THE PUBLIC’S MONEY.

West Coast Times, 12 April 1912, Page 3

THE PUBLIC’S MONEY.

AND HOW IT GOES,

RAjTHER STRIKING EXAMPLE

AUCKLAND, April 8. The North Auckland Railway Works, which are now in progress, have lately been examined by an Auckland resident, who has, in a letter to Mr. G. L. Pcacockc (chairman of the Auckland Railway League), severely criticised the route adopted by the late Government. The gist of his letter is as follows: Now that the new Minister of Public Works- has been chosen, it behoves the Railway League to get to work on the now famous Kaipara line No. 1 deviation, via Bickerstaffo, for, in ray opinion, and in the opinion of 99 per cent.

of the people who know something about this section, it is one of the greatest blunders ever foistered on the people of New Zealand. Had the line gone on the original route there is not the slightest doubt that it would by

now he very near M’Carroll’s Gap, but in the present state of affairs it will take from film to seven years to get there. “On March 7th., in company with

one of the old settlors, I traversed the wholo lino from Young’s Point, and, in my opinion, public money is being absolutely buried without no hope

of return. On the other hand the North will bo penalised

for over to tlio tune of something like £250,000, while the journey will ho about an hour longer. Well may the old settlers who, for twenty, thirty, forty, or fifty years have put up with great hardships, bewail tlio faint hope of seeing a railway completed in their time when they look on the works now in hand. I believe that if every stick was loft on this job, and tlio original route adopted, oven now

the country would have a line with reasonable curves and grades, over which a train could travel a decent speed, and still bo £200,000 in pocket. Most of the. cuttings were partially filled at the time of my visit, the sides having slipped. The Bickerstaffo country is nothing more nor loss than a moving mass of silt, yet that is what they are trying to tunnel through.

One tunnel, three-quarters of a mile long, passes through a slip about fifty acres in extent, and anyone can see that the wholo hill has simply slither towards the- river. The face of this tunnel is some 70 to 80 feet deep, and they were filling it with boulders brought all the way from Kaipara Heads. Imagine the cost of this tunnel alone. Even if they over do finish it—which I very much doubt—it will bo

liable to move en masse with tlio hill. What is this section going to cost for upkeep if it is put through ? “ Then there is the Otamatea bridge, which, when finished, will completely stop two navigable rivers, and will penalise the present users of those rivers above tlio bridge. T could go on indefinitely, hut this is enough to draw

your atteniton to a state, of affairs which should not be, and 1 am sure, if you can do anything to rectify this huge mistake, the people of Now Zealand will he grateful to the benefactor who, by his efforts, will save both a largo amount of money, and many weary hours travelling.” In an interview, Mr. G. L, Peacockc points out that the above' objections

were raised before the deviation of the line was decided upon by the Hon. 1?. Mackenzie. “Regarding the Bickerstaffo section, from all I can learn unofficially,” added Mr. Peacocke, “great difficulties have been met with in the tunnelling work on the Bickorstafte side of the Otamatea, owing to the unstable nature of the ground on this section. Tho predictions as to the serious difficulties that would be met with from tho peculiar character of the country, which has evidently been ov; the move in huge masses in the past, are apparently being verified. It is said that the floor of a. tunnel on this section has had to bo excavated to a depth of over 35 feet to enable solid foundations to be put down to

support the line of rails. If this ho a fact, it is apparent that tho extra cost per mile of this section will bo very great, and will unfairly handicap the North Auckland railway in its ability to pay interest .on tho cost of construction. Besides this extra cost in money the completion of the line will

iio delayed for an indefinite period, and the benefits of the railway to settlors, and its possible revenue-earning position postponed unnecessarily. What the new Minister for Public Works will do to deal with the position I cannot says, hut it seems to me as if the matter ought to bo officially investigated, and tho actual state of affairs asccr-

tinod. I should he very glad to learn that things are, not in the moss described by my indignant correspondent.”