PROPOSED PAEROA – MANUREWA RAILWAY

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 522, 13 April 1920, Page 4

PROPOSED PAEROA - MANUREWA RAILWAY

THE "OLD NEW'' ROUTE, SHORTEST BY 12 MILES. Though the public have become familiar with the idea of a PaeroaPokeno railway, this line will not junction with the Main Trunk at Pokeno without opposition being raised. It is contended by some people that an easy grade could be secured for the East Coast line from Maungatawhiri to Manurewa, instead of to Pokeno. in the Beginning. When a main trunk line was first contemplated, in the early days, a railway constructing; engineer of some repute in Australasia was engaged to find a suitable route for the line, on the East Coast from Auckland, across the Clevedon-Hunua country to Maungatawhiri and out near Pokeno. But it was stipulated that the line must not cost more than £2OOO per mile, which provision effectually srangled the project. This item of history is mentioned merely to show that the East Coast, and not the West, was in the first instance favoured as the route for the Main Trunk line. The Argument. It has long been contended by Northern people that as the East Coast railway is now assured of being constructed, the best route is that from Manurewa across to Clevedon, thence to Hunua, on to Paparimu, along the rich alluvial flat known as Happy Valley, round or under a low range of hills to Maungatawhiri, and thence in an almost straight line to Paeroa. This route, according to the official maps, would be fifteen miles shorter than that to Pokeno, but the champions of the scheme claim twelve miies as the gain, preferring to be 011 the safe side, avoiding all exaggeration. The line would tap good farming country fo,r practically the whole distance, as well as being of great service in transporting coal from the Hunua Colliery Company's mine, at present mej-ely in the initial stages of development, and capable of enormous expansion, there being, on a conservative estimate, about two million tons of good hard lignite coal, suitable for both steaming and household purposes . Engineering Aspect, There are, it is claimed, only two engineering difficulties to overcome, neither of which appear to be of the first magnitude. One is that a viaduct would be required at tbe junction of the Hunua Stream and Wairoa River, and the other that a low range of hills at Maungatawhiri would require to be negotiated, either by finding a suitable grade around the base or tunnelling through. These, of course, are questions, for the engineers to settle. An Old Promise. Mr. W. F. Massey as he then was (being in the cold shades of Opposition) happened to visit Hunua many years ago. and. by a happy coincidence, arrived on the same day that a visit was being paid by the then Minister for Public Works (Hon. Roderick McKenzie). The railway project was then explained to them by Mr. T. J. Lockwood (present Hunua Riding member on the Franklin County Council). At first the Ministers merely laughed at the idea, but as Mr. Lockwood logically advanced his reasons for favouring the Manurewa-Maungatawhiri it>ute, the Ministers became serious and attentive, and ultimately promised that the champions of this route would be given an opportunity of stating their case before it was actually decided to take the line to Poksno or any other place. On the strength of this promise the residents of the districts immediatly interested intend to insist that a trial survey be made and that the decision must rest' on the merits of the respective routes. Since then the matter, though not agitated on continuously, has not been allowed to rest, as the following press report will show:— "A large meeting of delegates has just been held at Papakura to discuss the unwarrantable delay in making a survey of this route. In November. 1912, a very large deputation (led by Mr. C. J. Parr, Mayor of Auckland) presented a petition from 1169 petitioners to the Prime Minister and the Minister for Railways, asking for a survey, and. this was in effect promised. The delegates spoke warmly in criticising the policy by which the settlers are left in a state of uncertainty. It was emphasised that, if there is a genuine desire to shorten the East Coast line, this route is shorter by twelve miles than any other; and, at the same time, serve the requirements of many hundreds of present settlers, and thousands of prospective ones. The meeting appointed Mr. C. Munro and Mr. T. J. Lockwood as a deputation to Wellington to lay the whole business before the Hon. W. Fraser, Minister for Public Works." A strong argument in favour of the line is that it would greatly relieve the pressure on the present main line and stave off the evil day when a very heavy expenditure nust be incurred in duplicating the line from Auckland to Mercer. The champions of this old yet mw proposd route are quite onfident that, given a fair and impartial investigation, the line will be brought on from Maungatawhiri to Manurewa by the route outlined in this article. It is submitted that, with a grade which would be a good one practically right through, a saving of twelve miles of construction which in money terms means at least £120,000, would be effected, and a saving of twelve miles of haulage and maintenance for all time. These are advanced as unanswerable arguments in favour of the line coming to Manurewa.