HUTT WAIKANAE RAILWAY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5384, 29 June 1878, Page 2 (Supplement)

HUTT WAIKANAE RAILWAY.

The following are the reports of the surveys recently made of the proposed railway routes : Public Works Office, Upper Hutt, 22nd April. 1878. To Wm. Hales, Esq. . Sir,—l have the honor to report that m accordance with your instructions, I have carefully examined the country between the Wellington-Masterlon line of railway and the West Coast, with the view of deciding on the best road for a railway to connect the port of Wellington with the West Coast, and X now beg to submit the following report thereon:— The attached sketch map shows the general direction of the lines examined. No. 1, colored red, starts above the Upper Hutt railway station, takes a northerly direction to the mouth of the Akatnrawa River, runs up this valley, keeping the right-hand branch of the river up to the dividing range. From that it winds its way down th.e Waikanae "Valley to the Waimea Valley, and from that back into the Waikanae to tho coast. No. 5, colored brown, leaves the WellingtonMasterton railway between the Silverstream and Upper Hutt station, takes a westerly direction, crosses the Hutt Elver into the Moonshine Valley, and thence into the Pahautanui Small Farms Settlement, where it joins lino No. 3. Ido not intend taking any farther notice of this line, as No. 8 goes over better country, and its distance is further. No. 3, colored green, starts from the Wel-lingtou-Masterton railway, between tho concrete walls and Hayward’s, runs up the ranges at tho back of Hayward’s to a low saddle into a valley, which it follows to the Pahautanui Small Farms Settlement, where it joins No. 2 line, thence to Pahautanui and along the public road to Horokiwi. Before reaching tho hotel the line leaves tho main road, runs np a valley to a low saddle north of tho Paikakariki Hill into a valley which joins the coast north of the Paikakariki Hotel.

No. 4, colored bine, leaves tho WollingtonMasterton railway between Kaiwarra and WeEington, eastwards up the Kaiwarra stream to Mount Misery saddle, into Ngahauranga "Valley, and thence to Johnsouville, running through Tawa Elat to Porirua harbor, and thence to Pahautanui, where it joins No. 3 line.

X will now consider the country over which these lines traverse. No. 1 line goes through dense mixed bush, the chief building timber being rimu or red pine, which is very fine and in large quantities from the river beds to about 1400 ft above the sea level ; but I am doubtful if the timber can ever be brought to the saw. The country throughout is very rough, being cut up by deep gullies, the spurs between them being almost perpendicular in places, and the creeks full of deep gorges. Where the line crosses the Hutt Kiver a bridge of 200 ft. will be required. The banks are all well defined from that up to the Deep Creek, which is about fit miles ’ the gradients will all be good, not more than 1 in 50. Along this distance it would be found necessary to have two or three short tunnels through long leading spurs. The country up to the Deep Creek is many places very precipitous, and rather inclined to slip. From, the Deep Creek the line would have to follow the ' general contour of the country with a grade of 1 in 40 to the saddle, where a tunnel would be necessary. The height of the saddle above the Upper Hutt station, taken by aneroid, was 1375 ft.. From this to the coast the country is cut up by gullies and long spurs, but not so difficult to get over as that ou the Hutt side. A 1 in 40 grade, I believe, could be obtained. The distance between the Upper Hutt station and the fiat country at Waikanae would not be leas than 25 miles. This distance is very approximate. The cost of constructing the line will, I believe, be greater per mile than either the Mungaroa or Pakuratahi sections of the Wellington-Masterton railway. No. 3 line is also very rough —almost as bad as No. 1 line, about 4 miles of which goes through dense bush of little or no market value, there being almost no sawing timber. From Pahautanul there are a few miles of comparatively level country. One or two tunnels will be necessary, but not of any great extent. From Pahantanui to the Wainui (laddie, which is 1025 ft. above the sea, the country is favorable for a railway ; but from that point to the coast it is very bad, quit© as rough as the incliuo contract of the Welling-ton-Masterfcon railway. No. 4 line is, I think, quite out of the question, on account of the extra new line that would be required, more especially when there is so litt’e to feed a railway. In conclusion, I would strongly recommend that a preliminary survery of Nos. 1 and 3 lines be made, for without that an opinion as to which is the best line is out of the question.—l have, &c.. Geo. M. Wink, RE.

Wellington, 17th May, 1878. To the Engineer-in-Chief. Sir, —X have the honor to report that according to directions of the Hon. Minister for Public Works, I have examined two of the proposed routes, No. 1 and Ho. 3 of MrWii k’s letter of 251 h April, 1878, from the Wellington and Masterton Kail way to WaiBot’h the routes traverse very broken country, of which at present only parts have been surveyed, so that distances can only be estimated approximately; the levels could be taken by aneriod only, and may therefore require corrections hereafter. No. 1 Lise. No. 1 line, as already stated by Mr. Wink, will start from the Upper Hntt station, and run over average country to above the place where the Hutt-Waikanae road will cross the Hutt River ; here a bridge of at least three 80 feet spans, probably on cylinders, will be required. Erom this point it will have to follow generally the course of the Akatarawa stream for a length of about nine miles, and then that of one of its tributaries for about three miles, until it arrives at the saddle dividing the Hntt from the Waikanae drainage. The saddle is 1500 feet above sea level. Of this height about 300 feet may be overcome by a curved tunnel, about 30 chains long, leaving the summit of this line at 1260 feet above the sea, or about 120 feet above the Rimntaka tunnel, which is 20 4 drains long. The country from the Hutt River to tire saddle is of a very difficult nature for a line, being a succession of precipitous spars and deep gullies, with only a few flats of small extent, and exceeds in roughness the country M the Mungaroa and Pakuratahi contracts. A ruling grade of 1 in 40 can be obtained through this part, but farther extensive investigation of the ground alone can determine what ruling , grade shall he adopted. From the saddle to the foot, of the hills at Waikanae, the country nearly equals that of tiro Hutt side in roughness ; and, from a few readings at points through which the line must pass, it is probable that a ruling grade of 1 in 40 cannot be obtained on this side, and that a much steeper grade will have to be adopted. Assuming the length of this line to be 25 miles from the Upper Hntt station to the Waikanao banks —■ which, with the numerous windings of the necessary contours, is probably a somewhat low estimate—l consider that its construction wilt not cost less than £250,000, exclusive of laud and stations, at the lowest prices of labor and materials, unless specially steep grades are adopted, for which the country appears to offer special facilities. No. 3 Line. No. 3 line starts at the end of tho 12th mile on tho Wellington and Masterton railway, and winds up a gully beliind Mr. Hayward’s house to a saddle 531 feet above the sea, where a short cutting of a maximum depth of 35 feet can with advantage be made. The length, estimated to bo four miles, will contain some heavy cuttings and banks. Erom this saddle to the Pahautanni Small Farms Settlement, a distance of about 3 miles, some heavy earthwork will have to be provided for ; it is expected that a ruling grade of 1 in 40 can be obtained on both sides of this saddle. At the head of the Paliautanui Small Farms two alternative routes exist—the one runs down to and follows the main road until the valley behind Mr. Abbot's homestead at Horokiwi opens out ; tho other continues in a straighter course across Mr. Mulheru’s land through some very rough country to the same point. Tho lower lino is estimated to be about 3 miles longer than the upper line, but the grading would bo very light, although probably 100 feet in height would be lost in adopting it. The above valley leads to the Wainui saddle, which is 860 feet above sea level. 132 feet of this height may be overcome by a tunnel about 18 chains long. The country from the valley to the saddle will necessitate some heavy grading, with a, ruling grade of 1 in (0. From tho Wainui saddle to the foot of the hills (about tbnSo miles from tha Paikakariki Hotel) tho country greatly resembles the “Incline" contract of the Wellington and Masterton railway, and will occasion some heavy grading, witli a few short tunnels ; it is, however, expected that a ruling grade of 1 in'4o can bo obtained. From tii" foot of tho hills the line would pass to tho Waikanae through tho valley between the main range and the sandhills of the sea coast, which appears to present no expensive feature. • it is estimated that tho total length of No. : 3 ’ l line, from cad of 12th mile oh the Wellington ' and Masterton railway via the Pahautanni

main road to the junction with No. 1 line, is 29 miles, and that its cost, inclusive of land and stations, will he about the a'linC as that of No. 1, viz., £250,000. It appears, therefore, that—(l.) Tho estimated cost of No. 1 and No. 3 are the same. (2.) The estimated length of new line to he constructed is 25 miles aud 29 miles respectively. (3.) The estimated length of haulage from Waikanae to end of 12th mile is 32 miles along No. 1, and 29 miles along No. 3 line. (4.) The estimated height to which load has to be lifted is 1173 feet along No. 1, and 1037 feet along No. 3 line. Leaving thus a balance of 3 miles in length and 142 feet in height in favor of No. 3 line if the main road route at Pahanlanui is adopted, and 6 miles in length and 242 feet in height if the straigfcer line near the Pahautanui Small Farms Settlement is adopted. The trial surveys now being run will give farther detail information, but before any final decision is come to X would recommend that further explorations be made between the Waikanae and the Otaki, as a lower saddle may possibly exist there between the east and west side of the Tararua Range.—l am, &c., A. W. Knorw, C.E.