LIGHT RAILWAY SCHEME.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 April 1921, Page 4

LIGHT RAILWAY SCHEME.

UPPER CARRINGTON ROAD PROPOSAL. NOT FAVORED BY MINISTER. A proposal made by the Upper Carrington Road Ratepayers’ Association to have a light railway'constructed in their district wa® brought before the Minister, of Public Works (the Hon. J. G. Coates) some time ago by Mr S. G Smith, M.P., and the following reply is now to hand: “I have looked into the matter and find that of the various routes suggested, that by way of Frankley Road is the only one worthy of consideration, its approximate Jength being 12 miles. A light railway of 2 feet guage over this length would cost at least £30,000, with an additional £5OOO for rolling stock, and as the greater part of the line would run through a closely settled district the compensation would doubtless be very heavy. Furthermore, my officers are of opinion that if such a line were constructed it should be of at least 2ft Gin guage, and would cost correspondingly more, “I gather that the prospective traffic would be light, as the line ends in, a bush-covered area, of about 3000 acres. Mr. Humphries states that the object of this line is to open up a timber area and also deposits of graphite and sienna, but a® the country through which the line would pass is already well roaded, with the exception of the last three miles, and as the prospective traffic is so vaguely put forward, I cannot, on the facts at present available, see that there is any hope of such a line being a financial success.”’