Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings. MONDAY, OCT. 14, 1912 LIGHT RAILWAYS.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXVIII, Issue 14881, 14 October 1912, Page 2

Te Aroha AND Ohinemuri News Published Monday, Wednesday, and Friday Evenings. MONDAY, OCT. 14, 1912 LIGHT RAILWAYS.

In an address to farmers at New Plymouth, the Governor showed himself a keen advocate of light railways. Generally speaking, he said railways had been projected with wonderful rapidity in New Zealand; but there was much yet to be done in tbe direction indicated. Personally, he hoped to see a new system of light railways, for which the country was pecu’iarly ac’ft jted, Light railways, he continued, were in the next ten years going to be a very great factor in the progress. of New Zealand. He was speaking from a very close experience of the subject, gained in a Royal Commission, which reported on the London traffic. “I do not say,’/ Go straight, ahead with light railways, continued His Excellency. “This is the business, of Parliament ; but what I do say is, turn your attention intelligently to tbe subject. The more bethought of the social and home life of the farmers in the backblocks, apart from mere sentiment, the more be realised that it was essential that they should have an opportunity of intermixing with town dwellers. A rapid system of locomotion would mitigate the hardships which'bore so heavily on those away back. The late Government was averse to the institution of light railways, and on certain occasions refused to grant permission to country settlers to make lines, even at their own expense. Many County Councils are entirely favourable to light lines, be cause they know that the expenditure would be materially decreased, as the result of the lesser wear and tear to the highways generally. The cost of metal, or other road material, in some parts of New Zealand is so heavy, that the making of roads, and their consequent upkeep, amounts to such vast sums, that light railway lines would be found cheaper in the long run. In other parts, they could be made on the side of the ordinary traffic roads, and a great saving in time and cost of carriage assured. In the course of time, the cheap power of many at present unharnessed rivers, will doubtless be utilised for light railways, the lines for which could be made of the same gauge as the trunk lines, with which they could connect. As mentioned by His Excellency, in the course of his address, such lines constructed in country districts would add enormously to the wealth and prosperity of the Dominion, and contribute considerably to the amenities, social or otherwise, of the life of back block residents. The Government would be quite justified in making light lines where it could be proved they would be of a payable nature, and if, in due course, it takes the matter in hand in a progressive spirit, it will be to the advantage of New Zealand, which—in order to bring its productive output up to a good percentage of what f it is capable of—will have to be more effectually opened up, so that the farmers may at least be kept in touch with the local markets. Light railways are worthy of the consideration of our leading legislators, and His Excellency the Governor is to be commended on his reference to he n atter herein referred to.