THE MURIMOTU QUESTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume I, Issue 82, 13 June 1879, Page 3

THE MURIMOTU QUESTION.

A considerable agitation is going on at Marton, and indeed throughout Rangitikei, regarding the formation of a line of road to the Murimotu Plains. Wanganui, Napier, and Peilding have all fixed their eyes upon the splendid country, and it seeems likely a race will take place for the rich prize. So far as we can judge from the information before us, Marton appears to hare by far the strongest claim. The distance from Marton to the northern boundary of the Paraekaretu Block is 21 miles, and from thence to the Murimotu is only 23 miles of bush thus giving a total distance of 44 miles. The two routes surveyed from Wanganui show distances of 65 miles and 100 miles respectively. It ■will therefore be seen that so far as distance is concerned, Marton has a decided advantage, liut the idea of a road has expanded into that of a grand trunk "line of railway via Murimotu on to Auckland. Prom Marton to Ohaupo, the southern tor minus of the Auckland Railway, is only 130 miles. It would pass through magnificent country, over a great part of which the Government has a lien, and in which the natives are for the most part friendly upon the railway question. We will quote the following remarks of Dr Curl, addressed to our Marton contemporary : — Mr Murray has stated most positive] y, and others confirm his statement, that there is no difficulty in carrying a line of railway through this forest country with a grade at the worst places of only one in t) irty or forty ? It is very hard to see why this s ould not be brought before Parliament next session, a3 it could be shewn that, for an expenditure very small in amount compa red with the usefulness of the work, a line of rail-way could be carried from Marton to the Waikato, to connect at Cambridge or Newcastle with the existing lines. The j distance by this route would be only ahout 130 miles, whereas by carrying it round by the Mokau to Toranaki it will be greatly I lengthened and the expense mnch increased. ' Having spent five weeks in the interior, and ridden over the country that the line could he easily carried through after it left the forest, I can nfßrm that there are no en« i gineering difficulties to contend with along this route, and no steep grades or sharp curves. From the present terminus it could ascend the "Waikato valley, and could come round the east or the west «de of the Taupo Lake— the west aide being the easiest and best— and round the Rotunire, and up the ' Upper Waikato valley nearly to Rnapehu ; and then round the foot of the hills of the Kaimana-wa range, and across to the point •were the line would come through our forest, •where the Murimotu line is now being laid off by Mr Murray. When the railways were connected at Marton, the existing and proposed lines -would carry it on to Foxton and Wellington, or Palmerston and Napier, or Wairarapa in this direction ; or the other ■way to Wanganui, Taranaki, or Waitnra. This would surely bo bettor than dragging passengers and goods from the north round by Taranaki to get them to Wellington. As the line is proved practicable, wherefore take the circuitous route P Mr Murray, Engineer to the Rangitikei Highways Board, has also sent in an able and lengthy report of his survey of the route, from •which we extract the following : — We are now on the level of the Plain s,the route being over shallow ridges and easy valleys, the soil being excellent throughout. The lay of the country is undulating, and no engineering difficulties of any kind are met •with till the last mile is readied. At this point there is over a thousand acres of kororniko, which formerly had been a foresf,and had evidently succumbed to a bush fire. Here the soil is superior to any I have seen, and would be selected in preference to the far»famed Patea or Hawera Districts for agricultural purposes. The bush fira referred to appears to have stopped at v ravine, on one Bide of which is the koroiniko undulating plain, while the dense bush commences across the ravine, anfl continues to the Plains, here about a mile distant. *Tho line touches on stone in several places, cropping out to the fnce, which I believe will be found to be of excellent quality, and suitable for building purposes. The distances will be as follows, which I give from Pukikihore,which is 2| miles to the Marton side of my con tract. From Pukikihore to the Plains is 22£ miles, making in all, according to the gene rally accepted measurements through the previous distance as coirect, from Marton to the Plains, 4G miles and some chains. From the end of my line to Mr Hazelden's house, by the present somewhat circuitous track, is about 8 miles. From the end of my line to the crossing of the Houtapu, into the Patea plains, is about 5 miles. This is the present track from Hnzelden's to Napier, and to Wanganui to got, on to Hales' track. It will thus be seen that the line answers to reach both Patea nnd Murimotu. and would drain the entire traffic from them both. About three miles from my line, the natives have crops of potatoes that could not bo surpassed. Quite hnlf a million of acres of magnificent country must be opened up by this route, which is almost in a direct lino to the Waikoto, and it is simply impossible to moke a more direct or'ensicr route to connect the Mains with this coast. Mr Hazelden states that ho has no difficulty in driving stock to the Auckland market, and he further informs me that the Government have a lien on the whole of the land that is

not loased to Europeans, thus securing tho country against being taken-np by speculators. There must eventually bu a ln^ inland town somewhere on the route, uh imust undoubtedly be a grand cenlre for the provinces adjoining. With regard to n r.ulway, I anticipate no difficulty whatever in tho Inying-off and construction of an eahy and comparatively inexpensive lino of rail way. I am convinced by observations lahcn that the main lriinlc lino to connect Auckland with "Wellington, Nnpiei\ W.ny gnnui, and New Plymouth must come this route. I trust I have said sufficient to show you that one of the most important main road and railway routes in the jNorth Is' land awaits your further action, to connect your district eventually with the interior und tho large centres to tho north. Were a railway constructed evou to tho edge of the Plains, there is enough timber to supply the district for years,* and to keep numerous sawmills constantly going. Mr Hazelden states|fchat it is nothing unusual to be stuck up eight or ten days by the rivers on the road to Napier, and that, were a dray road constructed, every settler would utilize it in bringing down wool and taking up supplies. The natives, too, are rejoiced at the prospect of getting to Marton in one day, and no opposition need therefore be expected from them. A packtrack could be constructed at a very trifling cost, and this I would impress upon the Board the necessity of doing at once. By striking off at the Bangitikei native track, where it intersects ray line, a puckhorse can now do the distanco from Marton to the Plains, and the route is incomparably superior to any other yet discovered. I respectfully beg to congratulate the board on the easy route I have assisted to explore and render available, and which must be before long the high-road to Auckland and the Waikato. A. H. Mubrav, : Engineer, j The Kangitikei Highway Board have drawn up a memorial to the Hon Mr ttallance, asking that gentle* man to place upon the estimates the sum of £11,000 to form the road from the boundary ottheParaekaretu Block to JMurimotu, and setting forth the advantages of the route via Marton. They estimate the road will cost £320 per mile, and also state that a railway can be made with a gradient of not less than 1 in 30, at a cost of £5,000 per mile. The importance of the question can be seen at a glance. The opening of a vast district so close to Manawatu must benefit us in every way. "We trust the Marton people will be successful in getting the road pushed through. They are certainly working energetically, and deserve to succeed.