BATTLE OF ROUTES

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 88, 7 November 1932, Page 16 (Supplement)

BATTLE OF ROUTES

BITTER CONTROVERSY OF FORMER YEARS AUCKLAND - WELLINGTON RAILWAY VSA STRATFORD OR OHAKUNE?

The war that raged in the early days of the century in relation to the Stratford Main Trunk railway is probably forgotten by most of the people, but while it lasted it was bitter Much ink was spilt .and many friend, ships were strained in what was known as the battle of.the routes by which Auckland and Wellington were to be linked by rail. One school of thought favoured the route through the Ongarue Valley via Ohura and Stratford, while the other was equally ;emphatic thai ■ via i Ohakune through the centre of the North Island was the most suitable. The position of the two routes has changed as much as the land through which they run. In 1892 when an ex. ploration party penetrated the fastnesses of the Stratford route, there was not a habitation of man between Ongarue and the outskirts of Stratford upwards of 80 miles; everywhere spread the great forests; ..today there are hundreds of settlers along the route, and the great forests ar making their last stand just about where the two ends of the line are now being linked up. The following leading article taken from the Bgmont Settler of June 27, 1900, throws a light upon the Stratford viewpoint:

The construction of the North Island Main Trunk railway has been the subject of much discussion and agitation during the last tew weeks. Public meetings have been held both in Auckland and Wellington, and the matter has been thrashed _ about and enlarged upon with a strict regard to local interests. The New , Zealand Times of the 23rd Uist. publishes an interesting table of the mileage and cost of construction of the two routes, which is as follows. Tlie distances by the Stratford route are: Distance between Eitham and Kawaka Junction, 103 miles G chains. Distance from Auckland to Wellington via this route, 447 miles 5 chains. Kawakawa is the point, of divergence of the Central and Stratford routes at the northern end. It is in I the Ongaruhe Valley, a few miles I south of the portion of line at pres--1 e nt under construction. At the southern end the line connects with the Wellington-New Plymouth railway either at Eitham or a few miles away at Stratford. The distances by the Central route are: Distance between termini of parts open for traffic 1402 miles. Distance between termini of parts under construction 1133 miles. Instance between Auckland and Wellington 42GJ miles. As to the cost of making the line by these two routes the following I figures have been given: Stratford route: Total cost £865,997; length 103 miles 5 chains. Average cost, per mile £8403. Central route: Total coat £1 211,665; average cost, per mile £B6IO. On the strength of this table tlie Times claims a decided win for the Central route. How it arrives at this decision by other than self-interest I we reallv fail to understand. Accord ling to figures supplied the Central I route will cost £lO7 per mile more to I construct than the Stratford route, ! or a total of £345,068 in excess ol , thP cost of the latter route. The only j advantage given to the Central route by these figures is. roughly speaking,

a difference of 51 miles for construe., tion .while on the other hand, the [ cost of £207 per mile clearly demonstrates the fact that the country to be traversed is rougher and more 1 broken and consequently less suitable for settlement. But. setting aside ! the relative merits of the two route 1 ' : —what is the real objod i» through the Main Trunk line of i-aiL i way? Is it simply for placing Wellington in communication with Audi. ! land providing for speedy delivery ; 0 f tin. 'Frisco mail and facilitating ' quid! passages between the two cij. ! ips? No we think ""'• T " ( ' veal "" ! -iect of the line should be <<> develop i the resources of the country, and I" 'bring the Products of the interior 1 within easy access of a port for ship.

ment. Such being the case, we con- ; shier the Stratford route has Pre- H eminent claim. Commencing from Kawakawa Junction and travelling South, it would pass through thousands upon thousands of acres of splendid land on which pastoral, agricultural and dairying pursuits could be carried on to a very great extent, and after travelling a distance of 136 miles a port of shipmeni would be reached at New Plymouth. Now on the other hand, the same distance on the Central route would not pass Hunterville, still leaving over 100 miles to travel before reaching the port of Wellington. How- j ever, we are not bigctted on the I matter, and do not argue in tavern e: the Stratford route purely from I motives of local interest. We feel . confident that the Government will use unbiassed judgment in the •u.ice of the two routes, but we should not feel justified in refraining to point out what we consider to be the just claims of Taranaki. We also Protest against the expenditure uf £344 668 in excess for the construction of the Central route. The money would be better expended in road construction and bridge construction, which would make more bearable the privations and hardships of the numerous settlers in the backblocks _of the country. The unusual agitation in Wellington is dearly evinced in the following quotation of the concluding lines of the leader of the New ! Zealand Times of yesterday: "The timber resources of (he country to be | opened by the line and the dairy. Pro. | duce that would be raised along tlie j line would come to Wellington—-at j any rate from a point right tip to Taupo; while this city would also |

secure the business of sending sup- j plies to the numerous settlers that would be placed on the land. If our leading men do not follow up with energy the movement started yester. day evening they will be wonderfully blind to their own interests and blamably neglectful of (he welfare of th e city ami district. We hope better things of them and of the people of j Wellington generally." Doubtless the | preponderating influence will be j Ugainst the Stratford route, and the Government will be compelled to I nush through with the Central. To do this, however, the Wellington agii i-Uovs propose to commit the country i to a loan of five millions. Should this | injustice to Taranald be carried out I and she be deprived of the railway so greatly desired for the developI ;iir .n) of her numerous resources I which would so largely add to the I ......,;;!(;, of the colony, it is to be hoped i lb,, tiovornmenl will see the justice lof placing at least £IOO,OOO < f tue I ~m !1 on Hie Estimates for the com. ! pie! ion of (lie Ohura Itoad.