THE OHURA RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVI, Issue 43, 26 June 1913, Page 4

THE OHURA RAILWAY.

The really remarkable attitude Auckland usually assumes that everything should be subjected to Auckland's wishes and Auckland's interests is so often put forth that other parts j of New Zealand quite expect it. We i are, therefore, quite prepared to learn that the Auckland Railway League is of opinion that the whole of whatI ever money may be voted by Parliament for the Stratford-Te Koura railway should be spent at the northern end until the Ohura gets connection with Te Koura on the Main Trunk line. As our contemporary, the Taranaki Herald, remarks, there are settlers at this end who have been waiting seventeen years or more for road and railway communication, and now that the latter is getting within reach | the Auckland Railway League would j have operations suspended and the money spent at the northern end. We quite agree that even if this were done it would not expedite matters much at the northern end, where the factor determining the date when the To Koura-Ohura connection can be

made is a tunnel which cannot under any circumstances he completed in much, if any, less than about four years. When the Tahora tunnel is completed at this end, and the railway constructed to the foot of the saddle, the settlers at Tatu and in the Heao Valley will be within about seventeen miles of the terminus at this end. In a few months the rails will be within less than twenty-five miles. "But," the Herald goes on to

say, "under no circumstances can the line from Te Koura be of any service to them under about four years. Hence in the interests of those settlers as well as of those on this side of the Tangarakau it is highly desirable that the line shall be pushed on with all possible expedition from this end. The Ohura is Taranaki territory, not Auckland, and already the settlers are looking this way for an outlet, which will eventually serve them far better than any other. Whether work should be relaxed at all at this end depends upon the decision of the authorities as to the route to be followed between Tahora and Tatu. Efforts have heen made to find a better route than through the Tangarakau Gorge, and when this point is decided definitely there ought to be no cessation of work at this end until the line is completed." This is all perfectly true, and fully supports what has already appeared in these columns. No one desires to see work stopped at the Auckland end, but it is perfectly ridiculous for the Auckland Railway League to even suggest that all the available money for the line should be spent at the northern end. We do not think any Government could, for one moment, take such a proposal seriouslv.