BREAKING NEW GROUND.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 18, 20 January 1913, Page 6

BREAKING NEW GROUND.

A TRIAL SURVEY. j ' The possibility that the StratfordMain Trunk may yet not pass through the Tangarakau Gorge is gradually j becoming more in tno nature of a probability. Mr C. J. McKenzie, re-j sident engineer in the Rublic Works! Department, returned to Stratford yesterday from a trip to VVliangamornomV, made for tlie purpose or enquiring into the possibilities of the •Heao V alley proving suitable for running the line through to Ohara. Speaking to a reporter this morning, he said that Mr Stewart and him-; self, along with three members of the staff, had made a journey inland from the Tangarakau Gorge into that practically unexplored block of land bearing the name Maraekmvhai. They found the country rough and broken, and by no means ideal for, railway construction purposes, but still presenting no very great engineering difficulties. Mr McKenzie stated that sooner or later this land would have to be opened up for settlement. There was some very hue sheep country there, and already cattle were thriving in the valleys. As far as he knew, the country had not been previously explored. Signs of human habitation, however, were present in some Maori cooking stones. At nights (the party slept in the open on bracken) they heard frequent bellowing of cattle, and saw four bulls, one of which they shot. It was a young animal and in good condition. Altogether the party spent three days in the bush, and, summing up tne results of the trip, Mr McKenzie said he was very hopeful of a future ourvey confirming fiis first favourable impressions of the Heao Valley route.