MAIM TRUNK LINE

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 238, 9 May 1933, Page 3

MAIM TRUNK LINE

Blazing the Way OLD SURVEYOR'S STORY Early Plan Little Altered Probably many people who travel on the Main'Trunk line from Auckland lo Wellington arc not aware that the line has not been altered to any appreciable extent since it was originally mapped out; by the Rochfori survey party about GO years ago, says Urn Star". The only surviving member of the Rochfort survey parly who worked on the trial line, is Mr. E. C. Williams, of Newton, who is now 75 years old. ■'The biggest alteration to Mr. Rocht'ort's line was at Rnurhnu, whore the Spiral commences," said Mr. Williams. "Despite the excellence of Mr. Rocht'ort's work-, the Spiral was found to be faulty, being too steep. This was later rectified by Mr. Holmes, the engineer in chief of the Public' W-irks Department, who has long since retired Mr. Holmes solved the problem brilliantly, and the Spiral today ' ' a

line piece of engineering.' Small deviations from the original plan were made also in the Waimarmo Plains, one point being ai Nationa Park, in the Ohakune direction, and in the Karioi Plains, near Waiouru. Mr. Williams said that the difficulties met with were immense. "The task of finding the right location tor the line simply could not be properly imagined." It consisted in the num. of blazing the way through dense forest Land and fording rivers and bridging ravines. There were many occasions when the party would be obliged to wander for miles down the banks of a river looking for a place to cross. and having crossed, they would have to trudge right back again to some particular spot opposite a point on the other bank where it had been decided to erect a viaduct. \fter the trial line had been mapped surveyors were sent out to explore more thoroughly on either side of the line, for the purpose of effecting possible improvements. Mr. Koclifort was himself able to improve on his first trial line, but little was done alter he had finished with it. Mr Williams related that he and a cadet in the employ of Mr. Rochfort were ot.ee obliged to go without tood for four days. "We were caught between two flooded rivers, named the Maungnnuitunu and the Maungatiarnturu (a sulphur nver) which a e only ftb out two miles apart; he said.W< hid had a Maori with us tor guide, Kwthi,,kho.a V .the^weatoer coming and left us in discovered by the Rochtort paity, who had become alarmed at oui » sence We forded one ot the liVUs said that ho was with the Rochfort surveying party 101 -.bout 12 years. Just before he left. ££ Rochfort he went with him on a .respecting trip to Nelson in the vie Mr. Williams, who .named V M l " rimii, and a son, mi. forming near Marlon.