RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION IN THE NORTH.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 11538, 24 November 1900, Page 5

RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION IN THE NORTH.

THE KAIPARA RAILWAY.

VISIT BY THE MINISTER FOR PUBLIC

• : .-.-'.works. ■:■■ The Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works, spent tho whole of yesterday on a visit of inspection to the Komokoriki section of the Kaipara railway, now under construction. The Minister left Auckland by the ordinary ten minutes to seven morning train, accompanied by a numbei of members of Parliament, and, after going over the portion of the railway at present under construction, and ascending the hill through which it is proposed to cut the Komokoriki tunnel, returned to town by special train, arriving about half-past seven p.m. Mr. Hall-Jones was accompanied on the journey by Mr. G. Fowlds, M.H.R.; Mr. J. H. Witheford. M.H.R., Mr. J. Bollard, M.H.R., Mr. R. Monk. M.H.R., the Hon. T. Thompson, and Mr. C. R. Vickerman (district engineer for the Public Works Department), and Mr. Horneym.'n (the Minister's private secretary). The party were taken by train to Tahekeroa station, this being the furthest point to which the railway has been opened northward. At Tahekeroa, which is some 13i miles beyond Helensville, a number ot settlers, some of whom had come lon& distances to meet the Minister, welcomed Mi. Hall-Jones and the other members of the party to the district, and conducted them over the unformed portion of tho line, not failing to emphasise the necessity for more rapid railway construction in the interests of the country and district. The portion of the line now under construction is some two miles long, stretch ing from a little beyond Tahekeroa station right up to the face of the hill through winch what is known to the Public Works Department as the Komokoriki tunnel will have to be cut before the railway can penetrate further north. There are at present about 80 co-operative workers employed cutting and filling on this section of the railway, *hich will have to be practically completed i>p to the southern end of the tunnel before tho work of constructing tho tunnel is started. Neat Tahekeroa station a brick kiln is being erected, and it is anticipated that a supply of bricks will bo available and the railway open to carry them to the tunnel early in January, when the work of building the tunnel will be immediately commenced. Mr. Hall-.lones, who has not been in the North for throe years, was impressed with the necessities of the district, and was of opinion that its value from an agricultural point of view is considerably underestimated, particularly by the people of Auckland province, tho general effect bein& that tho southern portions of tho colony take it at the Auckland estimate, and class it among the poor lands of the colony impression which is quickly dispelled by a journey through '.he district.

Having viewed the works to the tunnel, the Minister stated that to ensure as rapid construction as possible the erection of the tunnel oould be pushed on with three shirrs per day, working the whole 24 hours,' and he exprossed his belief that, unless some serious obstacle is met with, the railway can be carried through the tunnel »ad the line open for traffic to the next station, near Mr. Burns' farm at Ahuroa, within 12 months. Ho repressed the hope that by December 1, 1901, he would have the pleasure of formally opening' this section of the railway. The Komokoriki tunnel, which has to be constructed before this opening ceremony can take place, is to be 23 chains in length, out through a hill rising some 300 ft high. The Minister and members of the party ascended the hill and viewed the country beyond. Two ■ miles northward is Mr. Burns' farm, where station buildings will be erected, and this will complete the section which the Minister hopes to open 12 months from now, but beyond this another similai tunnel will have to be out before the Kaipara Flats "are reached, where railway construction should be comparatively easy for a long distance. Southward of the Komokoriki tunnel the work is in an advanced state. The Tahekeroa Creek had to bo bridged, but this is practically completed, and though considerable cutting and filling has yet to be accomplished, the work should be so far completed early in the year as to enable the building material being carried over the railway to the tunnel. Till this is done the tunnel building cannot be undertaken, the road being impassable fo.- the carriage of heavy building material. Once through the tunnel the railway will serve all the settlers in the Ahuroa district, and a portion of the Puhoi district, while those of the Puhoi settlers who aro too far removed from the railway to secure its advantages,' will have their means of communication improved by the lightening of the traffic on the roads which must result from theii neighbours being served by the railway. The Minister and members of Parliament were accompanied by a numbei of the settiers, including Mr. Clinkard, Makarau; Mr. Jenkins, chairman of the Ahuroa Railway League; Mi. Burns, Ahuroa; Mr. Saunderson, Ahuroa; Mr. Sainsbury, Kaipara Flats. The journey from Tahekeroa to the tunnel had to be done on foot, but the weather was excellent, and most of the party accompanied the Minister to the top of the hill, from whence an excellent view of the Ahuroa settlements is obtained, as well as of the route of the railway northwards. The trip was greatly enjoyed, and on his return to Tahekeroa the Minister again assured the settlers that every effort would be made to have the railway opened as far as Mr. Burns' farm by this time next year. He discussed the prospects of the railway with the settlers, explained that tho proximity of the settlements of tho district to water carriage on both the east and west coasts had hitherto told against them in the matter of railway construction, and when the unexpended portion of last year's vote was referred to, he gave an assurance that there would, be no underexpondituro this year, but rather the reverse. Mr. Sainsbury invited the Minister to go ovei the route of the railway further North, and Mr. HallJones undertook to come to Auckland in February next, when he will go right through to Whangarei. During the day Mr. Sainsbury brought under the Minister's notice the question of telephonic communication to Kaipara Flats. This matter, Mr. Hall-Jones stated, was a question of guarantee by the settlers, and when it was explained to him that Kaipara Flats is only some five miles from the telephone wires by road, or about three miles across country, he stated that the amount of the necessary guarantee would not likely exceed £10, and pointed out that as all the receipts would go to reduce the guarantee, the service could not bo very costly. Mr. Monk and Mr. Sainsbury both expressed the opinion that a telephone to Kaipara Flats would pay itself, and it was arranged that Mr. Sainsbury communicate with the Postmaster-General en the subject. Hitherto in the agitation for a telephone to Kaipara Flats, it has been proposed to carry the wire on to Tauhoa, which would require a much larger guarantee. The question of the railway ratos for the carriage oi timber was also brought under the notice of Mr. Hall-Jones. The kauri is not very plentiful in the district, but there are large quantities of rimu available, and the settlers urged that if the Railway Department would carry the timber at a rato sufficiently low to allow a margin of profit, a trade would be immediately created for the railway, while the country would bo profitably cleared to make room for closer settlement, to the further advantage of tho railway in the near future. The Minister stated that the present rate for carriage of timber is just sufficient to pay expenses, but admitted that tho circumstances of the Komokoriki district as nut before him. seemed somewhat exceptional, and promised to go thoroughly into the matter with the Minister foi Railways. Mr. Hall-Jones will remain in Auckland to-dav and to-morrow, and on Monday morning lie proceeds to inspect the northern section of the Main Trunk railway, and will be absent fen. the greatei part of the week. He bad intimated that he would be pleased to receive a deputation from the North Auckland Railway League to-day, but the officials of the league found it impossible to get together a strong deputation fo, to-day, and the interview will probably be deferred till the Minister's return from the King Country. The Main Trunk Railway Leacnio are. also organising a deputation to interview , the Minister, but as the Hon. F. Mitehelaon, president of the lensrne, is absent from town, this deputation will also have to be deferred till after .he Minister has completed his inspection of the railway works.