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Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 199, 19 August 1873, Page 2

This surrey has, from the beginning, been prosecuted under unusual difficult le*, arising from tbe sullen and defiant conduct of the nati\es, requiring great caution on our part to enable us to proceed with the work. The greatest opposition was fiom the Oliinnmuri natives, who at last drove us ofF by force of arms. Many of the natives between the Thames and Waikato seemed to favor the undertaking; but the murder of Sullivan occurring whilst I was in the vicinity of Cambridge, the natives became excited, and advised me to desi«t I spent a week returning slowly over the ground, when an accident to the instrument prevented tho survey of this portion being as complete as I could have wished. The survey commences at tho terminus of the Grahamstown and Tararu line, traversing the beach to tho south end of Sliortland, when it crosses property of little present value, to the Knnwttpranga Stream, passing dose to Sliortlnnd Wharf The works required are a retaining wall along the beach, >vith filling, as shown on section marked A, which is similar to that of the Gr and T line in front of Grahamstown, and is an average section. Provision will be required for the passage of u hc Karaka Creek, and four street drains. The Greystreet crossing will be level, and a tilling of two and a half feet required to the Ilapo Creek, with retaining wall. The filling and retaining wall will be continued to theKauwaoranga Creek. As the population is increasing above this point, and the stream navigable for small craft it vfould require a swing. From this point the line runs over a succession of fern plains and swamps, passing through three small hushes, to the Thames Crossing, between Ria Te Papa and 'IV Arolia Mountains, a distance of twenty-nine and a half miles. Tho whole of this distance is practically lovel, and tin 1 swamps are easily drained where the line crosses them. The longest bridge on this length is the Olunemuri, and the aggregate longth of all tho bridges on this portion is 986 feet Tho Thames will require a bridge of 181 feet ; and as it is some miles below where navigation by steamers can be carried, and the banks too low to allow crafts to pass under, it will require a swing. The country between the Thames Crossing and Hamilton is very favorablo, crossing the fern flats and swomps forming tho lower portion of tho great plnin of tins province to the gorge fit To Awa, Waikato. Tins gorgo is fornipd by the pnstngo of the Waitukaruru, which, rising on the Waikato side of tho range, runs several miles parallel to that river, and then turning east falls into tho Piako. From Te Awa, Waikato, tho link rum along tho higher or soutli side of the great swamp of 62,000 aeref, and leaving it enters on the fern flat which extends into Hamilton, passsng down Clydestreet into the reuorvo at tho ferry lauding. With the exception of about 6000 yards of cuttings near Te Awa, Waikato, the whole of the lino is level, the swamps requiring a ditch on each side the material thrown into the formation. There are no heavy bridges on tin-, portion, the aggregate length required being 652 (cot 'I Ins portion has not been chained, and I ostimato tho longth at under thirty miles The Ktmwoeranga Creek unrl sea beach would'furnish an unlimited amount ol excellent bullist, and most of the creeks between Shortland and the Thames Crossing would furnish an adequate supply. The pumice formation from the Thames to Waikato would furnish its own ballast. A large qiuulity of oxcelleut timber for sleepers would be

hivim 'l\l by the ranges to the east of the lino between Short'and and the Thames Crossing. On the portion between the Thames and W.ukato, near the Waitoe, the hne passes large totara bushes, a largo portion of -winch is on Government land. An unlnuited supply of first-class kauri timber of all dimensions can be supplied by the powerful saw-mills in operation on the Thames, and also from theTarious mills on the coast near us. All material used on the line could be conveyed by water either iroui this place or direct from Auckland to nny. point up to the Thames Crossing. Rails, itc , for the Waikato portion, would have to b# delivered at this crossing, the cost of carriage being much less than by the route tin oufjh Mercer and the Waikato. Material could be delirered at the crossing at 17s per ton from Auckland, and at 10s from Grabanist&wn. Vessel* of any draught could discharge here into steamers suitable to convey it direct to the crossing. The advantages of cheap and direct communication between the large consumers of this district and, the producers of the Waikato cannot be too highly estimated. At present all the Agricultural produce consumed on the- goldiield is procured at uncertain intervals, chiefly from the adjacent Prormces or Colonies. With direct communication, the bulk of these supplies could be procured from the Waikato, — they receiving in return, besides, gold, many articles suited for their use : amongst others, an unlimited supply of first- claw timber, of which their district is nearly destitute. The supplies required by this mining population— already the second in the province and third in the colony — will in ill probability be largely increased, as sufficient evidence w.is o tiered of the auntcrous character of a large portion of the distr.ct through which I explored, as well as of the existence of extensive coal deposits, so essential to the welfare of n mining community. The establishment of this route would materially increase the security of the Waikato settlements, by giving command of the country in their rear. This country, extending as far astheejecan reach, and capable ot supporting a nation, could be traversed by cavalry, and supplies could reach the foot of the plain from this place in five hours by steamer, or by rail in one. The steam service from Shortland reaches to within two hours' ruuof this point daily. The population «vf this district — nearly equal in numbers to that of two neighboring prOMiices — will not receive nnj benefit from the lines in progress in this province, whilst, from the superior advantages offered by this route, its adoption \i ould confer an inestimable benefit on this large community, and be, without doubt, the cheapest route between Auckland and the Waikato settlements. This would be the case with the Waikato settlements in their present extent ; and any extension of settlement on the fertile lands between the Waikato and the Thames Encrs would increase- the advantage jn its favour. Almost immediately after leaving the Thnmes Crossing, the line reaches a fertile district extending to Te Awa, Waikato, nwly the whole of which is m the hands of the Government or Europeuns, and awaiting settlement. This district, before the late war, was noted for its production of wlient. and would, if cultivated, produce sufficient for the whole province. The cost of passage by steamers between Auckland and Ohinemuri is 13s fust-class and 10s second-class, and for this price they would be convened to the Thames Crossing — and allowing 4d per mile on the rail to Hamilton, would make the whole 23s first-class and 20s second-class. This service could be wrought to the greatest advantage, as it would embrace the whole of the passenger traffic between tins place and Auckland, and likewise between this place and Waikato, as well as a large portion of the passenger traffic to Tauianga and the East Coast, which route is growing into favor even in its present unprrfeet state It wAI be seen from the foregoing statement of fact* that the adoption of this route to the \\ aikato would directly benefit nearly all the population of the province south of Auckland, and this lesult would be obtained by a small expenditure, both in construction and maintenance, compared with any cker route . the thirty miles of r.iilway requited not passing through high priced land, being nearly straight and without inclines. Looking at the proposed route in all its bearings, I should advise the extension of the Grahatnstown and Tararu to Kopu, three miles, from thence making use of the river — decidedly the best in the province — to the Thames Crossing, and a railway of thirty miles to the Waikato. The advantage of extending the Orahamstown line to Eopu would be that fast steamers suitable for river traffic could be employed. They would not be subject to the delay so often experienced by the present steamers of having a circuitous route to travel at low water, and to wait for tide to cross the mud flats into Shoitland. As a large amount of tho traffic between the goldfields and Waikato would consist of live stock, they could be landed at Kopu, where there is suitable accommodation for their keep, and when slaughtered, the carcases brought in by rail. At present the cattle consumed here aie shipborne ; each cargo is confined iv sheds close to the town, and hand-fed until killed, which must be attended with loss. For the reason mentioned in my preliminary report, I adopted Hamilton as a terminus,|but an additional distance of about three miles, over n favorable country, would reach Cambridge. I have, &c, John C'arruthcrs, Esq, C.E. Davjd Simpson.