NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14132, 6 August 1909, Page 5

NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY

TH e BATTLE OF THE ROUTES.

: " SUGGESTED COMPROMISE. . ' ' "■■ ■ : Vrra reference to the suggestion by the j Auckland Chamber of Commerce that the | .importers -of the eastern and western. 'totes for the North Auckland railway sionla endeavour 'to arrange a compromise Mr. F. Mander, M.P., writes: i'.'l note, the opinions of the Chamber e^.' Commerce on the above subject, and may say, on behalf of myself and those I represent, that we have no desire to ■ ,i e > 3 y the construction of the North Auckland line, but arc very anxious that it should be constructed as cheaply, as directly, and by as central a route as pos§|fett||^\ * And as the engineers have all reported in favour of the present line, we aria 'satisfied they are the only persons capable of coming to a disinterested and unbiassed decision. We are also satisfied' that any deviation of the line laid down by them will be a great mistake.But I will advise the settlers on the east It. offer no further opposition if the line pies -via Pukekaroro to Maungaturoto, thence to Rogers' at Wairiri, and on to McCarroll's house, although it will add about one mile and a-half to the length of the line, as compared to the route past Worthington's. Personally, I think tin line should go as direct, as possible

to the Far North, as it is there the greatest population will be in the future, and fa increase the length of the line for the benefit of <he few at the expense of the many dees not appear to .me to be the right thing to do. But this would be much better than going through Bickerstaffe. The nearest point for Paparoa ; and adjoining districts is at Rogers', excepting for 24 settlers on Bickeretaffe, tad about 21 at "Whakapirau, exclusive of the"' Maoris and a few settlers down the ■ Otaniatea. To meet this small section it <[,-*& not seem a fair proposition to construct an expensive swing bridge over the Otaniatea, considerably increase the length of the line, make it necessary to run a branch line up to Pukekaroro ballast pit, and negotiate some of the worst country in the north at the cast end of Bickerstaffe for

■ the purpose of getting a few miles nearer to. the lesser number of people. If the hue goes via Pukekaroro it will meet the wants of the settlers of Kaiwaka, Hakaru, 3langa\rai, Brynderwyn, - Maungaturoto, and Waipu, in all about 1800 people. I am satisfied when the train runs to Maungaturoto, if via Pukekaroro, it will take go mueh trade from the Manga wai and Waipu boats that it will not pay them to ru~ and all the trade will come to the railwav. From this point alone it -will be in the interest of the State that""the line ■ should not be diverted through Bicker-,-nffe/ . The line could then go on to Mc-

' Carroll's house without further controversy. - The other deviation, to the west of the Tangihua range, could be fought out as a separate issue. If not, it will ill be our duty to insist on the Minister proving to the public by the engineers' report, that, the western route is shorter, cheaper, and more central than the one so iivourabiv reported on by all the engineers, and finally adopted by the Government in 1907."