MAIN TRUNK SHORT CUT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2196, 8 July 1914, Page 12

MAIN TRUNK SHORT CUT

LEVIN TO GREATFORD WHAT THE DEVIATION WOULD EFFECT STORY OF THE AGITATION Sorno day fifteen miles will ba eliccd eff tlio rail a ay nir. frorr Wellington to Auckland, am! the expresses w.il rush across on long level stretches from fid in to Martoi. lrctt.id of winding round tbo p-wnt lortiions rono This deuation has bren talked about lor t b;g tinin ih the Manawata, and tho si'ccondinK members for the district have brought n i'p in the House jear after \oar. It is still a projcci. of the-fu-ture, but its d.iy will --onie, ycais ago a petition prawng tor the construction ot tho Leuii-Clrtiitford doiiatlon wai to Varliiment and the Pub'ic Potitic-.s Committee hold a titunt; on September U, 1904, to bear what iho radon's had +o sj\ en tnc subject. Eight jcw bofcre, ac tho instance of Mi. J G. Wilson, M.11R., tlip Goierniii-it l.ad oont Mr. James Jl'Korrow to examine the countrj ai'd report on the proposed line. It is en<« o; the !ned anih ; tior.° of IVxton fad Loviu to t'lis ua» built, .iiul as r. matter of fact the people of Fovtoii wore led to "\pcct as Inn , ; ago ! rs iB7B thit tlicir toM , . would bi , on the main line of railnaj. Tlie l port of I'oxto.i was, of (.ourse, tho original oJtlut for t'ij whole ol the Manauati , r.nd Hangitikei d'stiiots, and for many jcaii twveller3 bound from Wellington t<i fie north used to take passage in I tho oW Jane Douglas to Fcxton and then proece<l b> trr.ui to PaHercton and towards Wanganui. 'iho first means of r.ccess frem l'oxton into tl.o inWio: was a i.ooden trainnay laid do'\ n tc supi>!> t.inber for Messrs. \ lirogdon's rail»ay contracts In 1876 this was eon-cried into n railway and linked up l\,o j O . s rs later with an oxctnsion Jrom Palmcrstou en to W?a"anui Haw Foxton was Cut Out. Sir Julius Voxel's original schenie for the Xorth Wa-id Mam Trunk Railway w-<i that it shoi'M proceed frou ncHiKKton to Auckland \ia the Hi.iiutaku, Wairarapa, Jla'.awatu Gorge, Waiifianm, ard Now PKwoutb >o proi:siou was maJe tor a line up the Wost Coas.t fioir WeHiiigtoi., a- this st|ctoh of cotiuto »is roii'Mc red not to v,-aira:it ihe 'onbfnu-'ion of a rarlv ■•>) In 1375, .is Mr Buick records I in his, "Old MiMiavatn," Mr Jarr.es Macandrnw, who jar tilth Miniskr of 11'i.ol'c Works under Su George G-oy. I came t-> tl.o conclusion that the c'd idea. I of the poor-.cis of the Marnuat;i w.is nio ig He iirul careful s'lne.is nindf* of the coiiniry Wellington and , Koxtonj ace' as no β-cat enemcering obI Macle« vere <'ncoi':iteicd tlio (onstrii--tion of the line, was "-auctioned, villi its I 'jortlierp ttniiimi" ,-t Foxton, ulirrp it i-,\;is to com c<.i, with the then csisting •"iihav .\ ->tart m' made at once, a»rd , sofirtlnr.g n\e £33,000 n:,s spent, pn.i- i njiailj on tho tunnels and heaw cut- i I tings m ilio iicinity n r PaeKakariki In ' tho follow mi th« Ooiein'i.i'iit 'vent out of Win r>. rctrrncli'iicnt I Ijcc.'ime fli" order o( (lie (!i_\, r.i (I all! I work mi tho iv,] n cd 'me -ajs stopped. ! » I!o\ il in 1S C I), kno-Mi as the "Tlyi.iz Pqu'iiliPii," n ado a lmrnrvl tour tlirou> r li the roloiu to th , | \inons railwav \vork« in progress nnd i rnndoniiiPil tho line The CnniniNsion'i ! iloe.sion did not wet -.viih the anpro'-pl ' of tlie bn<iiiie>s ivoplo of Wellington tor ivo \tari liter tU Weirnp.o.i aixl .M.in:n.,>i" Ihi',\a\ Conipn.iv, T.imi'Ml, firiu'd, \nJ on N'moinnor '.?, 1 3 S(>, Iho irim nil thro ttrli fre n. Wol-' liiij'lon tii Pihnorstoii Tlio object of the rompain '.«n [n open up the "Uinav..it«i ~iul it ileoulei] ilil - mild ho a bitter toiiuinu-. for i* than' I-'otton The fl|»Mlili<; (i f (iio imo nitiiLilfi'inok m.n ,i I'roit pin ill tli-- ii|i.i n< K V |~,s me Ihroiuli (ho pi) rMrr ,ui'l Totf.in\ |i<nv<. r' lir.-pr nn a inroiipliToud onre ac;i.' ljMj'.uijbed uiitil (be openms !

i nf the Main Trunk railwiy was draw , - I ing iMthiii measurable J'sUnro. it slioulil l.e e\pl.uned that m the meai.Itinio .. siibst iiittnl steain tramway lino I had ken built osci ? portion of tho ■ route to bo tri*crsc(i, by the Riiigihko: I Countv Council, at a cost of £25,000. Jhe ijbjfct or this lias to pro>'"do for j the coiuc\ance o( rowi i -ota! .i::d goods I from thy fian^itik- , ! liner down o\er J)o sonthcrn jxvhOii cf Mio country to Foxioii This lino junctions -nith tin S'Vloii-I'jlniTMoii r.uf*.av at Himitanni, anc , proud'os railri;c ovor r.carly 20 of the 3'J milci needed to make t ;, o popncciioii bet, - ecu I<o>ip anJ Greatford I Position In 133 G. j lijung iji'l so much it only n'MxW Jto bo adclid that tho dit'rict |th r ough w'lich tho hue will pass , lis 0:10 of tho most clesol} settled and fer'ilo ir. 'tho Dominion, and in .iddition '.0 the sji m>; in tune on thi> 'nrough tranV thpfv* should he a considerable local traffic to, bo deielopsu. l'ho settlers themsciws lad so much coi'hdeiice 111 the lino that i» 1895 thej 1 ronosed to fonn a priiate company to construct it. The, Goicrnucnt, n>-i----e. cr, refined to absent to the projvesai Mr. M'Kcrroii estimated the c< st of tho line, including t'io building of tiio ! two bridges acrusa t:io Manawaiii and I Ra-ig.tikei Ruer:, at £200,000. His report, vrhicji was d.i f cd April I-! ISL'U, ■as as fol'ovs - — 1 Tho Hon. the Minister of Lands — Iγ acroida.i'o with the request •nar'n )0u by tho Hon. tho Pr**ia:er and tho Hori. tlio Minister for .Railncjs, that I should ieport ->n tho proposoJ in.o of railnsv, Lrviu to G'reatford, via Foi> tou, I have tbo honour to state +hat m eon.pa.iy of Mr. J. G. , Wilson, M.H R., I wtnt over tho ground, 13th to 16th March, and at Foxton met a deputation comprising the Mayor (Mr. Vje), Messrs' Ihyr.ne, Kerr, Hennessy, and about twenty others, and at Leviii, Messrs. Davies, Gower, Kebbell, Stewart, and Stuckoy, represented' tho local advantages that \>ould ensuo to their districts were tho proposed lino cf railway made. "The eo-nparison of tho existing and propci-ed lines in respoct of distances, grades, an J eunes is as ibllovs:— M Ch. Present Levn station to Long barn station en VellingtonManawatu Coy.'s Lne ...„. 24 52 Longburn station to Grestrord station, Goit. lino 23 30 Distance Levin to Greatford by existing liue 54 2 Piwnt Levin station to Foxton by iino i ia Moutoi Swamp, survojed under direction of J. T. Stewart, district -engineer in . 11 40 Foxton to Carnarvon etotion ... 5 25 Carnarvon to Sr.n=on- (steam 14 12 Sanson, via BJls, to Greatford station, distance soaled from tho lin. lithographic < 1 map g 0 Distance Loun to Groatford by proposed lino 3"i 0 Proposed lino shorter than ex-ist--;g line by V, 0 1 Tue 1 a» to iho grades and curves oa tlio oxi ting lines,from L-evm to Lci.'gbura, t-iero :s uo v £rade steeper than 1 in 100, and onlj ono 15-tbau: tuno approachu-g Mauanatu River, no otl.er less ihan 'JO chains radius. From Lcngbn 11 to Greatford, esppcisllj that p?rt of the lino" between i'cilcling and (jrc.itfc-Q, tno pade; and cur\es are soera, there are US ckaii.s of a grat'u of 1 \ii 50 and other grades let\w;iL tnat ai.J 1 in 100, m all fi»o miles ste'eper than 1 in 100. From Greatforu to Lot 20:1 m the grades are l>>tter, , thoro bjJig~only seven chains 1 m 50, Biid icE3 than Jour n'lles steepof tfiaa 1 11110- 1 . Thtro aro 5J &ii!«, cf cuncs rai.girg from seven to 20 chains radius. A Straight and Level Run. "In iLa part of tho proposed line, Levin to loston, there aro oa!y chain: 01 irrada botvtc:n 1 ill 59 '.T.nd 1 in 100, and only one curve of 20 chains radius. From Foxton to Greatford tho !ino can. bo rue. nearly straight on easj grades. "From :h3 foregoing it will be .seen that for ail places north of Greatford J tLe hne via i"o\ton would bring th»m 11") miles varoT Wellington h\ r.i.l tlian w).£t the) aro \ow, aid locally it would savo tho country .bctfteeii Bulis, Sanson, and Foston, a round ra , ! of about 30 ipiles 011 goods traffic . . . "A-, regards the character of tho tv.o lines ns to sradeb and curves, ;Lat bv Foxtor. ■wc-iIJ bo tho better. It v.ould be a vorv easy lino to cocstruct. tho country being pract'cally kvel , tiircushout; the bridges over the Mana«atu and Rangitikei RivCi-s, and tho permanent-way for .about three miies o\er tho Momoa S«amp, aear Foxton,' vould be tho only expersive items on .tho line. Tho ifouioa Sivamp can be t arcded bv a dolour through the sardli I,'s. bub'that would add to the of the line b/ about 1J miles, thereby rcilaeir.g ;iio saving on'tho through d'Staii"e tc 13J miies. "U:o tran-iine is along a public road almcst straight from end to end; there are "no cu f tmgs or enbauhrpent6 o f tny extent, tho coiuiiry being very favourable. It,»oulJ be prccticabb to keep tc the tram-l:nc for railway, . so far as adopting st to cave exjicnse on tho constriction cf thd railway on a.i independent hne. it h hardly worth cOiisidoratio'i. excepting .tlio sa\ing of cost, cf laid and severance, as it is hid with old 281b. raih, \ery asii'ih v.oru and a. bad eder. ' Cast Put at £:oe,QOO. "Tnero vould therefore >j, a*"ter deducting the 5} miles frem Foxton to Carnarion, 34 a.ies ot uilnay to construct. 'Further, as (iroatiord station 111 i's prcsert position ;s tiusuitablo fer a nmetion, and u'oreover i',Ms undesirable to ha\e another junction, so near Marton Junction, it weak , , bo better,' therefore, to continue the lino from Greatford 10 Marton Jui.ttion, 3 miles 16 chains, or 111 all about !I7 or Miles of railnsy w> cor.truct, «'iich in the absence oi detailsc sun ej and estimates, should not be .'stimattd to cost 'ess *lun £S» 000 "Although it uoulrJ a decided ad.anUre to shortsn i!>p dista'KP bv 13J or lo'nvlcs and aia Inlf -.n hour to an hour on trafSc froin all place, north of Gr-atferd to and from Wclli.ictcn, the rrpvpit tiaffi: wou'd not warrant t!'e outlaw, for it «odd moan tin. <lnision of, the trafk-cvei tno tuo 1,, is tt'th tho e\tr.i cost of niaintenance, aiid o f auditionv tr 4m fpr'irek ttitl'out correspomhnp mcronn. of tralhe. \\ hen the tliro i«li l'lie to A,.tHan,i ■» comuictcd and ojieii tor traflt u-rcnv Iwnort!: w lule to i-cns.der tiij question n co, strPcti.ii: the d.rect 1,,r ftom Lev-n to Groitford. but ( not till .hen. Ti-n s«ttl-rs between Bulls ami Wen, ii. tan7.s .Ireadj-mcntionea, are as re- - conien-encej. ro-ch letter "ff thai ome .raoortMil .lu-tri. ts 1- tho ,o'oin I »" ulli a(lus ° lh " G< " 01 ?' r*,lpSfon -jf tins 1,,,. for tho IMCceiii, and until there is a c..:is l( l<.rab e ; ntrw .; ol tnPU.-JameOl Korron. , ji., .M-v-ypt bii-il their no.-ts on th* I , ,*.' i!« H»'i Bii>l;.\ lornlon, so Ib.it tlio ..ml Hip l>-nK do aot I'l out «!'"" ll ' l ' b.iu;t- is or loßPnil, Ji-s:r.b»d '.>v Mr. A. M. Xortiei. dork lo i , 0 I.sin .1 U-ctuiP t& tho member-, of tho \MvtJ A \ard Hub, 'tho brnl>e. Mr. ' SoitUT 1-ad apparpntlj i-oco m o .c----tuoi.-ilile for a n«-> breed rf paeons. l'ur.dr.M-! 01 these bi.iU make thei'- lionia 0.1 the Inilpo, .-.nil thej torn , to k-ue ds•.elopcil -ome ..rci'iuctural Laowledje. ,'oiik of ilion. build tiwir Hosts -ltd bung , All .heir jouii? -it tin wt\ poiut J tab the nc-ts'beiiis w bu.lt into ill-ill tint Hie CoV- •>''« tlic '- 0, " 1 ; u,rd, (I) not i.ill out win 11 the are mm hi; n.i insK' «f J'-'ios. Th« o'u bird- ->t 1-11 the auu rotiU m iiiii'on witli them.