KAWHIA HARBOUR RAILWAY.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 373, 31 July 1908, Page 2

KAWHIA HARBOUR RAILWAY.

(TO THE EDITOR.) Sir,—Now that Kawbie district has decided to insist on having a railway, let me propose what has always appea red to me to be Kawbia’e best railway connection, calculated to create in K * whia shipping trade something of c »n--siderabie importance. Tbe object of a railway I taka it is to make K iwbia Harbour tbe seaport for all the Routh Ancklaodaad North Taranaki trade, and with this object what could be betterithan a line to Ohara, (70 miles distan!) jnneti >ning with tbe prop »se<l Stratford branch to tbe M«in Trank ; or what would be better still, if the present agitation for tbe StratfordOngarue deviation is successful, to effect a junction with it at Pio Pio, 40 miles distant, or only 10 miles farther than the Kawa route. If tbe railway goes to Kawa it is hardly likely Auckland’s present trade to the southward will be shipped to Kawhia and then railed 80 mi’es ea t to the Main Trunk, such a roundabout way would not warrant the saving of a little extra freight, Kawhia by jauctioning with the Main Trunk at Kawa is making tbe means of getting the trades Hith of that point shipped through Kawhia very difficult, as I doubt very much that merchants, to save a little extra freight would go to the expense of building warehouses at Kawhia. N.:w the Kawhia railway has first got to make Kawhia and consequently make itself a {payable concern, and to do this it will be best to keep off tbe Main Trunk liue, and as I suggest, effect a junction with the branch line to Stratford, either at Pio Pio, or if necessary in the Ohara Valley. For years it has been tbe talk of Obura and surrounding districts, that Kawhia, being only 70 miles distant, against Auckland’s 170, is their natural outlet, and the prograss this coud try has made in. a tew years U certain ly such as to warrant Kawhia'sserious consideration as against the very indifferent and rather sparsely settled country in the southern Waikato. Besides, the 40 miles of country from Kawhia to Pio Pio has no equal in the King Country, it is this—Kawhia’s natural endowment— that is booming Te Kuiti to day, which place trades oat 40 miles, or within less that 20 miles of your harbour. Surely such facts ought to awaken the locality to tbe necessity of connecting Kawhia harbour by rail with the rich lands to the south of it, and dispel those antiquated ideas of a connection with Auckland. As regards tbe route: this would be a matter for engineers, though ibe atari would most likely be made up the Te Awaroa, from thence on a good grade (with no bridges or tunnelling on it) could be got right to Pio Pio, or even Ohura. I doubt if a more popu • lar, a more central, or a more profitable route could be found. It would silence a lot ot petty jealousies contacted with other routes, and it would tap the centre of trade the whole length. Kawhia would have absolute control of ii, right to Taranaki, and Auckland would be compelled to oome ou.ta it via Kawhia harbour. It is this fact that Kawhia mast not lose sight of, if tbe railway is to make Kawhia a port, As a tourist route few lines could equal it, and in case of a junction at Pio Pio, 16 miles from Te Kuiti, accass to tbe Main trank would be very convenient if necessary. I doo’s wank to take up too much of this paper's valuable space bat I want the district to agitate for tbe best railway ooonecaon, and to do so, study it from end to end, apart from personal interest*, aud remember that so long as it is placed to the best advantage we will all sba<*a in the benefits of tbe increased prosperity it will bring —Yours, etc., PROGRESS.