The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1919. OPENING THE MOKAU.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16454, 5 June 1919, Page 2

The Taranaki Herald. DAILY EVENING THURSDAY, JUNE 5, 1919. OPENING THE MOKAU.

A Eotare correspondent revives a mutter which during the war years has been almost lost sight of, the opening up of the Mokau district, and especially the coal measures existing there. Ho advocates the construction of a railway from Waitara, through TJreuui and under Mount Messenger, to the Mohakatino Valley, thence to the Mokau River, where the mines are situated, a total distance of forty-five miles from the present railway to the mines. We believe our correspondent is correct in stating that' there are no serious engineering obstacles along the route. Certainly it would pass through excellent country for the greater part of its length and it would serve a very extensive area of good country inland. Also it would tap vast deposits of coal, whose value is not yet realised. It is a thousand pities that the Mokau mines are not being worked now for even a small output such as was yielded before the river was blocked some three or four years ago would be exceedingly welcome, in the local market and the mines would be a more profitable proposition than ever. It is of course impossible to relieve the present position by means of a railway will take years to construct even if it were already authorised. But it ought to be possible to clear the river in a few months sufficiently to allow small steamers to reach the mines. The work ought indeed to have been undertaken immediately after the block occurred. Every year it is left the more difficult and expensive it will become. To return to the major question of opening up the country and the coal measures by means of a railway, it may be recalled that a flying survey was made many years ago and a route defined for a considerable distance, passing through or almost through Urenui village. It would serve au immense area of good land which at present is: seriously handicapped by want ot means of communication,, with a port, laud which will coulribute great quantities of wool and meat with which to meet the cost of the war. It would tap a vast coal field, extending from Mokau to the Ohura eastwards, thus providing

a traffic which would make .the line one of the best paying in the Dominion. Extended to Te Kuiti it would traverse rich country throughout its length and provide the shortest land route between Auckland and Taranaki. It is a line in which New Plymouth is deeply interested for it would bring a great trade to this port. We do not, of course, suppose thah it will be possible to put the. line in hand until two or three other important lines are completed, but agitation is arising for the construction of railways in all parts of the Dominion and it would be a wise move to bring this one before the notice of Ministers with the view of having it scheduled as early as possible.