NEW RAILWAY IN RICH COAL AREA SOUGHT

Chronicle (Levin), 19 December 1947, Page 3

NEW RAILWAY IN RICH COAL AREA SOUGHT

♦ Press Association)

(Per

NEW PLYMOUTH, Dec. 18. The building of a railway line through the Waitewhena and Aria districts, said to contain the largest coal deposits in the North Island, was advocated by a deputation of Aria settlers to the Waitomo County Council at Te Kuiti. The development of serpentine deposits near the proposed route, the great farming development in the Pukemako and Aria ridings and the provision of a loop around the section of the main trunk line bloeked almost annually by slips were other points raised in support of the reviyal of a movemeiit to nrge the Government- .to build a. line. " The project was first advoc.atecL by thd! Waitewhena Kailway League in the early- years of this century, and the deputation contended that tlie route then proposed — from Puketutu; skirtih^ the Aria ahd Piopio districts, through Aria and the Waitewhena hills to Ohura — was superior to the route through Okahukura which the Taranaki line eventually followed. It was only through political infiuences, contended pionoer members of the county council, that the Okahukura route was deeided upon at the last moment. It had been understood that the more northern route, which had been surveyed, would be followed. The council was doubtful that developments in the area were sufiiioient to warrant tne line, espeeially as a 12-mile loop from Ohura would probably give reasonable access to coal deposits. It was pointed out that the building of a railway might be at the expense of roading grants, and in the long run adequate roading might serve the area better. A copy of the Public Works Department's 10-year plan for the district did not mention any ooalfield railway. Speakers stressed that they did not wish to "pour 'cold water' ' on the scheme, and agreed that the line should have followed the northern route. A resolution was carried that, while the council could not on present information consider the project, it would consider it further if members oi the deputation secured figures of the likely loads and other relevant inl'ormation.