DEFACING MOUNT ALBERT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16310, 17 August 1916, Page 4

DEFACING MOUNT ALBERT.

I Sir, —The question of ballast for Auck- I ' land railway lines, will, before very many j i years, be a serious and difficult problem, ; ! and it seems that the Departments which i are responsible for conserving such in- . • teresare doing little or nothing to • provide ahead for future requirements. j ■ Mav I suggest, as one who has an intimate | knowledge of the details and attributes of I all the districts in the Auckland Province. | that the Government be urged to enter i into negotiations to secure-from the owners j the mountain known as Bald Rock, situ--1 ated at Pukekaroro, North Auckland. ; This is a veritable mountain of stone which would make the finest ballast in the world. • All that is needed is a short line over easy country in from Kaiwaka station to tap millions of tons of material absolutely ! second to none in this country. K a great | national blunder had not been made in the diverting of the North Auckland main line across the Otamatea River by the then Minister for Public Works, this wonderful supply would have been tapped and in use long since and obtained the preference of the railway authorities by its much superior qualities. Naturally lovers of Auckland and its surroundings view the demolition of Mount Albert with considerable regret. Whilst on the subject, I j would like to say that, owing to the ex- > treme scarcity of good metal for roads in the north of Auckland, all the counties ' who have difficulty in getting a high-grade ' article at the minimum of cost should i wholeheartedly support the development ' of and the opening up of such excellent j material as the Pukekaroro stone. _ Pbo Bono PrßLiro.