RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 54, 6 March 1922, Page 8

RIMUTAKA DEVIATION

TO 111 IDITOR.

Sir,—ln The Post of 25th February •last, under the heading of "An Urgent Work," Mr. Ooleman Phillips, is'reported to have said that the Upper Hutt is 283 ft above sea-level, and that Kaitoke was 800 ft above this station. The correct figures should be : Upper Hutt 211 ft above sea-level, and Kaitoke 625 ft above Upper Hutt. These are very large differences. I may mention that when I was engaged making the triangulation and topographical surveys covering the country of the two suggested routes for a new railway to the Wairarapa, I took considerable trouble to ascertain which would be the better route. Re the Tauherenikau route : Iri 1886 1 reported to the Chief Surveyor, Mr. Marchant, as follows : "I have to report that I have walked through from Woodside to Kaitoke, along the Ta-ulYerenikau Valley, to suggested new route for a railway. Till I get the Tauherenikau River traverse plotted and a sketch plan prepared, I am unable to say with, cer-. i.airaty what can be saved, by making this between the Tauherenikau and Hutt Rivers 1525 ft above sea-level, as the range here is narrow and steep. I believe, by a tunnel 50 chains in length, this could be reduced from 500 to 6Coft, or about 200 ft lower, than tho summit of the present railway. The grpde need not exceed one in 70, and the-total distance would be about seven miles less thar the present line from Kaitoke to Woodside." I am not sure that if another line is to bo made- ii. would not be better to deviate from the present ono near Wallaceville, ao as to reduce the, 1 in 30 grade immediately north of the Upper Hutt to one of lin 70. Also, in my opinion, .1 think it is possible to cut out Kaitoke altogether by following along the Mungaroa Stream, and thence to my saddle to the north-west of the Pakuratahi Rive:\ Re the Wain-ii route: • Th:'s roiite should r.ot, I think, be considered in connection with a deviation for a main line from Wellington to Napier. There is the difficulty of the 300 ft in level between the . Hutt and. Wainui-o-mata. Vaalleys ; also the great length of tunnelling, and, lastly, the distance of 18 miles from Woodside to the point where this line strikes the level land at the Wairongomai Stream near Mr; Matthews's homestead, which would mean over half-an-honr extra time between Wellington and Woodsid'?.—l am, etc.. J. D. CL-IMPE, Late Inspector of Surveys. Lower Hiitt 6th March.