Gisborne to Waikato.

Waikato Argus, Volume XXVI, Issue 4019, 24 February 1909, Page 2

Gisborne to Waikato.

By Telegraph.—Press Association Gisborne, Last Night.

In another four months the Gis-borne-Rotorua construction works will have been completed on the most difficult section of the line, between Gisborne and Motu. Mr W. D. S. Mac Donald, M.P., states that 400 men are employed on the work. The men are now almost up to Gold Creek, 30 miles from town.

Regarding the question of the future route of the line, Mr Mac Donald explained that Te Teko, about 15 miles from Whakatane, was the point of divergence. As to whether the ultimate end was to be Rotorua or the rival Waihi route, to reach Rotorua from this point—an actual distance of about 30 miles, would require about 40 miles of railway, whereas to junction with the railway service of the Dominion at Waihi, via Te Puke and Tauranga, would entail fully 100 miles of construction works. Even then to reach Auckland would mean a wide tour through the Waikato country, unless a link-ing-up line of 40 or 50 miles were run across the Piako swamp lands to Mercer. Looking at it from another point of view, Mr Mac Donald said, with the line at Te Teko, there were some 15,000 or 20,000 people in the great East Coast districts of Gisborne, Motu, East Cape, Opotiki, and Whakatane, and, with Rotorua within such easy distance, they had a right to claim direct railage connection. He had no objection whatever to the Waihi-Tauranga line, but that should be quite independent. Referring to the altitude of the Gisborne Railway League, the member for the Bay of Plenty urged that Gisborne should hurry up and come to a decision on this important question of routes. They needed connection with the Waikato and Auckland by the quickest possible route, and they would get that by Rotorua. One object of the coming visit of the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. R. McKenzie, was that by a personal inspection of the land he might be guided in coming to a decision on the question of route, and Gisborne should not fail to impress upon him the importance of the Jroute which would most readily give them the outlet that was desired.

Mr Mac Donald, who returned homo today, intends meeting the Hon. R. MacKenzie at Opotiki, where he is expected to arrive about the first week of next month.