INLAND WATERWAYS.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVI, Issue 4813, 20 February 1925, Page 2

INLAND WATERWAYS.

A DORMANT ASSET. WAIKATO-AUCKLAND PROJECT. The question of the full utilisation; of the natural inland waterways of New Zealand and the development of this form of transportation is one that has not received the full consideration it deserved in the past. When one considers the enormous use made of rivers and canals in the elder countries of the world one is forced to wonder if development in this country ; has been altogether on the right lines. Water carriage is undoubtedly the, easiest and cheapest form of transportation, where it can oe utilised, though not necessarily the quickest, . and within limits it can be provided^., as easily as other methods. ■’l

It is gratifying to see that an impetus has been given in the direction ; of developing inland waterways, for. the time has arrived when their exploitation has become necessary. Cheap transportation is a vital factor in all branches ,of business, and is : essential if a district is to expand and increase its production. This fact ~ is now being realised by .the people the. Waikato, and the proposal to establisl the Waikato River as a satisfactory inland waterway is receiving much attention. Private enterprise can be trusted to provide the means of transport if there is a navigable channel. At the present time a company is operating on the river betweeiM Cambridge and Port Waikato, using shallow draught barges capable of carrying 300 tons of cargo. However, transhipment must be made at the mouth of the river into vessels cap-, able of proceeding over the bar. The possibilities of opvniug a canal througn' the two miles or land which separates the Waikato River and tne Manakau Harbour are being considered. The Awarua Creek, a tributary of the Waikato, and the Waiuku River, an upper reach of the Manukau Harbour. would be utilised. The estimated cost ’is £300,000. While this would permit barges from Cambridge to proceed to Oneiiunga, the expenditure of a further £lOO,OOO on the Tamaki canal would permit them to proceed right to Auckland. . To acquaint influential men with the enormous possibilities of the project the Hamilton Chamber of Com-, merce has organised a tour of the route and invited Ministers of the. Crown, members of Parliament, members of local bodies, and chambers commerce, and business men generally from all' the towns between Cambridge and Auckland to be present. In regard to financing the proposal, it was stated at a meeting at Cambridge recently that the matter had been discussed with the Chairman of tlm Auckland Harbour Board, who had stated that if a rating area could be formed the harbour board would then be prepared to find the ■and build the canals. The Auckland Ciiy would probably be included in -the rating area, and it would possibly be spread over all portions of the province interested, so the rate would be an infinitesimal one. The opinion has been expressed in the Waikato that a small charge on the tonnage transported would be sufficient to meet the annual recurring charges, and it was doubtful if it would be necessary to strike a rate. In case it was found necessary, however, then the amount the individual taxpayer would be c,ailed upon to pay would be so small in proportion to the extraordinary benefits received that it would be negligible. During the different ditscussions on the inland waterways question in HupWaikato it has on many occasions been pointed out that there were better and shorter canal routes to Auckland than via Waiuku and Tamaki. Being interested in their own river, the Waikato people have not pursued the subject, but it appears that A canal from a tributary of the Waikato River that joins it near Taupiri and the Piako River is what was referred to. According to a map these streams are only a few miles apart, and when it is considered that only a depth of three or three and a half feet of water at the most is required for the Waikato River vessels ; that except for passing placets the channel need not be much wider than the barges; the Waikato River below Taupiri broadens out and is dotted with innumerable islands, so that the greatest care must be exercised by navi-, gators to keep their vessels off the sandbanks that in addition to the £400,000 required for the construction of the Waiuku and Tamaki canals ah enormous sum will have to be spent in improving the lower reaches of the Waikato, and that the greatest proportion of the .Waikato trade will come from above Taupiri, it would appear that investigation may not be waste effort. Engineering ability can overcome any difficulties likely to be met, and it only remains to be seen if the scheme is economically sound.