Auckland to Wellington via Central Railway and Wanganui River.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXXI, Issue III, 18 July 1903, Page 203

Auckland to Wellington via Central Railway and Wanganui River.

(By Our West Coast Representative.)

In December next Messrs. Ila trick and Co., the pioneers and owners of the Wanganui River tourist steamers, hope to make a connection between Pipiriki (the well-known tourist resort on the Wanganui River) and the Central railway at Tamaranui, thus effecting a river service between Tamaranui and Wanganui. The Wanganui River has not yet been cleared as far as Tamaranui, but the River Trust Board has made excellent progress to a point within- thirty miles of this place, and if they are not hampered for funds will by the end of the present year be well up to Tamaranui. At present the work is somewhat handicapped for want of funds, a sum of £BOO, a vote gr anted on the 31st March last, being for some unknown reason not forthcoming from the Government. It is greatly to be regretted that this important undertaking should be thus momentarily handicapped by what appears like bungling on the part of the Government. In the meantime, and pending the clearing of the river to suit their larger steamers, Messrs. Hatrick & Co. hope to make a start at the Tamaranui end with two sixty-foot light launches. One of these is now on the way out from England, and the other is now being engined at the firm’s foundry in Wanganui. It will be possible to make the trip from Tamaranui to Pipiriki, a distance of 80 miles, in one day, or to Wanganui, 136 miles, in two days. The season following this (if not this Beason) the firm will place on the river half-way between Pipiriki and Tamaranui a large hou»e-boat, fitted with sleeping accommodation for at least fifty persons, on which the up-stream passengers will stay one night. This house-boat will have every convenience, including electric light, and should prove a great novelty, anchored, as it will be, in one of the prettiest spots on the river. This boat is 105 feet long by 18 feet beam, and is double-decked.

This new route opens up to the tourist a large choice of interesting trips, quite apart from the river excursion; for instance, a passenger coming down from Auckland can, on arrival at Pipiriki, go on then by coach to Tokoaanu, Rotorua, and back to Auckland; or on to Napier, or again can continue the river trip to Wanganui, and thence rail to New Plymouth, when, of course, the journey could be broken to make the ascent of Mount Egmont, and then by boat back to Auckland. The passenger could also, of course, by continuing the river trip to Wanganui, then go by rail to Wellington; and of course these various trips can be made vice versa. Private trial trips will be made by the owners over the whole route shortly, after which I will be able to give fuller tnd more detailed information.