ROADS AND RAILWAYS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18104, 31 May 1922, Page 12

ROADS AND RAILWAYS.

BEARING ON PROSPERITY.

OPENING UP THE PROVINCE.

NEED FOR COMMUNICATIONS With undeveloped resources still standing in high ratio to the land broken in and brought, into full production, the 'Auckland Province expects much from the completion of public works at present in progress or planned. A striking example of progress can be pointed to as justifying the expectation- The time is still not far distant when the King Country was practically an unknown territory, with its wealth untapped and jts possibilities hardly avert explored. The railway waj pressed out into the wilderness, through connection'between the two ends of the islands was established, and there has been :ao pause in the march of progress in that r»stnon. Of all the public works in New Zealand at present in course of construction or partial construction, there is none giving greater promise of immediate returns than the one to which the Auckland Province attaches the greatest degree of importance, the East Coast Main Truift railway. A casual glance at the map makes it appear as if the route of this line defies one of the canons of sound railwav building. ' For a considerable portion of its course it follows the sea coast, and would appear iikely to come into active competition with sea traffic in the carriage of both goodg and passengers. ■ A knowledge of the country soon disproves this. One of the greatest drawbacks under which this pari of the Dominion has suffered is that even uea communication has not been adequate. It has a long coast line, but little good harbourage. Bich Cormtiy to be Tapped. The completion of this line has long been demanded by the district concerned, and support has been forthcoming wherever the possibilities of the country to be served have been realised. The principal argument advanced has been tnat the line should be built, not because a number of people wish it to b*,. but becauso the investment would be a one directly for the Government rdilwayi And indirectly for the whole country r.'ora the stimulus which production '.s'ou,rf lsyeive. As an earnest of that its ;Klvocates point to the progress of settlement in the districts even under the present difficult conditions, fertile hinterland of Tauranga, the rich pasturage and maize lands of Whakatane, and the wonderful river flats of Opotiki already support prosperous communities, but'their possibilities have not yet been fully exploited. . . Within the past few years the draining of tho great Rangitaiki Swamp has addedto the> settlement lands of tho Dominion an ar<£a of wliich great things are predicted. Another factor has arisen recently to add to the territory which tho finished railway will serve. The lands so long held by the' TJrewera tribes are to be added to the area available for European settlement. The difficulties of uncertain titles, and the disinclination of the Maoris to sell have been overcome in largo measure. Tho work of surveying, subdivision, and roading is being undertaken, Soort there will bo thrown open ™ great tract with its heavily-timbered fertile valleys, any as sornc say, hiddovt veins ol mineral wealth. All this is waiting the coming of railway to rK Jfh its full productivity. 00 * aT as portion of the country is concerned, it is contended that it will tiaWW? y by tho partial construction of the line. Work has f4m Ta, P^ greSS » { ° r a considerable time S T auran ea toward Taneatua, and frlS? 5f^ ly -SpieS Harbour. The contention k that J?♦?

ports in the vicinity, if the greater part of tho Bay of Plenty is given access to the deep water at Tauranga, or moro particularly at Mount Maunganui, a great forward move will be made in openiDg tho outlets for produce from the Bay. So much is generally conceded, but there ■ remains a strong sentiment in favour of the completion of tho scheme, which involves closing the gap between Waihi and Tauranga, thus giving direct communication by rail with Auckland, and completing the line to Gieborno, eventually linking up with Napier. Such is the course of the real East Coast Main Trunk line. Closing up the Gaps. Duplicating in many respects tho situation on the East Coast, lies the extensive North Auckland peninsula, now being giveu an instalment of thoee moans of communication so long and so badly needed. Here the situation is rendered worse by the difficulties of reading. Supplies of good metal axe not plentiful, and tho nature of tha soil seems to render the making of good roads a difficult matter. Consequently the importance of tail way communication is accentuated. So far afl the situation stands at present, there arc two isolated sections of line, one from Whangarei northward, and the other from Dargavillc to somewhat north of Kaihu. The main line is gradually advancing toward Whangarei, so that it is hoped before very long to link up this section. tJonnection with the main waterway of the North, the Northern Wairoa .River, is also to be given at KirikopunL These are the main railway works, to the completion of which the province ia looking forward. Other sections are in hand also. One of those to which importance is attached is the linking up of the Main Trunk line with the Taranaki province by the Stratford-Qngarue route, a section of__which is nearly finished. Outside the strict scope of public works are a number of light railways, tho construction of which is being undertaken by private enterprise. More Roads and Better Eoads. Railways do not, however, comprise tha beginning and the end of the public works ol the province. Tho Government is proposing to take over tho formation and maintenance of main highways to a much greater extent than hitherto. One'issue of the project will be the building of a main road the length of the island. Apart from that, while other highways are very largely the responsibility ol the local authorities, much of tho financing has to be done by the Government through the Public Works Department. So rapid has been the growth of the province in all directions that the tendency for settlement to outpace road construction has been unavoidable. From one end of it to another has arisen the cry for more roads and better roads. With the coming of motor traction this has been accentuated. To a country bo concentrated upon primary Industries, the satisfying of this insistent demand will have a tvto-fold effect. As marketing will be easier and cheaper, In- " "creasing tho returns from the land, there wils fee the incentive for more vigorous production. The comprehensive pcherne of waterpower development at present before tho ' Government naturally interests the Auckland Province, which yields second place to no part of the Dominion in suitable sources of power. The great Ara'puni scheme, involving an engineering task of ' great magnitude but ominent practicability, is expected to exercise a tremendous influence on the life of the province when completed. Tho Waikaremoana schemo is not outside the range of Auckland interest In many ways the Auckland Province is * ori the threshold of an era of development. ITie vigorous prosecution of public woiks already in hand will be one of the great factors in aiding the forward move. Some oir those which are on tho eve of completion should produce an almost immediate 1 result. Progress in"* the province is al- ' most immediately reflected in the C:tv of ' Auckland, tho business clearinc-honse for 1 the great area which lies behind it. As 1 the resources of thiß portion of tho * Dominion are developed, as access to farm, ■ mine, and forest is made easier, so •will 1 the prosperity of the province be duplis cated by the prosperity of the city, and » the good of New Zealand as a whole be c i served.