THE WAIUKU RAILWAY

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 6, Issue 339, 18 December 1917, Page 1

THE WAIUKU RAILWAY

PATUMAHOE SECTION OPENED BY PRIME MINISTER The first section of the Waiuku railway, viz., from Paerata to Patumahoe, was formally opened on Saturday last at Patumahoe by the Prime Minister in the presence of a large and representative gathering. A special train left Pukekohe at 11.25 carrying passengers free of charge and about 150 people availed themselves of the privilege. At Helvetia station the train was stopped, when the Prime Minister (the Et Hon. W. F. Massey, MP.), the Minister for Public Works (the Hon W. Fraser), Mr F. W. Mander, M.P., Mr Albert Glover, M.P., and other prominent local representatives boarded it. As this was the first passenger train to pass over the line which now links Paerata with Patumahoe a number of settlers could be seen along the route welcoming its advent as indicative of the advancement of a district confidently predicted to occupy a more prominent agricultural position than it has ever done before. Already the cultivation of the land has been taken up by many energetic farmers and the excellent dairy cattle to be seen on both sides of the line point to a great future awaiting this much favoured district. Connecting as it does with the main Auckland line this railway bridges the gulf hitherto existing between the country served and the City—a sign of progress and future prosperity which the settlers between Paerata and Patumahoe will not be slow to recognise. Soon after 12 noon the train drew into the new Patumahoe station and the flying of flag) combined with the colour of the ladies' dresses mingled among the happy crowd which thronged the station presented a pretty scene. It was indeed a Eed Letter Day for Patumahoe.

Among those at the station were Messrs Joseph Henry (President of the Mauku Branch of the Waiuku Railway League), R. W. Johns (President of the local Branch of the N.Z. Farmers' Union), H. M. Crispe (hon. Secretary of the Mauku Railway League), A. M. Barriball (President of die Waiuku Railway League), W. O. Motion (Chairman of the franklin County Council), J, Goldsworthy (Chairman of the Patumahoe School Committee), R. T.Reid (Chairman Waiuku Town Board), J. H. Craig (Tuakau Town Board) and other prominent representatives throughout the district.

ADDBESBES OF WELCOME Mr Henry—to whose energies this enterprise owes so much—in welcoming the Prime Minister, the Minister for Public Works, and Messrs Mander and Albert Glover, Members of Parliament, said that they were indebted to their Member, the Rt Hon W. F. Massey, M.P., for the construction of this line, and to nobody else, and be trusted that the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. W. Fraser, would push forward the work with unusual energy so that the completed line would be continued to Waiuku and before another year an opening ceremony would take place at Waiuku when that line was completed. Not until then would the Railway Department derive much benefit ( but when that was accomplished ha felt sure it would prove a highly profitable line to the J epartment as well as to the settlers throughout the district. Mr Henry pointed out that the construction of this line was carried out as an ordinary act of justice and not as the result of political force as had been spoken of. They looked upon the event that day as the result of the promise made to have the line constructed over 30 years ago. Some had actually given up hope that it would ever reach its present stage but they were all thankful that the line had reached as far as Patumahoe. Mr Henry then paid a high tribute to the Why in which the Premier had watched over the interests of tbe Empire during such troublous times as they had been paaoing through and expressed a hope that as their member and tinad of the Government he would continue t) carry out his duties ne haii so ably done in the past. Mr H. M. Cii-pe, in a pi asing speech, mentioned that the day hud be u loiig looked forward t< and in •vciloo tue Ministers incidentally i.tVrid'l r.'> the excellent country u-liMili this linn op-uwl up and asMired tho Pi nun Minister that the Government would be pleased with ihat ventuiH. lu referring to the policy of ihe fcfauku Railway League, which was a p"'gr> ssive ouh, he reminded the Prime Minister that with onlv one train a week a» proposed it could not be expected that the line Would pay and urged, in the interests of the district, that a better service should be provided. With ►uch additional service the output from that district would increase tremendously (applause). Mr A. M. I'.auio.ll, 111 his welcome address, meuti >ned that he had taken a deep interest in the line and said h.H w is one of the tirst v\ ho took round th« petiii n ou behalf of the Waiuku railway. He urged that the line could not be expected to pay until it was continued to Waiuku. The opening that day was the fulfil-

ment of a promise made over 30 years ago that the line would be Constructed ,and he joined with the previous speakers in according the distinguished visitors a hearty welcome.

Mr W. C. Motion, the Chairman of the Frankiin County Council, added his tribute of welcome and referred to the statement made by some people that the line would not pay, but if all only realised the vast productiveness of the County of Franklin he felt sure the line would prove in every way a success. He urged that the extension to Waiuku should be completed, which official opening he looked forward to as the financial success depended on that extension. They all appreciated the presence of the Ministers there that day. Mr R. W. Johns, President of the Mauku branch of the Farmers' Union, regarded the opening of the line as the most important event in the history of the district, but pointed out that the provision of one train a week would not be sufficient to meet their needs. He said that they would not be satisfied until the line was completed to Waiuku and he asked the Ministers to keep the matter steadily in view.

SPEECHES IN REPLY The Hon W. Fraser, replying to the welcome, assured them that as far as he was concerned the line would be completed before twelve months but pointed out that the principal difficulty they had to contend with was obtaining rails and steel for the construction of the bridges. In this connection he mentioned that for the bridge at Mauku steel girders were required and these were—owing to the demands of the war for all material—almost unobtainable. As far as the formation work to Waiuku was concerned that would be proceeded with and some means would he hoped be found to overcome the difficulty with regard to the bridge about which he would consult with the Public Works' and Railway Engineers. Two things only would stop him in the work, one was the want of money but he would see that that would not stop, him (applause) and the other was want of labour. If there was a shortage of labour he would ask the settlers themselves to turn out and complete the job (laughter and applause). Proceeding, Mr Fraser mentioned that he had met with several abuses in connection with the work, two of which were that he had anything to do with building the line at all and another because he had not built it far enough. He would, however, do his best to see that the line was completed its full length as. he doubted if it would pay as far as Patumahoe. If, said the speaker, some scheme could be devised to get over the bridge difficulty at Mauku nothing else would be wanting to get the line finished to Waiuku. (Henewed applause.) Mr Mander, MP., in offering his congratulations on the line so far, expressed the rpinion that from his knowledge of the district he felt sura the line would pay handsomely. Mr Alfred Glover, MP, at the outset of a cheery speech, mentioned that he had done his little bit towards the construction of that line and expressed the opinion that the future of their country was assured as the district was rich in potentialities. "You will always recognise," said - the speaker, " that settlement follows railways," and, in conclusion, he wished them all peace, contentment and continusd prosperity. (Applause). % „_ The Prime Minister in expressing his thanks for the hearty weliome accorded him that day, paid a high tribute to the Minister of Public Works, who had done so much to bring the line to its present state. As member for Franklin Mr Mass y said he was particularly pleased to be present and he recalled the time when the first survey of that line took place in 188-1, \'a , 34 years ago. It was a case of " the long looked for come at last'' remarked the speaker. As member for the district no one was better please/1 than he was to redeem the pledges he nude to the electors of Franklin and but for the shortage of material and other problems associated with the war the trains would be running to Waiuku that day. Referriug to the productivity of the country served, the railway, he said, would mean theprobableopeningupof about 150000 acres of land and when that line was completed to Waiuku the acreage would be much increased. Since the first sod of the line was turned by him three years ago no less than £71,000 had been spent on the work and another £15,000 had beon votod liist session. Parliament, said Mr Massey, were committed to that line and they had to see it through. Peierring to the increased train service • lesired while ho assured them that every endeavour would be made to meet that iucreasa in proportion to the traffic carried Mr Massey emphatically pointed out tiiat the war must come first and it behoved all to maintain the productiveness of the country to meet tho demands of the war. New Zealand, said Mr Massey, in proportion to other parts of the Empire had given a lead in supplying men and it was only by keeping to hat lead she would be an example io Britain and her Allies, and thus help to bring about permanent ueaoe. rUE OPENING CEREMONY The Prime Minister, mounting' the engine with Mr Henry, then performed the opening ceremony. This act took the form of the breaking of

a ribbon, which was stretched across the line and held on either side by the Misses Ada Henry and Gladys Golds worthy, and as the engine whilst in motion snapped the ribbon in two loud cheers were raised.

LUNCHEON The Ministers were subsequently entertained at luncheon at the Patumahoe Hotel by the Mauku Branch of the Waiuku Railway League when the toasts of " Our King " and " Our Visitors'' were duly honoured. A really first-class repast that did credit to Host Bailey was partaken of and the party subsequently left for Waiuku.

PARTICULARS OF THE LINE It may be mentioned that the Rail way Department took over the section from the Public Works Department last Monday week and a goods train service once a week has been decided upon* The length of the line taken over is 5 miles 18 chains. The preliminary survey of the line to Waiuku was made in 1884 but it was not until 191,3 that the first appropriation of £IO,OOO was made for the construction. It was on the 19th February, 1914, that the first sod was turned. Beyond Patumahoe the formation has been completed for about 4 miles 32 chains and there are about 2 miles 17 chains of work still to be done. The actual length of the line when finished will be about 12$ miles.

DEPUTATIONS TO MR MASSEY WAIKATO RIVER BOARD'S WORKS A deputation from the Aka Ak a and Otaua Drainage Boards waited on the Prime Minister at Waiuku with regard to putting into effect the findings of the Koyal Commission with regard to the erection of groynes by the Waikato River Board. Mr H. E. R. L. Wily, on behalf of the Aka Aka Drainage Board, said that although the Commission did not actually recommend the removal of "ihe groynes they were having a seiious effect on the Aka Aka swamp and on the navigation of the Waikato river. He believed that the Lands Department had asked the River Board to »- move the groynes but this had not been done. The deputation asked that the removal of the Kaitangata groynes should be carried out before the end of the present summer as they were seriously affecting the Aka Aka channel.

The Prime Minister mentioned that he understood the groynes c Dtnplained of had disappeared. Mr Wily replied that he believed the packing only of the groynes had disappeared, but said that navigation was considerably impaired and that during the past two months silting at the mouth of the creek itself had injured the flow of the water. Mr Hull, a member of the Aka Aka Drainage Board, endorsed the remarks of the previous speaker and pointed out that owing to the large amount of sand in the channel and the insufficiency of the water to take it away the navigation was seriously affected. On behalf of the ratepayer of the district he urged that the Government should take steps to see that the groynes at the northern channel of the Aka Aka district should be removed.

Mr L. West, Chairman of the Otaua iDrainage Board, also spoke and urged that the groynes should be removed. "The sooner the better," said the speaker. Mr T. McDonald, speaking with an intimate knowledge of the river, said there was not sufficient water to keep the channels clear and it was necessary that the groynes should be removed.

Mr Massey promised to send Mr J. B. Thompson, chief drainage engineer, to the district to see what was necessary.

TRAIN SERVICE TO I'ATU.MAHOE Mr Henry, apeakiDg on behalf of a deputation of settlers which waited upon the Prime Minister at Patumahoe, asked if the day on which the weekly train service ran from Paerata 'to Patumahoe could be altered from Siturday to Tuesday as thu latter day would be mure convenient and would enable settlers to convey cittle to the Westfield market.

Mr Massey, in'reply, said he hud not much doubt that the Rlilw.lv Department would grant the request and expressed th# opinion that the settlers would not long have to wait for a daily service.

TKI.EI'HoXK' FAiIUTIKS A. deputation from the Mauku branch of the Farmers' Union asked that better telephone service should be provided and facilities given so that ;r.ore privacy could be obtained. Mr Johns, as President of the Union, pointed out that under existing conditions communication to outside districts was only by means of a party line and it was suggested that the difficulty could lie surmounted by the provision of an extra wire between Puketahs and Patumahoe. Mr Massey recognised the reasonableness of the request and said he would make representation to the Postal Department on the subject