Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 189 9 Tramway to Bulls.

Manawatu Herald, 27 June 1899, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, JUNE 27, 189 9 Tramway to Bulls.

Many years ago, when the Carnarvon - Sanson Tramway was first formed our Rangitikei neighbours wers very anxious to get connection with it. There was one great obstacle in the way, the Rangitikei river, the old bridge over which could not, at a reasonable cost, be made strong enough to carry the engines. The Manawatu County Council had a survey made from Sanson to the river by the late Mr Wright Stewart, and it may yet be in the County Office, unless it was destroyed in the fire. One matter was made clear and that was that the line was an easy one to make, but it would require a heavy cutting to the bridge. This now is all made easy, as the new road approach to the new bridge runs through Mr Bulls property almost where the Tram line was projected, and the hew bridge is to be built strong enough to carry light engines. We have the two most expensive difficulties at once swept away, and should the Bulls residents desire to have Tramway communication with the port of Foxton the opportunity is at hand. We have been informed that the distance by road from Sanson to Bulls by the new route will be shortened to 4 miles, and thus the outlay, say one thousand pounds per mile is but a small sum to finance. The river Rangitikei has never been very reliable for shipping, and all last wool season it has not been navigable, so that the opening of railage traffic with Foxton would be a great boon to Bulls and all Lower Rangitikei. It may be a matter for discussion as to which public body should be the first to make a move to ascertain the feelings of the residents north of the river to this proposal. We think that perhaps the Manawatu County Council might not be inclined to make the extension from Sanson to the river wholly at their expense, so that perhaps some negotiations would have to be entered into. The Bulls 'district is situated in the Rangitikei County, so that though the Bulls people would have to urge their representatives on the Council, it is the Council, who alone has power to make tramways, who could make the line.

It appears to us that the move must be made from both ends, Foxton and Bulls, for though the town has no land near the suggested extension of the line, the}' have a share in the present tramway, and the town would be benefitted by the increased trade at the port. Bulls would gain a considerable amount in the reduced rates of carriage on both imports and exports, and the people thus have a very material gain in making an energetic move. The Manawatu County would also be a gainer by more freight running over the present line. We believe in, and before now have advocated, the extension of the Tramway to Mr Bull's land as it there enters

upon an unlimited supply of some of t ho host road metal, equal to Palincrston, and if a pit was opened up there the Borough and the County could obtain all their supplies and thus give freight to their own property. All negotiations take time so that the proposal wants energetically acting upon at once, as then if all parties came to terms, the line might be laid while the bridge was building and the line could be opened on its completion. We have only advocated the northern portion of the Tramway being at present Considered and pushed on, as the southern portion would have to follow as a natural consequence, as well as the little link between Bulls and Marton junction. We believe that an energetic public man could succeed easily in this matter, and he would receive the thanks of our northern neighbours in doing so, and we think the movement might be started by correspondence between the Mayor of Foxton and the Chairman of the Bulls Town Board, and we think the members of both these bodies would heartily render all assistance.