STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK LINE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 3

STRATFORD MAIN TRUNK LINE.

OPENED TO WHANGAMOMONA. EXTENSIVE NORTH-ISLAND RAILWAY WORKS. WHANGAMOMONA, July 1. The formal opening''of the Stratford Main Trunk railway to Whangamomona took place this afternoon, the Hon. W. -tt. Herries (Minister of Railways) performing the ceremony before a large gathering ot settlers and of visitors. The line is now available for regular passenger traffic for a distance of 37 miles 53 chains from Stratford. The first sod was turned by’ the Hon. William HallJones in March, 1901. Toko was reached in 1909, and Tewera was reached four years ago. The Minister, in the course of his speech, said that the section being opened for regular traffic made a total of 37 miles 37 chains from the junction at Stratfojd. The construction had involved a particularly heavy piece of work, especially for the last three miles and a-half from the tunnel through the mainr ridge into the township. Repeated slips in the heavy cuttings had retarded the completion of the section and had added appreciatively to the cost. The tunnel through the ridge -was chains in length, and between it and the new terminus thebe were no fewer than seven substantial bridges over the same stream. The completion and the opening of the ,line to Whangamomona would be a boon to numerous®Whangamomona, Mangawhere, Prospect, and Whangamomona Valleys’ Ridings settlers, who will no longer have to face a long and' a heavy pull over the Whangamomona Saddle. The construction of tho section had involved an expenditure of approximately £141,000. Beyond the present terminus the construction work was in hand for a distance of seven miles, and further on there was a stretch of extremely difficult country to be negotiated before the junction could be effected with the line in the course of construction from the Main Trunk line at Okahukura.