NORTHERN RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15496, 1 January 1914, Page 5

NORTHERN RAILWAYS.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER.

CONNECTION WITH WAIPU.

PRIVATE LINE SUGGESTED.

An echo of Northern Auckland railway controversies was heard yesterday, when Messrs. T. Coates, of Orakei, and F. Clarke, of Kaiwaka, who were introduced hy Mr. P. Mander, M.P., waited upon the Hon. W. Eraser as a deputation to surest the feasibility of making a railway from . Waipu, via Pukekarero, to connect with the main line at Kaiwaka. Mr. Coates stated that he had ample proof of his claim that the stone from his quarry at Pukekarero was the best in Auckland Province, ,and that the line suggested would give access to the quarry. The Minister said that the Waipu people had a right to have a voice in the matter. The proposal had been made to connect Waipu with the Main Trunk line, via Mangapai, but they would have none of it The only line they wanted was one. to Marsden Point, to connect them with the coastal shipping. This line could undoubtedly be formed at much less cost than the one suggested. The cost per mil* would not be greater than £2000. while the other route to Kaiwaka would cost at least £5200 per mile. He promised, however, to have a flying survey made of the suggested route, and also to see if it would be possible to connect the quarry, Mr. Coates indicated that a company might be prepared to take advantage of j the Act passed last session and build a private line from the quarry to the main line, but he made the suggestion of connecting Waipu with Kaiwaka, so that the private line might be used to form part of it. The Minister stated that if proposals as to the private line were submitted to Parliament at the beginning of next session, delay would not be likely to occur in obtaining the necessary sanction, especially if the company did not propose to ask for a rating area.