Huntly Railway Bridge.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 16, 18 October 1911, Page 6

Huntly Railway Bridge.

Tor many years past there has been agitation to get a bridge across the' Waikato River- at Utintly, as it was recognised that would he the first step towards securing a railway to Raglari. The Hon. R. .McKenaie will have the honour of driving the first pile on Monday week, and a number of Aucklanders have been invited to witness the ceremony. lire site of the proposed -bridge is between the railway station and store, right in the centre of tire township of Huntly. The bridge is to he suitable for both railway and traffic, and should therefore be a great boon to residents and farmers, ft is proposed to construct three miles of railway from the main line at Huntly out to Awaroa, but the ultimate destination of this branch line is Raglan. The route of the proposed line will pass through \Vaimi and Te Aku, right on to the head of the Waiingaro, thus- giving direct outlet for the' Raglan district. The course will skirt the base of Pukemiro, and wilt open up large areas-of known coalliearing land, which hitherto could not be worked (Owing to .lack of transit facilities. When'the line is completed to the head of the -Waingard,-an hour’s run by lauheh would- reach' Raglan. That is in the future, but—once the bridge across the. .Waikato is completed, Jhe main block to the extension of the railway will be over. One great advantage of the Raglan line is that it does not present any serious engineering difficul-ties'.-added to which it will tap large areas of both Crown and native land. It is generally held that the district about to be opened by railway -in the direction of .Raglan, is one of the richest in the Dominion in minerals, there beling vast deposits of coal, limestone, iron stone, as well as other minerals and timber. Such a district should soon make a branch line pay by its traffic, and thus, encourage the pushing forwai-d to the head of the Waingaro. It is these -future possibilities tliat lend stv.-h interest, to. the driving of the fijst pile of the railway bridge at Huntly. . , ... ... , -