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Waikato Times, Volume I, Issue 48, 20 August 1872, Page 2

THE AUCKLAND AND MU2OZ2 RAILWAY The following report on the extension survey of the above railway, by Mr. J. .Stewart, to Mr. J. Oarruthers, has been presented to the House of Representatives : — Auckland, June 4, _ g[ r? —l have the honour to report that, in pursuance of the directions contained m a. minute by the Engineer-in-chief, ofditu 10th of April last, I proceeded on the 22\vi ultimo to Waikato, for the purpose-of examining as to which of the frontier settlements tnere seem most suitable, for the purpose of directing the line of survey, for railway extension. Regarding the general route from Mercer as far as garuuwahia, I believe no question can arise, —the proper right bank of the river being the natural line. In detail, fjr a length of sixteen or eighteen miles between tYhangamarino and liangiriri, two courses may be chosen from —a westerly one by the liver bank, or an easterly one ialairl of the broken range of hills over which tbe coao:i-roao is taken. Both routes are swampy, of about the same lengtn. I he easterly 01 inland one seems to me preferable, and would in general pass along the ends of the spurs of the°hiUs as they border the Whangamnrino swamps, the elevation of these at this line of route being amply sufficient to arford a sur-face-line and good drainage, while the route by the river banks is so low as to be always for a great length flooded by the risings of the river. In a distance of eleven miles from Bmgiriri to the Taupiri Gorge, I believe only one cuttioo-, and that of moderate dimensions, will be found, and only a fevr small s.vamps :

about ten mile s ? of this length would bo mcro ditching and forming* over plains a fovv .... above flood level. In Taupiri Gorge, also, the line is much easier than I bad anticipated. Jfc will be of nincli tho same character of work* las from Mercer to Whungamarino name!** , ! cuttings through a succession of spurs crowd - | nig on the coach road, and a 'general difficulty |to jget room for both. Strong and ! fencing* would be necessary at both tlicc | places between the ro:id and the river to preJ vent cattle or horses shying* and getting ove;' ' the banks, The bridges are easy oil this

point, and under the average of those on tho line north of Mercer. <>u the whole, I feel it safe to say that an easier forty mile* ot railway construction will not be found in Now Zealand than from Mercer to Ngaruawahia. From Ngaruawahia southwards, the route is necessarily determine 1 in a great measure by the main question of the most, suitable 'place at which to terminate. The frontier settlements are three in number, namely, Cambridge, Kihikihi, and Alexaud.-a. I un lerstnnd by the term most snkable fron : tier, in the first place, the place most, suitablI for future extension into (lie interior, and in I the second place, one that will serve well the ; wants of the present settlements by running : the line to it.. j I was very soon satisfied fnafc if ihe lino 1 was taken to Alexandra, it. c >uld only be with i the view of being- hereafter extend >d over the 1 frontier by way ol Kihikihi and Orakau. as | however inviting the valley of the Upper | Waipa is for railway m iking—so far as ex- | cellenoe of soil, ease of c instruction, a cer- ! tainty of carrying a great p >pulation in | future, is concerned —the Rangifcolo Ranges : blending with those of the upper Mokau, i present a batvier again •it extension towards I Taupo far too lormidable to think of when ; easier routes are available. No doubt tho : immense district; of good land lying wetwecn j Alexandra and Kawhia will eventu lily want ! a railway, but it will be a branch and not the man trunk line o. ihe iN orthorn Island that i will b"st servo if. If an available pass ex- : isted leading from tho Upper Waipa Valley by the westward of the Rangitolo Range into the Tanpo Plateau. it. would be a question then between Alexandra, and Kihikihi, requiring for its solution an examination of ! sue!i pass, and in a general way the whole j re ;te lying through a country only recently I allowed, in a passive sort, of way, to be ! traversed by Uuropcios. J>ub all whom T I have consultel, and who have travelled the i route. agree in declaring the country to be :'e;-:eo<« lingly mountainous and impracticable. 'ihe route by Kdiikihi means the old .iiintive track from To A-.v-imulu !o Napier : via Taupo, by which the in tils were earrie I i i'nr many years, and it passe 3 our irontier ; line at Orakau. | This track his not been lately used as a I road to Tauoo, but 1. am inlonned I ho country i is good between the casern side ol Rangi- | t.oto and the Waikato ; that the range of the j mountain b'eivls grau.lua.lly with the central | plat,-an, and p*osmbs no s;ieei il difn ;ultios. ; | That the valley by Orakau to this plateau of | Upper Waiicabo is generally favourable is j ! evi lent fr >m the fact thib lulls of ve;*y j moderate elevation on the banics of tin; river I j far above Maungatantari are visible at . J Alex m Ira. I examine 1 the native track i j beyond Orak'au for some mi!e?> aril the j country looks very favourable for the pur- ; j pose in view. I The route to Taupo by Cambridge /uns I through the Maungatautari Gorg keeping the proper right of the river; soul.)ward of .the above range, by crossing the Waikato, ; the line might take the same country as by [ Orakau. Ido not think the Cambri ige route ; is likely to prove so easy, iu point, of co.j- ---: straction, as that by Orakau,—speaking of extension to the interior, —and ! believe it : only rcmain3 to consider ifquesuoim of loedify ■ are likely to prove more favourable, an 1 in- | fluenee decision if' favour of the fjrmer. And ! towards this, T am inclined to think that had ! the question been between Cambridge and ' Alexandra alone, without reference to extension, the proximity of tho latter to the large i native population, and its consequent strate- : gical position, wou'd, even if other things . were not equal, point to it as the terminus of the railway. An lit is clear that a line by Te i Awamutu, Kihikihi, and Orakau, presents practically the same advantageous feature?, an I on th:s account is preferable to a more : easterly route. : The question of strictly local traTi; is the only other point which presents itself in the ■ comparison, and' looking to the excellent ! quality of the land in all the frontier settlemeats, and the steady progress each is making in settled population, it is impossible to say that Cambridge in this respect possesses any advantages over a strictly central route. Con- , sklering, again, that Cambridge and Alexan- ' dra are cac'n at the head of a navigable river a central route between wotiid afford mote | accommodation to tho country than one along*i side either river. For the foregoing reasons, then, T oedeve some suitable position in toe valley of toe I Mano-ahoi. just below Kihikihi, and abort 1 ; ; midvvav botween Te Awamutu and Orakau, • to be the most suitable place for a temporary I terminus ; the line- to- be hereafter extealdJ. • across the frontier to Orakau. J

Ihiv., V' arrived at this ''conclusion, I feci I that, it, will no!, ho proper to leave the subject •without considering it in another aspect —one which h:is commended ilself to fill with whom I have spoken iri the Waikalo, and to those ' cist;where who nro interested in the question i of opening up the greatest amount of country at, tin: least expense. The proposal is to use • Ihe river between Mercer and a suitable head of navigation for Ihe conveyance of traffic, and make a railway from that point to the frontier. The money which would be other- ( wise expended in rrmk ing a rail way along the banks of a. navigalde river to be invested by ♦ » the, Public Works Department in the Loion• a 1 Funds. and be thus ravailable for extension into the interior wncu tlic proper time • ior so doing arrives. It is not without some hesitation that I enter on Ibis Bubieet, being one foreign to (lie ii:s! rue! ions under which 1 am writing ; , but ar, I believe the course tol:e a proper one, ; and ihe policy of' making use of the river, Bo long us Ihe f raffle can be c irried on if, ko commendable lo common sense, and in con so (pi'Miee baring a reasonable elianee of being | ado i iled, ! feel that any iri vesica l ion woiil I ; not be c inmlelc were it, to leave out consideration of the case from this v iew, o-pc-'ai'y us a, greater amount of diversity of opinion might arise. as to wherefhe head of the navigation should be considered to exist t,!ian as lo I Ik; be I localil y of the frontier terminus. The inquiry with this view pre.SeiJ s a pioblem more dillirult for rue t.o solve with' siil is'riei ;oii to myself than that of flic frnida-e. '!!)!' consi deral ion is a wide one, extending over a choice between the present . heads of navigation, ( Jambridge and .Alexandra, ll,e lower and more central position : of ga rna w;i h iu, or any iutermo liafe point i on c,titer ; iver. (lambridgo possesses Ihe j deepest an i shoHest river, bit the swifter j cun cut. reii !ers I he time in steaming from Nga rnawah'a r.o < !am bridge or Alexandra ; praet '(••illv th" mime. Alexandra is not now : ae'-c a!,!( in the height of summer, but I am ; sat i> lied that tlieie .'ire only three very trilling ; obs! rue! ions, and the expense of removing them, ami msk'ug i!:e whole river 1 at, all times, with any steamers which can past Ihe snail >ws of the Lower Wailcaio. would ho very small, and is, on the other bund, compensated by the greater difficulty in (>-i liiii g ti:i! line away from (he Waikat >, n 'ar ' 'a mbridge, and at. the same lime hav>> lermi'in • ami wharf on the satne level. This hist i Ire,l'llslaiiee ii:;iHelices the inquiry lo sueh I'M e-.ie.il, tlnit f estimate it wnii.d retpiire I'nib. n mile and a ha'f of a gradient of j in "ai lo rise f. mil a. good whart level, near ('as ibri<i':'e, lo I he centre level of the iMouua Til;, i'lin S'.vamp ; and a gr.ul'ent like tins could onlv be niaeed in a gudy, ot winch III,.; >t are : .".'era! sdlablc, lull, all requiring |\(> ivy i,v, i !;-, ;ill ii >11 ;■ !i iiic sod is tne most ca ; v c -n; etvaoie. iiovards this end, I exam i e ed a gul'v near the (own belt ol Cambridge S-uiii, Walker's (lullv, and »\!ya*ei'V Creek ,• rJs>, a main outlet of the Uukuhia tSwr e:!'. I.v '.ow •. l.imilt->n, all moto or less lavIf an i.d •rMC'liate jioint on one of the rivers i: f > !v c!io..eii, (hose places on the Waikaie I-,re.-eill the attradioes of least distance. i'i : sujuiie; - the terminus wouid Ve where 1 h;i b 'lore st.He I, just below Jvihikllli, iiie ioduwiiu,' 1 wi'd aiihrd a comparison : Miles. A!;• ■;,ui■!i':v l > 'iVrmi'iui.s ... ... ... I - Ni 11 lev;dii ... ... ... ... Tt7 <i'|t v 're;'!; .. ... ... ... .1 i) '\V ;; .kef's i t aliv (>' < 'rakau ... ... !t t'i.un.ri.l-r ' 11. The ias! I wo tire measured to Ornkau, as il is more dmee' iieui •,!"» other place to the respect i ve siari nitv poues. '1 he c )untry in all the routes is c,..sv, and filler the several h:vc' most remarkably so. I ntess smne i'v .-Inerrjf nam*.'..l advantages vhenld overrule it, I be;ie\ e if to b" ile.siial.le 'Or - fer one c'' f!:e present t(>wue.hips to making another at th.- }H«ie.t. tie;, iron; Alexandra, sixiv miles of construction would he saved from .'leree". (roni >ixtv-otie. iVoin 1 iantikon thty one. and from jNii'a'air.waiele. 1...',' nnies. Carrying the priis.'b'!:• ; he re m ist of makim.;* most use of w, : ; and ialcmu' ether things inio e.-n.-idei ;o ion. i believe Alexandra to be ihe be ft eobo, Next, I prefer Hamilton, which, al! rockoie.;:' ten miles more vanwae th'-.; i \ ;imer'.d takes a mi re central von.'e in t' e delta. 1 nnijt here note that sieaTeov-* vvhi•;•'*» e u;'d best carry on a jrrea; trai'ko on ..ikalo, arc not suitable for ; h Mi;;' ort'...'eu ?. wahia and Cambrid-re «'.r Ale*, nera, although the)- would do to Hamilton v. ry \sc\\, nr.less it could always he i.reived (i;at two steamers would not require :o v>e - ■ .;•••«;li eti'ev in ;heso rivers. 'I lie com; arisen r-eir.e- iwiueed to the limits of lianei:..*- aral Atruawahia. I am inclined to think i'.'s.v of t he iat ter ; its central position, good aeee;;:in.\ ; e; : on fer wharves, and easy ascent by r.e deicde c-radlents to the plateau level, e'o r..'i \- thr ;o weigli ap*amst an extra eleren m*ee>* oi i ' e very easiest construction in the Delia, i'he route be towards Hamilton. : Iter reselling ihe latitude of which it would tv nee.-.' i the same as from the latter place, crossin-e- ike ilakui.iii Swamp in a direction about r.oni-h bv eat. tindinu* an easy way into the valley of the and at. Xe Awamutu two or three miles np the

I Alang-ahoi to the terminus. The wholo rou-e is through a country rapidly settled | and brought into a state of cultivation- The j Kukuhia and other swamps, now in process J ' of drainage, will for or nine miles present (rratl facilities of construction, arid even- ; tuuily prove n most pro 1 active district. 1 J'y the adoption of the policy I ha\e here advocated, the money otherwise required ior forlv miles eonstrucuon below iwahia would,, when required, siitlico to exteu I the ; ( line nearly forty nules from Orakmi towards ■ Taupo. As to the suitability of the river t) ; carry an immense trafli.;, 1 have for the last eiy-ht or nine years lin-l occasion to study this , subject, and feel assured that steamers draw- : • in<c 2 feet ti inches of waW, or even less, can ; bn trot to steam twelve an hour in still water, and taken total paying- load of sixty tons, within suitab'e limits of length and bre-adth of beam. r J his speed woul I make th .* !up journey to in four hours, ; and down in two hours fil'ty minutes, against j a railway, if at fifteen miles an hour, tvo j hours forty minutes each way; if at twenty ! miles an lour, two hours each way. 1 1 I cannot conclude without expressing my 'some of to gentlemen in tne; Waikalo who, by rendering informal ion, the j result of much travelling and intelligent ob. i , s rval ion, greatly facilitated my work, ami; by personally guiding one to the more salient ( points of observation, saved much time in \ informing my judgment of the work I ha 1 i i to do. I I was a'so much grrd iH >d to fin I a ge.nnral ! 1 d 'sirj to i-i ik min •]• ddi'e/'ciices of opinism in the endeavour of all to secure the public good — I have, iv'.c. : JA'mks y,TKvr\\n\ A.HU-;, j jie■!id :nt i'h- 'iiieer. ; TllO ii:lgi;icer-i;i -{-i» tef, i'ubiie Works. j I