UTIKU-MOAWHANGO RAILWAY.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1798, 22 August 1906, Page 51

UTIKU-MOAWHANGO RAILWAY.

The proposal to construct a light railway from Utiltu to Lower Moawhango was submitted by the late Minister of Lands (Mr Duncan) for a report by the Wellington Land Board. In the report, which is signed by the Commissioner of Crown Lands (Mr Strauchon) and Messrs A. Reese and J. Dawson, the Commissioner says:— “Before leaving Wellington, the Hon. the Minister of Lands rang up and advised me about ail application from certain sawmillers and the County Council in regard to the question or dealing with the timber* on part or our Awarua lb block, and about their proposal to construct a light line of railway from Utiku over into tho Rangitikei Valley, thence up the Moa* whango river, some ten miles in all. Tho Minister said he would be glad if the Board, when up there, would make inquiries as to the proposed route andi its probable value to our timbertblock. Tho railway line which the Rangitikei Council proposes undertaking the construction of leaves the North Island Main Trunk lino at Utiku ; the estimated cost of construction is about £3G,000; the length about ten miles; the steepest grade to climb with a load of timber is 1 in 40, while the steepest descent is 1 in 23. The minimum curve is four and a half chains radius; the Government gauge of 3ft Gin is to be adopted, with 401 b steel rails. There will be two suspensionbridges required, one of 300 ft, over the Hautapu, near Utiku, estimated to cost £3OOO, another of 2Goft ovqr the Moawhango, at an estimated cost of £2600. There will also be two tunnels of eight chains each, which, including cost of linin'*, etc., are estimated to cost about £5,200, but the engineer estimates that if absolutely necessary to economise, this cost could be reduced by about £4IOO, if lining of tunnels is dispensed with, and the weight of rails reduced from 401 b to 301 b per lineal yard. Tho engineer estimates the area of bush that this line will serve at 16,000 acres, and that it should contain £IOO,OOO worth of timber; but ho further adds that probably not more than two-thirds of this could bo tapped by any one line of railway. It is estimated that t-lie freights for tho first six or seven years (based on. the output of the existing mills) will produce between £6OOO and £7OOO per annum, and he also says that as by recent legislation the county is to receive half royalties of all Crown timber soM, the timber now on the Awarua lb block should contribute at least £IO,OOO. A further suggestion is that settlers should contribute a moiety of their royalties towards cost of line. The engine proposed to be used is said to bo similar to those now in use on the Taupo Timber Company’s and Elba and Burnand’s lines, in the King Country, viz., the American Climax engine of* twenty-five tons, specially geared for hill climbing, and fitted with extra powerful steam brakes. Their haulage capacity on grades such as mentioned above is estimated to be from 20,000 to 30,000 superficial feet per trip. The engineer does not know the exact cost landed here, but estimates it at £I2OO, with £IOO for van or carriage. Your committee inspected this line from the Moawliango river to Utiku, some eight miles, but the inspection was naturally superficial, and not close enough to enable us to give a definite opinion as to whether the estimated cost is sufficient or otherwise. We are, however, satisfied that there are no great engineering difficulties to contend with, and that the route is probably as good a one as could be got at a reasonable cost. We have, however, considerable doubts as to whether the area and quantity of timber obtainable would justify the cost of a line such as proposed, and think that probably an ordinary good bush tramway would serve all purposes required, and be much cheaper. Tlie proposed line would run up the opposite side of the Rangitikei river and along some two and a half miles of our frontage, but this river would be difficult to bridge owing to the width from bank to bank, which will probably be from 400 ft to 500 ft at the most suitable crossing-places, say in section 9 near Island Hill. Failing a suitable and economic crossing-place, either for bridge or cable, it would be necessary to lay a tram down the road-line to the proposed road bridge on section 18, block lv, Hautapu, an excellent site. We gathered from the County Engineer that in addition to the royalty the County Council expects to derive from tho haulage of the timber from our block, it would also expect the Government to contribute a substantial sum towards the construction of the line.”