THE RAILWAY WHARF AT HELENSVILLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9074, 7 June 1888, Page 3

THE RAILWAY WHARF AT HELENSVILLE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—May I draw your attention to the loss the shipping interest has suffered in the past owing to tho situation of the Railway Wharf at Helensville. As one of the sufferers, we naturally thought when the first contract was let for the extension of the line from . Helensville to near Kaukapakapa northward some provision would be made for a wharf at the junction of the Kaukapakapa and Helensville Rivers. The first contract is now nearly finished ; the second let, and pretty well on ; and yet nothing is done by the Government to provide accommodation for landing goods and passengers at Kaukapakapa Junction. The line runs close to and parallel with the river from Helensville "northward to the junction mentioned, and there diverges from the Helensville River and runs up the bank of the Kaukapakapa stream, consequently the junction is the ■ northernmost point on the Helensville (or Ivaipara) River, where a wharf can be constructed. It would therefore be permanent, and never require to be removed. I will now endeavour to show that it is absolutely necessary in both tho farming and shipping interests (without going into minute details), that the abovementioned accommodation be afforded. First. A vessel starting from the Kaipara Heads with a fair wind and young flood tide, as a rule, gets to Within a quarter of a tnilc of the present wharf at Helejisville by road (when the tide turns), but owin" to .the peculiar formation of the river the distance by water is about two miles, the bends forming an acute triangle, and in consequence the wind becomes foul, and the vessel has to cast anchor and wait within sight of the station for nine hours ; and if by chance ifc/3hould be Saturday morning, she will be unable to discharge her cargo till Monday. Up to the proposed site of the wharf, from the Kaipara Heads, the river is comparatively straight. A vessel starting, as above, with a head wind and spring tide, could easily make the proposed wharf by high water. To give you some idea of the difficulty : The distance by water from the proposed wharf is ten miles, by rail barely three ; in fact, the difficulty is such that vessels of ten tons and upwards have often to float up tho last few miles owing to the wind becoming unfavourable consequent on the great bend the river takes, as well as the narrowness of the channel. Tho high mangroves on the banks also tend to cause a fickleness in the wind. To encourage coasting vessels from the South to Auckland with flour and grain, the Government lowered the tariff on the Helensville line on these articles to 8s per ton, or half the usual freight, but I have never yet heard of . a Single vessel taking advantage of these low rates, owing, in my opinion, to the difficulties of navigation of the Kaipara above the site of the proposed wharf. It may be said they could get a tug steamer, but that would involve a cost of £20 (including railway freight), and one of the usual coasters, carrying four or five hands, can go round to Auckland for half that amount. These, with no roads and

the present price of agricultural pro duce, .form som/j of the difficulties but I say, God bless the kauri gum!! it defies the Government to ruin the Bettlera by their blunders. ' Second. The advantages that would accrue to the Government . or public at large from the proposed work. • The land at and all around the proposed wharf is Government property, ana' by cutting it, up for building allotments will recoup them tenfold the cost of the workAgain, the cost would be at a minimum rate, as, there is a rocky bottom and deepwater at the point named, and it has every convenience Nature could give for such a work. But, waiving all the advantages I have described (if such a thing be politic), what about the pecuniary loss to the general public ? That the Government will have spent £10,000 to little or no purpose it) must be clear to any business man. I cannot help saying it is no less than an act of madness on the part of the Government to expend so much public money on a railway, and compel shippers to carry their goods to Helensville while the trains are running up to the same place empty. Had a private person done such a thing as the Government appear about to do, after spending so much money, I venture to think public opinion would consider him a fit subject for the Big House at the Whau. I can only add, unless ssmething is done in the direction I have j indicated, the extension will not pay for tht grease to the wheels.— am, etc., John Gardner, Jun. Glorit, Komokoriki.