The Hawera Star. SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1924. STRATFORD-MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 14 June 1924, Page 6

The Hawera Star.

SATURDAY, JUNE 14, 1924. STRATFORD-MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Delivered every evening T)y 5 o’clock in Hawera, Manaia, Normanby, Okaiawa, Eltham, Mangatoki, Eaponga, Awatuna, Opunake, Otakeho, Manutahi, Alton, Hurleyville, Patea, Waverley, Mokoia, Whakamara, Ohangai, Meremere, Fraaer Road, and Ararata. \

As New Zealand develops better and quicker mea'ns of communication are required, and the question ot facilities for rapid transport comes more into prominence. The building of railways in a young country is a slow business, especially in a country such as this, where mountain ranges and numerous rivers present many engineering problems. When it is remembered that the history of railways in New Zealand dates back to 1860 only, when the contract for the OhristehurchLyttelton line was let, it must be acknowledged that remarkable progress has been made. In 1870 only fortysix miles of railway were in operation, but six years later the total had reached 718 miles. Oh March 31 last there were 3053 miles of line open, which means that the average addition of line has been just under one mile per week during the last forty-eight years. Since 1914 railway construction has naturally been retarded, and only 199 miles/ of line have been added to the total length of line' open ten years ago. There are many districts still awaiting railway communication, and the Minister of Public Works has adopted a policy of concentration; that is, he believes in completing one section at a time' rather than having the work distributed over many lengths of line, and slow progress being the result. His policy was praised at the time he made his announcement, and probably it will lead to considerable' additions of lines open within the next few years. One of the most important of the lines under construction is the Stratford-Main Trunk section, upon which work ha* been proceeding for some years past. The portion remaining to be constructed is through difficult country, find at the present rate of progress it will bo some years before the line is completed. The people of Taranaki find the present railway communication with Auckland far too lengthy and costly, and they desire that a more direct route should be provided as early as possible. At present one has to travel half-way to Wellington, wait several hours at Marton . to join the Auckland express, and endure the long and tedious journey through the mountainous country near Ruapehu. The return journey is equally trying. Taranaki has the closest settled rural area in the Dominion, and though the land to the east of the province is very hilly, there are timber and coal assets which will be made accessible when the railway line has been completed. More-

over, the linking up of the province with the Main Trunk line will save an enormous amount of haulage of coal frorii the Waikato mines, and will enable travellers to reach Auckland in much less time than is now taken on the overland journey. The Chambers of Commerce are united in their view of the Stratford-Main Trunk line, which would seive the whole of the province and would foe a great benefit to the people living in the country from Neiv Plymouth to Wanganui—probably about a twelfth of the population of the Dominion. The question is therefore being regarded by the Chambers of Commerce as a national one, and it is too important for parochial views to be taken. The unanimity of the speakers at the conference in Hawera on Thursday night indicated clearly the wishes of the people, and we hope that the deputation which it is proposed to send to Wellington will be successful in its mission, and that the Government will foe induced to speed up the work on the line so that it may he completed as early as possible and give the great districts concerned the facilities of more rapid and better means of communication with the north.