WAIKATO CANAL SCHEME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14567, 2 January 1911, Page 3

WAIKATO CANAL SCHEME.

Sir,—-Commenting on Mr. 3". E. Taylor's/ " letter of tho 24th ult., I would like to "points out that there is not much analogy between! the proposed canal scheme and tho can all systems he quotes as carrying immense car- i goes at small freights. Tboso systems cons necfc great industrial centres teeming withi population, and of a necessity there must bet large cargoes offering to and fro. When woget anything like this population then is the* time for opening up such artificial waterways, which will then have a chance of pay-' ing upkeep in spite of the railway competi-i tion. As Sir. Taylor rightly remarks, we< have certain advantages, as there are no. serious engineering difficulties to overcome, and the- work could be easily done, but it is] imperative that improvement works arc first{ started on the Waikato River, as it would;' take some time few the river to accommodate! itself to the new cor-ditiores. Another factor which Mr. Taylor has,' perhaps, overlooked, is that wages are much) higher here than in Great Britain, . and; '. especially in the engineering line, which ha si . to bo taken into consideration when repairs* to machinery have to be carried out. TheJ cost of running a very small steam, launch isi close on SOs per day, with only two mem. ■ on, and overtime counts after 50 hours' fori , a" week, so that a fairly large boat would] ran into a good sum per diem far wages! and fuel. We havo a good example at our) doors at what water carriage can be done at,! on the Kaipara, from Helensvillo to thej Northern Wairoa ports. Hore. is a waterways all ready to put the boats on, and no rail-'" way competition, yet the average freight ia about 12s per ton for a distance of 70 miles-. No locks, no canal dues, good back freights,. de»?p filter, and no particular difficulties in! navigation, and yet we don't hoar of tn» steamship companies paying fabulous dividends. If there were a million peoplo upthere then no doubt _ there would be a great* reduction, and thai is what wo want in. the* Waikato, and then Mr. Taylor will be abl« to jump into his motor launch at Onebunga< and get out at Hamilton a few hours later. , Tuakau. Edward T. 'Frost. , .