Mount Egmont Branch Railway.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 255, 1 November 1904, Page 4

Mount Egmont Branch Railway.

Referring to the above tone the Minister for Public Works in his Statement says :—lf authorised by Parliament construction can be taken in hand as soon as the neccssary surveys of the portion now proposed to be constructed have been completed. Rock deposits exist at about three miles fifty ohains from Waipuku, but extensive prospecting has shown that they are not of an extensive character. The survey of the line was accordingly continued to a rock face on Manganui River about 3400 feet* above sea level, which had already been proved by tunnelling by the Railway Department. To reach this point, however, nearly two miles of wire rope tram on a gradient of lin 18 would be required. This was beyond the possible limits of the ordinary railways. Cureful search was then made with the view of discovering an extensive rock deposit at a lower level with iUi result that such has been found in the Waingongoro River 550 feet below the Manganui face. It is possible to carry the ordinary railway all the way to this point, but a gradient of 1 in 12 will be necessary at the upper end of the line. Tho distance is somewhat less than to the Manganui face. A permanent survey has been made to the Waingongoro deposit a distance of 9 miles 24 chains from Waipuku. For the first six miles the line wilL be very easy of construction, but the upper portion will cost moio, although not of am unusually expensive character. It will not be necessary to ma'ke the whole railway at once, as a section about five miles will open up sufficient rock to last for some time.