TARANAKI RAILWAYS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11119, 2 July 1914, Page 5

TARANAKI RAILWAYS.

WIIANG AMOMONA SECTION OPENED. ' . ■"£. Til E ST.R ATFORD.-M AIN' TRUNK ROUTE. [Per Press Association.] f -* • W HAJfG AMOMONA, July? The formal opening of'the Main Trunk railway connection Whangamomona took place this noon, Mr Herrios performing the cere«i r mony in the presence of a large ering of .settlers and visitors. ' *Tbe'lino is now available for regular passenger traffic for a distance of thirty-' seven miles Jifty-threo chains from Stratford. The first sod was turned b]K the Hon W. Hall-Jones in March, 1901. Toko was reached in 1902. and Te' Wera four years ago. The Minister, in the course of/ hiispeech, said the construction was a particularly heavy piece of work, especially for the last three and a half miles from the tunnel through ilia main ridge into'the township, Riw-at-rd slips in the -heavy cuttings had iffc' tardea the completion of the fcectiojij" and added appreciably to the cost'."' The tunnel through the ridge wnV 30} chains in longth, and beWeon it and the new terminus there were ,n<f fewer than seven substantial bridges over the same stream. The completion and opening of the line to Whanganimona would be a. boon to settlers on the Whaugamomona', Mangaejo, Prospect and "Whangamomona Valley roads, who M'fll no longer have to face the long and lreavy pull over the saddle. The construction the section had involved an expenditure of approximately £141,000, Beyond the present terminus construction work was in hand for a distance oi .>«7Pii miles, and further on there uas a stretch of extremely difficult country to be negotiated before a junction cou}& be effected with the line in cow v* of construction from the Main Trunk ]iu» at Okahukura: ' ' f 1