NEW RAILWAY LINE

Grey River Argus, 2 July 1914, Page 7

NEW RAILWAY LINE

TO CONNECT MAIN TRUNK

OPENED BY MINISTER OF RAILWAYS. /

(Our Parliamentary Reporter)

By Telegraph.— Special to . "Argus."

WHANG AMOMONA, July 1. The formal opening of the Strat-ford-Main Trunk Railway to Whang.i momona took place t,his afternoon, Hon. W. H. Herries (Minister of Rail ways) performing the ceremony in the presence of a large gathering of so ' tiers and visitors. The line, is. now. .available for re--gular passenger traffic for a distance of 37 miles" 53 chains from Stratford. The first sod was turned by Sir ; Will.ia'm Hall -Jones in March igox. Tooko was reached in 1002, and Te wera four years «go. The Minister in the course of his speech, said that the section now being opened for regular traffic made a total of 37 miles 37 chains from the junction at Stratford. The construction had involved a pat ticularly heavy piece of work, especial ly for the last three and a half mile?from the tunnel, through the main ride into I}he township. . Repeated slips on the heavy cutting had retard ed the completion of this section, and added appreciably to the cost. The tunnel through the length of the ridge was 30J chains in length, and between it .and the new terminus there were no less than seven subtantial bridges over the stream. The completion and opening of the line to Whangamomona would be a. boon to the numerous settlers on Wh.i ngamomona Prospect and on the Wha nga momona Valley road who, all along have had to face a long and heavy pull over f he Whangamomona Saddle. . .-,..' The construction of the section being opened had involved an expendi ture of approximately oop. Beyond the present terminus construct ion work was in hand for a distance of 7 miles, and further on there was a stretch of extremely difficult coun try to be negotiated before the junction could be effected with . tHe ldne in course of construction from the Main Trunk 'me at Okahukura.