KAWHIA HARBOUR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1509, 3 August 1912, Page 14

KAWHIA HARBOUR.

RAILWAY CONNECTION WANTED. A number of residents in Kawhia and neighbouring districts waited upon the Minister for Public Works (tho lion. W. Frasor) on Thursday, to ask that tho Main Trunk railway should bo linked up with Kawhia Harbour. Tho • deputation was introduced by Mr. C. K. Wilson (Tauinarunui), and accompanied by Mr. j. A. Young (Waikato). Mr. W. J. Shaw (chairman of the Kawhia County Council) said that a line from tho Main Trunk to Kawhia would pay from the outset. The line would drain the Ohourn, Waitorao, and Awakino counties, somo of tho southern end of the Waikato county, and portions of Raglan and Taupo counties. The district tapped Avonld be about 110 miles by 30 in extent, and if goods could be landed at Kawhia Harbour, freights would be considerably lowered. Mr. tico. G. Jonathan (chairman of the Kawhia Town Board) said that freight on general lines to the district represented cost as much as GOs. a ton. To give tho communication asked for, would reduce freights probably by 50 per cent. Tlie absence of the railway had hindered the progress of timber-milling, and during the last ten years large quantities of timber had been wasted which might have been profitably disposed of had the railway existed. The extension of the line to Kawhia would probably lead to the establishment of a freezing works at that port. There wero no engineering difficulties to be encountered in making the line. Tho length of tho railway might be thirty miles. Mr. J. Ormsby (Otorohaoga) said _th.it tho deputation represented the various loeal bodies in the d.Vtricts concerned. Kawhia had been recognised by several past Governments as the gateway to. a large part of the centre of tho * North Island. It was nearly thirty years since the Government had cut up tho Kawhia Township, and much trouble had been experienced in connection with reading. Tho construction of the lino would greatly relieve the .traffic on the roads. Mr. C. Hnylock (Kawhia South) said that if a survey wore'made, settlers would bo .enabled to locate their freezing..works and other establishments, .and . to : make, roads, bridges, etc., with an.eyo.lo tho ultimate location of the railway terminus.

.The Minister said that tlio Hll9 had not yet been authorised, so that tho utmost ho could do; would Iw to have a Hying survey made with a view lo forming a rough idea as to the best route. It had to be reiiiPiiibsrcd that a detailed survey might necessitate a departure of some miles from the line fixed in. the trial survey. The construction of the railway was a matter of money. Ho could not say what would l>a done in connection with the authorisation of tho line, but certainly it could not. bo done that year. If (ho necessary officers could possibly be spared, ho would have a trial survey ordered. Ho could not say more than this. Like other members of the Cabinet, he sympathised with tho needs of backblock settlers. Ho would promise them, at any rate, that the matter would not simply Ira "kept steadily in view." To a question, the Minister replied that ho hoped to have tho trial survey cominenced before next session. It might lw possible to locate tho terminus of the railway prior to surveying the route as a whole. ■ ■

Members of tho deputation thanked the Minister, and invited him to visit their district. Mr. Fraser stated that lie would have pleasure in accepting-the invitation if he could spare tho time.