration of the engineers. As the result of a week-end spent in a part of. the district through which it is thought an improved rout&'inay be found, Mr. Stuart Wilson, from personal observation and local information gained on the spot, draws attention to what may prove to be worth while consideration by the experts. At the invitation of Mr. D. R. Hoggard, and in company with Messrs. L. J. and G. Phillipe, and Thomas (Tararua Tramping Club), and Allan Mitchell. Mr. Wilson viewed the country and received some interesting information regarding the district —some members of tho party having lived many years there, and are therefore thoroughly acquainted with it. On Saturday afternoon a party of three tramped to the top of "The Puffer," a few miles from Messrs. Phillips's farm, near Kaitoke. From there a good view was obtained of the prominent features of the surrounding country. i '

Mr. Phillips's suggestion is that one improved route would bo to gooff the Ri-mutaka-road at the 28-mile peg to "The Bore," then follow the gully to the ridge, where a small tunnel would be necessary to pierce the Rimutaka range—a matter of only a fey chains, thence proceed down Abbott's Creek to Featherston. That road would be 500 ft lower than the present route, and would be four miles shorter — making the road practically a straight one.

Another suggested route is to go through the saddle near "The Puffer," and proceed along the foothills, tunnel the range —the tunnel would be a little over a mile in length—thence down Smith's Creek to the Tauherenikau River to Woodside. The grade would be about 1 in 70 or 80, with 10 chain curves. This would give practically a straight line, and .there would be no engineering difficulties.