PROPOSED LIGHT RAILWAYS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VIII, Issue 680, 24 June 1914, Page 4

PROPOSED LIGHT RAILWAYS.

The letter of the Minister of Public, Works to the Waitomo Coun'y Council in respect to the report on the- % Wairere Palls is worthy of r the profound consideration of* all those interestedin the propased light railway from Te Kuiti. Without going into detail it is estimated that to . install the .necessaty ' plant in order to harness the Falls an outlay of £40,000 would be required, and in view of the heavy cust the jpsrt•inent question is put as to whether the money could not be better ex- . pended in lowering the gradients sufficiently to undertake a steam rail - service. When, the matte* came before the County: Council the chairman asked the Council to consider the matter from the standpoint of the whole district. From the information to hand it seemed to' him advisable to get the . fullest possible' information. It would be injudicious to install an electric line, if suchr was not capable of being extended to serve the whole district If a ' steam railway was decided upon, capable of being extended to link cp I wAh the other lines of the country, there would be every inducement fee adopting that type of railway. Tie information neeesßary to decide upen what amount of power .was available" would take, time to collect and in tie meantime it would be advisable to obtain all passible information concerning the feasibilty of a steau service.; These points are thoroughly worthy of consideration. A Government railway is being put through the Ohura, and any line from Te' Kuiti to wards Aria must have as its objective ' a junction with the Ohura line, while an extension through the back country

from Pio Pio to Kawhla has been advocated for a long time past. Extensions of sucb magnitude are not likely to eventuate in the course of a year or two, but in promoting custly public srvices such Ha railways there is every reason to scan tha future and provide for all reasonable development. The history of tha distiict is a record of progress unprecedented in the Dominion, and there is little doubt the visions of the mo3t sanguine of our settlers are destined to' be realised. In view of past development there is every reason to mould, our public schemes generously, and make ample provision for that expansion which must take place as the resources of the district are developed.