THE NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1372, 24 February 1912, Page 23

THE NORTH AUCKLAND RAILWAY.

Apart from ' the river facilities above described, the Northern Wniroa district is also within the railway "zone." Last session Parliament authorised the continuation of the Northern Trunk to tho Northern AVairoa Kiver, and this line, when mado, will pass for six miles through the Omana Block and tap the river at tho present Omana Homestead, where'a township is being laid off. The head works of,tho Northern Trunk are now within less tbnn twenty milts of Omana, but the Government announced in Parliament that they intended to also begin the lino from tho Omana end and go southwards, as tho river enabled them to land the material and construction plant at tho lowest cost, and also because the metal required for ballasting tho lino would be taken from the Omana property, both shingle and hard metal being available in any quantity. Tho distance from Auckland to Cfaiana by rail will be .120 miles, and it is oxpecteel that tho lino will bo connected through Within • three years. The start from th& river through Omana is to bo madri as soon as the stair can bo spared for the work, instructions having already been issued for the work to be proceeded with. Thus, in addition to the already existing means of river newss, Omana will within, say, three years, be on the "Main Trunk to Auckland," and be the same distance North as Slctainatri is South. Tho line being mado in from tho river first, will, of course, give the settlers .railway' facilities before the Trunk is connected up. It is expected that when tho railway taps the Northern V.'airoa at Omana.it will end there, and be a terminus for some time, at any rate until the connecting line is mado from the main line over to Whangarei. An important township is now b?i:ig laid off at Omana, the railway taps the river. A largo accommodation house, to cost £'2000,. fitted up with acetylene gas and every, modern convenience, is now being erected at this point to accommodate travellers and visitors to the block. Large saleyards are to be erected here also, for the'convenience of the Farmers' Union Co., tho Loan and Mercantile, and Dalgety's, and two of tho banks have arranged for sections here, and ono at any rate will open as soon' as the accommodation house is open These matters ore mentioned to show that there is every prospect of an important township being established on the Omana Block. ]