Kawhia Harbour Railway.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 376, 21 August 1908, Page 2

Kawhia Harbour Railway.

KAWHIA AS THE WAIKATO PORT. Fir the past two or three years the Settler has been playing a lone hand in advocating the claims of the above railway, but it gave n. pleasure to note tb it one day last week the Waikato Times published a leader under tbe very appropriate heading of •* Kawhia as the Waikato Port ” Such has been our contention all along and we are gratified to learn that the paper in question has grasped the great ad van tage it would be to that part of tbe Dominion if the line was constructed. To show our readers an outside opinion we take the liberty of re-publishing the article in’full:

One of the greates-t necessities of a district that produces anything is facility for carrying thot produce to a market where a sufficient margin of profit remains after the expense of the transport, commensurate with the labour of production. And narrowing necessity for the W aikato is cheaper carriage to the markets of the Dominion than exists per medium of the railway. It has always been an understood fact that transport by sea is far cheaper than by land, and any district that possesses au easily accesible port, with a safe and easily navigable harbour, is always more flourishing than one that relies solely on railroad transport. Now, the Waikato is inland, and to all intent; and purposes at the present time is thoroughly and completely landlocked, and consequently, as compared with other districts better situated, our farmers ara handicappad r in the race for markets, as their margin of profit‘is most in. j considerately curtailed by the enormous ; freight charge 1 by the Railway Department, I We are not condemning the powers that be j in that latter respect, however, as it is al- ! ways necessary for railways in young eoun- : tri*B to charge highly in the first decade or ; two of their existence, to maintain the r ! efficiency until on a Jsound and practical I basis, and to help toward? repaying the j original outlay. But what we suggest is i that access be given to a port that would I be nearer and handier thin Auckland. There exists on the west coast of our pro ■ I vinee an off-shoot of the King Country called Kawh'a, which to many of our readers, is merely known as a t »wuship “out back,” but which is a growing district with flourishing and fertile land, that when the long promised native lan I legislation is passed will be a thriving and closely settled area. This is appreciated by the residents, and a Railway League has long been formed there with the sole object of obtaining railway communication with the Main Trunk Line, which will perform the dual purpose of providing greater facilities for settlement and increase the value of Kawhia as a port. "J’he settlers are not particular as to wher the line shoo’d be taken ; Te Kuiti and Hamilton having been suggested. But the claims of Te Kuiti are not nearly so great as Hamilton, as the latter place is the natural and actual centre of the Waikato, and if our settlers were to regard the question in its natural light, much good might be derived from concerted action by Kawhia and the Waikato combine 1. In the first instance Kawhia possesses the best harbour on the west coast, even including Manukau; there being always 12ft of water over the bar during spring tides at lowest ebb and over 14 as other periods. Secondly the distance by the rente the railway would almost certainly take is approximately thirty miles, meaning a saving to the coast foe produce distributed from Hamilton, of about 50 mile?. Thirdly, the increased traffic that would inevitably pass through our town would immenaly enhance its importance. The existing shipping rateafrom Kawhia to Onehunga are ab present averaging 17a fid per ton, which is considered large, but as one steamship line pra itically monopolises all the trade, this cannot be considered very excessive, A. largely increased trade would bring foi ward competition. Taking all the facts into consideration, and the agitation of Kawhia for railway communication, it seems to us of paramount importance that the Waikato should.add its voice to the cry of this King Country port and make urgent appeals to the Government, that iu the next estimates for more railway construction, this line be thoroughly and fairiy considered The Hon. W. W. M'Cardle is doing his beat from Kawhia'a point of view, and we are glad to see our own energetic member making strong representations in the same direction. Of course, it is only to be expected that great opposition will be encountered from .Auckland, but the cotnmonsense and feasibility of such a project should be apparent to all, and the benefits that would accrue to the whole of the Waikato e by a quicker and cheaper outlet for produce would be incalcuablo, and also, although perhaps a more eel fish reason, the future of Hamilton would be assured, as the ouo iuland town of the province.

The Auckland Railway League are to have a deputation to the Minister in Wellington on Monday, August Bist, at which the Kawhia Harbour line will be brought foiward. The local secretary (Mr Pettit) received a wire to this effect on Thursday, and is arranging that tbe Kawhia League will be reper8e tried.