DAY BY DAY.

Waikato Times, Volume 92, Issue 14263, 14 January 1920, Page 4

DAY BY DAY.

It is gratifying to find that at last the members of the KiriRoad Board kiriroa Road Board or have taken definite acCounty? lion in the proposal to

merge the road district in the Waikato County. For a long time past the trend of public opinion lias been in the direction of such a stop, and members of the Board have frequently voiced their agreement with the proposal. Tile advantages which would follow the merging are surely obvious. Not only would there be a considerable saving in the cost of administration of the ratepayers' business, owing to the doing away with the present necessary duplication, but there should be a better opportunity of concentration upon works, resulting in a saving of time and effort, to the ratepayers’ advantage. The Board has do cided to circulate a petition throughout the district with the object of obtaining the signatures of those favouring the proposal, and as the names of at least 50 per cent, of the ratepayers in the area are necessary it is hoped that none of those interested will be guilty of the “sin of omission." The merging of road district in county would toe another stop in Waikato's advance.

The tremendous possibilities which light railways- hold for the Coast opening up of the hinter-

to lands has seized upon Coast, the fancy of many local bodies in New Zealand, and consequent upon the movement to push a light line from Hamilton to Haglan and Kawhia, on Uie west coast, the settlers of the far North, around Kaitaia, arc now enquiring as to the prospects of a line from Awanui to Victoria Valley, a distance of approximately IC. miles. The suggestion is now also made that - the isolation of Tauranga on the east coast should he broken by an undertaking similar to that proposed for the west coast, and if the people of Tauranga and the intermediate districts are wise to their own affairs, they will closely cm brace the scheme. An agitation lias been proceeding for years to secure a railway connection between Tauranga and the Main Trunk lino, but the proposal has been constantly shelved by the Government, and now the only hope, and it should be a very real one, is in a light lino connection. The capabilities of light railways were amply demonstrated during the war in Belgium and France, while the former country was for years before the war linked up everywhere with the narrow gauge system as feeders to the trunks. Cheap of construction, rapidly and easily laid over any kind of country, the possibilities arc unbounded, and should Tauranga take up the question seriously and put through a light line to the broad gauge system at Matarnata, roughly a distance of 30 miles, this would give a railway service from coast to coast right across the middle of the North Island. The benefits to Waikato would be commensurate with those gained by the ports on both coasts, for it would not only put Hamilton in touch with ocean-going steamers at a distance of 30 miles, but would also place the ports in communication with the Main Trunk railway at the same distance. Railway communication between Te Awamutu and Putaruru, past the Arapuni, works, was definitely decided upon some time ago, and though it was intended that the line be of standard gauge, it is highly probable, in view of the information that has been placed before the local authorities recently of the value of light lines, that the broad gauge proposal will now be substituted by a narrow gauge service.