RAILWAY ROUTE.

Northland Age, Volume 23, Issue 48, 24 March 1924, Page 3

RAILWAY ROUTE.

A correspondent wrote to the Hokianga Star, as follows, a little while backl-

it has been the accepted idea by many people who don’t know the geography of the district, that the railway on reaching Rangiahua will be extended to Mangamuka, and from thence onward to Mangonui. The effect of this would be lo place Hokianga in a most unfavourable position as regards railway communication, as Rangiahua is on a tidal river approachable only within an hour or two of highwater. Nor would such a route carry the railway through a district adapted for close settlement, because although much of the land in the rather confined Mangamuka Valley is good, it is mountainous country, and after leaving the Opureho stream there is nothing to encourage settlement on the way to Mangonui except the Oruru Valley. The route which commands itself to those who have considered the matter more closely, is from Rangiahua to a point near the Karae, where deep water is met, and from thence to Broadwood, from which point Kaitaia and Awanui might be reached at a future day. Such a route would best serve Hokianga County, by affording access by water, independent of tidal consideration. It would serve Herekino, Whangape, Broadwood, Whakarapa, Motukaraka and Kohukohu, and would go a long way to develop the large extent of good land on the north side of the Hokianga River. Short of the railway extension, as indicated, there is nothing which would serve better to promote the interests of the three ridings on the north side of the river, than a traffic bridge over the Mangamuka at the Karae. I am sure we all heartily approve the opening of the road round the head of the tideway, but it is a long way round on the road to the east coast for the majority, and affords a route of from four to seventeen miles further than by the bridge, to drive stock to the works. The building of the structure may be expensive, but it will have to be constructed some day, and in the meantime it seems a sufficient waste to divert roads to a northerly direction in order to avoid carrying them the shortest way eastward.