THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume IX, Issue 1755, 15 October 1887, Page 2

THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

(Auckland Star.)

The determination of the new Government, in obedience to tbe demand of the country, to oat down every branch of expenditure, renders it not only expedient but an imperative duty to reconsider the decision by which the colony was committed to an additional expenditure ot half a million sterling upon the North Island Main Trunk railway. The disastrous consequences of that decision will not end with the necessity which it enforces to make larger demands upon the English money market than are necessary. The extra .£20,000 a-year interest upon the capital cost of the line, passing through a country without a a Bingle white settler, would be a very serious obstacle to its becoming reproductive; but besides, it avoids the rich country at Tarauaki and along the West Coast, from which a certain remunerative traffic would be immediately furnished to the line, and carries the railway to a point whence none but a small through passenger trade to Wellington can be expected. This is not all. The central route actually overlaps and diverts from 111 miles of existing Government line — from Marton to Stratford — the through traffic which would convert that railway from a source of loss and burden to the taxpayer into a paying line ; and it turns over to a private company which owns the Welllington-Manawatu railway the whole profit that will come from the construction of the trunk railway as a feeder to the railways already constructed. That the tacts are as we have stated anyone looking at a railway map of the colony will see. The only portion ot Government line souih of Te .Awamutu which will be fed by tbe completion of the trunk railway to Marton is the Bection from the terminus to Palmerston, where the Manawatu railway begins, a distance of 30 miles. For even if the Government railway were completed through the Manawatu Gorge, the extra distance and difficulties of this route, with its' extraordinary gradients, would make it impossible to carry tbe business of the trunk railway that way. It could never compete with the shorter and better line controlled by the company. Now, what are the gains for. which tbe colony must pay this £20,000 a year interest, cut off the traffic from 111 mi lea of its own railways, and saddle tbe revenues of tbe country with an enormous loss, to be borne out of taxation for tbe next twenty years at least P Will it be believed that the actual saving in distance between Auckland and Welling, ton by the adoption of tbe central instead of the Taranaki route is only thirty-four miles! Mr. J. Blackett, Engineer-in-Ohief, in his evidence before the Parliamentary Committee, .stated : "Tbe total length from Wellington to Auckland by the western (Taianaki) route is 464 miles; by tbe central route 430 miles. By tbe central route yoo would have to make 212 miles of new railway ; and on tbe Stratford route 142 miles." There are thus 70 miles of new line more to be constructed to complete the central line than the line via Taianaki ; tbe cost of this unnecessary railway being enhanced by tbe extra time during which tbe capital already expended mast lio absolutely unproductive during its construction. Then -with regard to tbe grades, the greatest height on tbe central line is 2600 feet. Moreorer, tbe western line would open up about 250,000 .acres of Crown lands and valuable mineral areas; this territory would be promptly taken up if tbe railway were constructed, returning a- good revenue to tbe Grown besides supplying traffic to the line.

Martonto the point where lihe trunfs^int, if taken by the Stratford route, branches westward. It waa^we^ belie veV through giving too much weight to that future eventaakty, and through over-estimating the importance of the through traffic from Auckland to Wellington that Mr. Mitehelson waß ied-to lavoftlnreentral route over. , the -Stratford route. If the colony- could- afford- 1 tor 1 pay the dead jopst, ofjhe J^O.rnjlfis.jifJ railway through the Maori territory between Mai ton and Te^Awatuutu for, the men purpose '.of^op'ening.up' that co'untry,jund could simultaneously - construot 'broach lines from the central one into Tamaaki and Napier as feeders/ we agree thatai part of such a huge. iflk«me the central route would be the,, propejjone ; bat in view of the fact that r the colony, heavily . debt-laden, can bhly"venttire upon tot construction of railway* J; which have ft chance of becoming imoMdiately payable, we believe that Mri Miicbebon will agree that it » desirable to turn tbfeHnesn>S"Uia already.constracted.railway between Wellington and Taranalq, and -lhn»no^r on|y effect the saving in cost," but Up the lan* trade already established be! twe en Auckland Taranaki, the Waimate -Plains, and Wan* ganui, and give -.the Government line be* tween Stratford and Marton the bane* fit of the through traffic. „ We. leel tare that, if the -people of Auckland "strongly represent their' desire in ' thiiTdireibon Mr. Mitchelson .will : dacbis utmotCLto forward- their views, and thattbe Government and Parliament, will, feel bound in the present circumstances, of the colony to save the heavy loan charge' which" wilM* involved by adhering to the adoptedjblan. In tbe past history of the Public Workf policy this is, we believe, the.qnly ins&Bbe in which the united voice of disp&ts chiefly interested., has been deliberately disregarded in the construct jon of aime t of railway. Auckland ana^'Tar,anaki solidly in favor of the western 'irjfate, Mr. Mitchelson refraining from vpfiifpih order not to act in direct a'htagonisnrtdti wish so strongly .expressed by/ the) people and their representatives. The, extra coat of this railway was forced upon the country by Southern .votes., despite the united voice of the North to the contrary. Now, however, that the whole /tftlony^ji keenly alive to the fact that the^intare stability of the country dependr upon circumscribing our liabilities in< every direction, and turning to the best account our assets for the relief of the revenue, we are confident that an appeal in Uie interests of the colony will be, favorably received. If the Government donot feel that it would be expedient for 1 them to move for a reversal ot the decision of the last Parliament, it would ibe- quite within order for Sir George Grey«[fthp halt taken bo deep an interest in thi& question, ; t bqth on behalf of Auckland and T,aranalaYto do so, and tbat the 'Government will loyally ' carry out any resolution which the House arrives at. "' ' '' : It is very satisfactory to know that the work, so far as it has proceeded, hat been confined to the portion of tbe route which is common to both lines. 'Not a pound of the p9st expenditure would be lost- According to the plau laid before Parlpumnt three months ago by.^the Minister |>f Public Works, the extreme point of the section uader construction at tbe Northern end is still twenty miles distant froni the Maogakawa Kiver, where the Stratford route deviates from the central line. With regard to the section of about 15 ; ,Jmile« unaer construction at the other ebd^frpm Marton to Hunterville, this wm a.yeigr desirable local line, and it will be a uenfal feeder of the Western trunk railway. There is, therefore, still an ample opportunity for reversing the decision which has been come to — a decision as injurious to the colony as to the interests of Auckland an Taranaki. It behoves our Chamber of Commerce now to set pubUo opinion in motion,' and if need be to pnfc|n circulation at Auckland and Tanuiau petitions to strengthen our members in their demand that this act of justice flhall at last be done. •: „ -„. ?

(PER UNITED PHESB ASSOCIATION.) . AUCKLAND, October Iff.

Aninfluental meeting pf* the Auckland Chamber of. Commerce to-day, it wajvg* solved unanimously that the Chamber strongly urges on the Government "&• advisability of taking steps at once tptjh* construction of a branch 1 .railway to Taranaki, connecting the Main 'Trttu Line now in progress, and " fnr&M that in our opinion the Main Trunk conneciion with Marton should be postponed until railway corinM* tion with Turanaki has been effected* In the coarse ot an animated it waspoiuted out by a northern chairman that >the matter is one of Jtbe greatest importance to Auckland. . The, Main Trunk Line was within 24 miles of Tan* naki, and it was an important .ppint to. consider whether it was better for the* Government to carry the line right through 'to Wellington, a distance of 210 miles, through almost uninhabitable country at considerable loss to the colony. Mr. Aiken said it was not too latrtoT amend what had been, previously done. It was known what Mr. Mitchelson bad done in the matter. Since then they were aware that Wellington had obtained 101 l connection with Taranaki and Napier, which gave it a great advantage iVfft Auckland. The contract was only let a little beyond Te Kuiti, and little below that line they could connect with Strat* ford without any interference withthf plans of the late Government. AU thai was asked was that a branch line be ,<pa* structed at once to give Auckland connection with New Plymouth. Tbe main trunk line could be gone on with sobfe* quently. ' • Mr. Macmillan said he believed that, when Mr. Mitchelson advocated the con* 6truction of the Main Trunk Line, toWellington, there was an idea. that two; lines would be made immediately. .H«. feared it was utterly impossible now to. construct both lines. It was to be cdn- r sidered which line was most likely to ba best suited to the advancement: of the commercial interest from a monetary. point of view. Tbe proposed connection with Taranaki would make a very larga saving, which was important in the preienl impecunious state ' of tbe country. "Ba* urged the activity ' of tbe AooUand ' members in tbe matter. ; Mr. Vaile said the Trunk Bailway would be no real help to Auckland, and a burden * to the colony. The Una ought never If' have been taken right through in the first place, but near Stratford. It would baft great mistake to continue tbe Main Tiunk Line now. It ought to be stopped as soon as it gets Te Euiti. -The rest could be done when funds were available. Many other speakers bpok* in ■upbortT of tbe resolution, urging tbat it should Uk carried on tbe ground* of economy and" - the advantages to be derived. •■' ;; ; - <; - '■*' It was carried unanimously. •* ; ■ '',-■'■'-