PROPOSED HUTT, WAIKANAE, AND PALMERSTON NORTH RAILWAY.

Manawatu Times, Volume III, Issue 21, 29 December 1877, Page 3

PROPOSED HUTT, WAIKANAE, AND PALMERSTON NORTH RAILWAY.

' ..... -*-*Q 4 — * ... ■ .;. X We have received, says the " N'-Z. Times," from Mr. Eichard Smith, member of the Hutt County Council, the report of Mr G.iA.. Beere, civil engineer, on the route of the proposed railway from the H4tt to Palmerston North, via Belmonfy iPahautanui,,atfd Wainui. Mr Smith has always taken a warm interest m the proposed line; and was one of the first to bring it under -the notice of the public. It will be remembered that fast session a Bill t was introduced into . Parliament setting' 'apart land for the construction of the railway ; but the Bill was thrown out m tfie Legislative Council, on the groundybhat it was introduced at too late, a" peri*Qd of ] the session. However, j^here is little' doubt that anothgr^Bul with the same object will next ;|ession. be brought before the te^isiature ; and*let us hone it will meet with a better; fate than its predecessors. The construction of this line of railway is of Viery great importance tos,the city and "provincial district of Wellington, as it would open,jup a very large tract of land for settlement. With the view of keepiifg the subject before 'the public, we have* much "pleasure m publishing*the f glowing report by -Mr Beere:— - : %-^..:^W\ '- „: "; -\ ' '•. ■ -'. *" I propose to subdivide the first portion through the hills into four section^ of four miles each (16 miles to Wauiui) and to commence at or about the 10th mile on the Wellington to^ Masterton Eailway.** , * , > . "1. The first section, after leaving the railway about 'tJie'Belmbnt Station, takes the course pit a stream north of the said* stati6n,ln#runs m a northerly direction to, a^smia|l i lbranch. stream on "4he leftqrtwestward, near the source of whiehis a^saddle or narrow razor-back dip m the hills 40O^eet. high. By commencing^the ascent: a short distance south of Belmont Station, a gradient of 1 m 30, 'with alternate 7 levels," would take the saddle (Np>-,1) without much cutting. The greatest and only difficulty presentable m this section is the simple matter of the start .round a, bluff at the mouth of the golly near Belmont- before tite run of the valley is reached, after. *whic& the i restio^ good. v '. '/■:':'. ;'.;,' # , # ■■-'•. T '" . "2. The second; section is from, $To./ 1 to iSfo. 2 saddle ot. the west .of the .Small Farms Settlement ; at Pahautanui 200 feet high. Tliis^section, m careful hands^ could be rendered comparatively level after the first*6o chains by taking advantage of plateau or flat points of spurs which skirt the whole of the Small : Farms Settlement Up to a shortydistance * f rom the No. 2 saddle. This saddle must be cut through with a tolerably sharp compound curve, or else a tunnel of ab^ut 20 chains, probably less, so as to take advantage of the sloping ground On the opposite side of the hills towards the Horokiwi Valley .v ... # V "3. The third section is along the course of a valley to the Wauiui saddle 650 feet high, over which I surveyed a line of road with a gradient of 1 m 33 arid 1 m 56*(frbm the main road to the said saddle). In; this section there is : no difficulty excepting at about 40 chains frdm the saddle, where the creek xould require to be diverted for a short dis- : tance to^ allow the line to follow the course.. This is at a point where the valley dips from a rock to A' boulder formation. From this point to the saddle the rock is of a ser^ajjeable description, and would suit for building culverts and other works necfessary m the construction of; the line ; also for, ballast jrad road metaK " fourth section is confined to the Wainui Valley, which is steep on both sides for nearly one;'and a half miles, and then opens out on terrace country, overlooking the Wainui flats. Upon arriving: at this point -the line could be continued at variable gradients as far as Waikanae, without descending to the swampy ground skirjbing thejiills ; but as this section terminates at. the Whareroa stream,, I will leave the proposed line to be-dealt yith, so far as the remainder is concerned,' in one section. -'Taking the whole of this sixteen miles into account, there will: be but one bridge of any : size necessary—probably two spans— but upon Spiers of about 35ft. high, across the creek at Wainui. All ' Jbhj|^dther creeks are small*and of no Mpoytanc'e, and- can be spanned by stringer bridges m nearly every instance. "From Wainui to Fitzherberton would be mostly* confined to the base of the low range of hills which skirt the flat country, and which is m many places swampy. line may be considered level, and not attended with any engineering difficulties, provided the" larger rivers are crossed close m to the hills, before, they begin to spread over the flat country. The great object m directing the course the Fitzherberton instead of Foxton, which is nearer, is to avoid the shifting river channels and the swampy places. The crossing of the Manawatu Biyer, about three miles from Palmerston, is the worst feature m the whole of thij|projectionf m consequence 1 of the lengthrot! bridge necessary,: probably from 700*t#

800 feet m length. The proposed line would junction at about two miles south of Palmerston on the Foxton and Palmerston line. "The total length from Bolmont to Palmerston may be safely laid down at 77 miles, and v the cost at £7000 per mile for the hill portion, at £5000 per mile for the entire of the remainder of the line. "The greatest advantages m the selection of this course for the West Coast districts are" the direct and ready junction with Palmerston and convenience afforded to the Wanganui people m the direct transmission of "their goods' to and from the chief port of the province ; also the opening out of a large tract of country between Waikanae and Fitzherberton, which at present is almost entirely locked up for want of roads, m consequence principally of the intervening swamps and wide-spreading rivers. . "All. bridging and sleepers, the timber for which may be required, can be constructed and cut from the bush now standing along the course of the line as proposed. " Geo. A. Beeee/ C.E.