THE PROPOSED RAILWAY TO TARANAKI.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6421, 16 June 1882, Page 3

THE PROPOSED RAILWAY TO TARANAKI.

TO THE EDITOB. Sib,—During the Grey administration. Mr. AlhcAndrew, then Public Works Minister, propounded a scheme of railways by which, amongst other things, Otago was to have certain r<ulways, and the North Island was to have a railway from Te Awamutu to Taranaki. Had Mr. Macandrew remained in power, Otago Y-'at i aVO its lines, whilst the native difficulty would have left the Northern railway where -Mr. Macandrew put it on paper. Such an escape ought to -teach Northern members a lesson. Otago members again demand their central line, and Northern members are determined, and rightly, not to be put oil with a paper railway. They ask, not unreasonably, for the railway to bo actually made from Te Awamutu to Taranaki.. Formerly there were two difficulties in the way of this line. One, the native difficulty, the other the engineering difficulty of the Mokau country. Happily, Mr. Bryce, and the whirligig of time, have done much to remove the former. The engineering difficulty of the Mokau country may or may not bo overcome by an expenditure within our power. Should it turn out, however, that either native opposition or engineering difficulties prevent the Northern line being made, would it not be wise for Northern members, in view of such & contretemps, to 'be providedwithan alternative lire? The alternative line I would suggest, would be as follows ; —Starting from Oxford, on the Kotorua line* now being surveyed, it would rtin up the Oraka Valley for four miles, ihen straight on through, the Tokoroa plain in a southerly direction for about fifteen miles, whence it would iccline to the westward, in order to round the Whakamaru range, thence running up the valley of the Waikato Eiver on a. natural terrace, till reaching the native settlement of Ongaroto (just south of the Whakamaru range), about thirty miles from Oxford. At this point it would cross the Waikato river, and, skirting the base of the Titiraupenga mountain and the Haurakia range, would pass between the latter and the Karangahape range, about sixty-five miles from Oxford. - From this point to Wanganui, about ninety-five miles, is easy eountrj ; making a total digtaoce from Oxford to "Wanganui of about ICO mil*... For these particulars I am indebted to a gentleman better acquainted with the route than any other person I know. I think it will be admitted thit an alternative lino is a reasonable and safe proposal. If so, I hope you' will advocate it through yoar columns. And I would suggest that those who desire that the North Island should not be left in the lurch a second time, should wire without delay to Northern members to urgo an alternative line upon Government. In to-morrow's isdue I propose to address you further on the subject.—l !im > &<;•. J. C. FLhTH. Auckland, June 14,1882.