NEW RAILWAY LINK

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 38, 9 June 1947, Page 5

NEW RAILWAY LINK

MURUPARA TO EDGECUMBE ( The possibility of a new railway being constructed down the valley of the Rangitaiki River from Murupara to Edgecumbe was mentioned by the Minister of Works in announcing the 10year plan of development for the Bay of Plenty.

Viewing the area as a whole, said Mr Semple, it was evident that the major problem lay in the inland region drained 'by, the Rangitaiki and Whakatane Rivers, The heavily forested areas were still relatively inaccessible for working purposes and the problem of bringing timber products on to the market in large quantities had necessitated an examination of several alternatives.

It would be recalled that the Government had recently purchased the Taupo Totara Timber Company’s tramline, and in the Waikato Development Scheme, which the Minister had already announced, provision was made for the extension of that line via Atiamuri towards Taupo. The question whether it should tap the Kaingaroa Plains was well worth examination. The possibility of taking this produce out by the Rotorua line must also be closely studied, but the st6ep grade at Mamaku severely limits the possible loading over that route.

The third possibility which was definitely the most interesting to the Bay of Plenty was to bring this traffic down the Rangitaiki river from about IVlurupara to the existing railway in the vicinity of Edgecumbe.

A further proposition under examination which would be affected by this scheme would be the provision of deep-sea berthages in Tauranga Harbour where the connection with the Bay of Plenty railway system as a whole together with the proposed completion of the link between the Bay of Plenty and Gisborne would be a great advantage.

It was clear that there was tremendous scope for development par- • ticularly in the Whakatane, Opotiki ;hnd Rotorua Counties, and the first projects necessary to this end must be improvement and extension of ' communications.

If the proposed flood control works on the Rangitaiki and the rail outlet down that river both eventuated, the electric power for the railway would probably be developed from the Rangitaiki River. Bay of Plenty people can also expect to benefit by quicker train services and reduced freight rates resulting from proposed improvements of rail facilities which include the completion of the PaeroaPokeno line and improvements of curves between Paeroa and Waikino. Rail Link With Gisborne Of considerable interest to the whole of the Bay of Plenty is the •contemplated connection of Motuhora with Taneatua either by rail ar by ro,ad. This connection was referred to in the statement on the Gisborne plan as a problem which demanded the full investigation of alternatives before any commital to actual work was done. The alternative solution involves the extension or determination of existing railheads and the construction of a modern, well-aligned and graded highway to permit the operation of heavy transporters conveying rail containers between railheads.