Our Railways.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXV, Issue 249, 18 November 1903, Page 2

Our Railways.

STRATFORD-WHANOAMOITOXA * MOUNT EG MONT LINES. By some mischance a portion of the Public Works Statement which should have been delivered to ua on Monday did not put in an appearance fill Tuesday. ihe inisa portion is of considerable local Interest and deals with the .StratfordWliangamomona and Mount Egw mont railways. The Minister said ; In. my ig.wt Statement I was ablo to report the completion of the llrst section of this line to Toko. 6 milt* 26 chains in length. The formation the second section, namely to OrutM, nearly five miles long, has been in hand during the year and is-now approaching completion, and millaying will soon be commenced. Tha construction 'of a branch line to a gravel deposit on the banks of th« : Putea River, from which the material ! for the tuallasting of the railway will be obtained, has been started. Beyond Oruru considerable survey work has been undertakes to definitely determine the best route (op the further extension of the line and the work lis still in progress. I hop* after the session to have, an opportunity of visiting the district, anJ so be in a better position to deal with the matter when the question of route is ripe for decision. Lift year's expenditure on this railway amounted to £ll,BlO and for the current year a vote of £10,000; la proposed. MOUNT EGMONT BRANCH. The need of a short branch railway to tap the vast stone deposits on the slopes of Mount Egmont toeI cornea more and more urgent every 'year. The soil in Taranaki is for the most part deep and rich, and stone and gravel are scarce commodities, result being tbat both road and railway maintenance become inordinately expensive. The railways are much in need of supplies of good tallast, and the local bodies tadly reqluire good inetal tor the roads. The providing ot a ready means of tapping the rock and boulders of the mountain will ueivc both and the large amount ot trallic that the line will carry from the outset will insure its being a remunerative undertaking, to say nothing of tha benefit to local botflies by reducing the cost of road maintenance in the district. It is, therefore, proponed to provide for the construction of a *

branch railway from Waipuku station on the main line to the gorga of the Mamtgnui river on the slope* of the mountain. The section of tb» line proposed to be constructed lit present will be about five inilos long und exclusive of terminal conveniences and the stone-crusher plant will probably not cost more than £lO,000. A vote of £IO,OOO on account is proposed on the current year's estimates.