The Daily News TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1930. STRATFORD-MAIN TRUNK

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1930, Page 8

The Daily News TUESDAY, AUGUST 26, 1930. STRATFORD-MAIN TRUNK

1 That portion of the statement re- ; latiug to railway lines under con struction laid before the House of t Representatives on Friday by the : Prime Minister, the lion. G. W. ’ Forbes, which refers to the Strat-ford-Main Trunk line will probably be read with much interest by the people of Taranaki and the large district to be served by this important addition to the transport facilities of the North ■ Island. The process of construc- ■ tion of this trunk line has severely tested the patience of those most interested in its completion, but finality is now happily within view, unless any unforeseen emergency arise. Dealing with the 41 miles 40 chains of the Okahukura-Tahora section of the ! new line, the statement sets out the estimated total cost at £2,259,000, or £54,434 per mile. Taking into consideration the nature of the country traversed and the increase in the-cost of construction work since the line was commenced, the completed cost does not appear to be unreasonable, though the length of time spent upon it will make the intereest bill far more heavy than it ought to be, for the expenditure has been going on for some thirty years or more, and up to June 30 amounted to £1,676,580. There has been a set off against the interest account in the shape of revenue from traffic as the line advanced from time to time, though the total brought into account thereby from both ends jf the line would necessarily be out of all propostion to the cost 'of working and interest charges. It* is, of course, well known that the gaps remaining to be constructed lies between Tahora and Okahukura, and it is some consolation to know that it is expected the three miles 30 chains between Tahora and Tangarakau should be ready for opening by about. January next. Of the remaining four miles 50 chains at the western end 50 per cent, consists of tunnels, two of which have been completed, the third being more than half way through, while the fourth, and last, has the bottom heading well under way. Only about 20 chains of formation have yet to be done. At the eastern end (33-J miles) the line has been completed between Okahukura and Ohura, a distance of 19 miles 10 chains, and traffic has been carried over it by the Public Works Department for sometime, while beyond Ohura ’ the rails have been laid for miles. The fact that there are five tunnels in this length of operations, aggregating 95 chains, explains the slowness of advancement of the. work and its consequent high . cost, but nearly half of this task has been completed, 'as well as formation, except for aboqt 70 chains of heavy work, while several bridges have yet to be built. It is mentioned that in the view of the department a considerable proportion of the traffic that is now being carried via Marton between the Main Trunk line and stations north of Wanganui will, when the StratfordOkahuknra line is completed, be diverted to the new and shorter {route, resulting in a substantial loss of revenue, though it is admitted that the haulage costs will be reduced and benfit derived from additional traffic that may be developed. On that basis it is considered “the loss will be equivalent to the cost of working the new line, plus interest charges on ' the capital cost.” Obviously such . a view is much too narrow and . circumscribed. For instance, at ’ the present time the Railway De- ! partment is suffering materially ' from the strong competition by motor traffic on the roads be- < tween Taranaki and Auckland. ’ The new trunk line will assured- j ly be able to compete against the i motor traffic in point of time, cost l and convenience, always provided ; that the requisite facilities are j given and that every effort is ( made to popularise the line < throughout its entire length. I Then there is the freight traffic. The line passes through a fertile i • and rapidly improving country, 3 so that the shorter distance for ’ the carriage of produce to New , Plymouth instead of to Auckland 1 will certainly attract patronage c and foster increased production. There are many other advantages s —direct and indirect—which a could be mentioned to point to a the probability of this new line being able to hold its own c financially if worked on enterprising methods. Therefore the < sooner it is open for traffic the t better it will be for the railway - finances of the Dominion. !