HAMILTON TO WEST COAST.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 20, 7 January 1920, Page 3

HAMILTON TO WEST COAST.

THE LIGHT RAILWAY SYSTEMA PROGRESSIVE MOVEMENT. TO DEVELOP~GREAT AREA. For long enough the idea of running a light railway from Hanjilton, the central town of the Waikato, to the Western Coast at Raglan ana Kawhia, has been simmering in the brains of the many people who are for the progress and more rapid development of the Waikato. This notion had its birth with the .Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, and as long as six months ago the president of that body, and also Mr. J. A- Young, M'.P. for the Waikato, pointed out that there was not a single mile of railway in the Waikato through all that vast area that lies to the west of the Main Trunk line in the South Auckland province. Even at that time the possibilities of constructing a light line from Hamilton to the coast, such as wore so useful in France and Belgium during the late war, was freely canvassed, and to-day interest in this proposal has grown so greatly that if legislative authority can ho obtained to penetrate this district with a light line of narrow gauge it will almost surely bo done. The actual basis of the proposal is. to build a light line suitable for carrying passengers and merchandise from the Main Trunk at Frankton to Karamu, twelve miles out- Here the rail will branch to Raglan on the coast, and the other line will be taken from Karamu to Kawhia, which is a few miles south of Raglan. Both these places have excellent harbours. . Raglan is a fine scenic and shooting centre, and Kawhia is the centre of the King Country. The engineers for the proposed line, Captains fl. D. Dansey, D. Bruce and H. Worley, are satisfied that the construction would present no insurmountable difficulties, and when completed, the line would pay by the carriage of lime, ti'h. coal and timber, besides general goods and passengers. At Karamu there is already a lime works, while an undeveloped coal seam lies near Whatawhata- This coal is now being used by neighbouring, settlers for household purposes. The line to Kawhia would tap the famous Moerangi. Block, which contains 40.000 acres of rich pastoral land. The cost of the line has Hh-h estimated at £l4OO a mile, as against £lOOO per mile for the standard gauge, and Captain DaUsey has stated that- there is a great supply of light railway material lying idle in France and Flanders, ahd some of this could no doubt be secured.

Kakhia Harbour is six miles by twelve, and permits vessels drawing thirty feet of water to berth at the present wharf, while the Raglan harbour is land-locked and surrounded by the Waingaro Hot Springs, the famous Bridal Veil Falls, and many other beautiful scenes. Kawhia is specially adapted to become a great port, and linking it with Hamilton by rail will hasten the dav.