HAMILTON-TE AROHA RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume XVIII, Issue 1490, 21 January 1882, Page 2

HAMILTON-TE AROHA RAILWAY.

The following are a few particulars chiefly of a statistical character, relative to the prog.ess of this work, and the country through which it passes :—lt: — It is sub-divided into four contract sections, viz., Waikato, Morrinsville, and Piako. The first extends from Hamilton, a disof 12 miles 64 chains. The formation contract was completed on the 21st October, 1880, at a cost of £9930. No. 2 contract was provided for out of last year's vote. It is designed for official purposes, the Morrinsville contract, and continues the work from the end of the Waikato contract to the township of Morrinsville, a distance of four miles. It was taken up on the 30th June last ; nine months being allowed for its completion. In that case it should be finished on or about the end of March. The contract price at which it was taken amounts to £3,494. The third and last contract in which we, as a district are more, pai*ticularly interested in the prosecution, is the Piako section. Its entire length will be 13 miles 20 chaius. Pecuniary provision has been made for the work, but down to the present time — as more fully commented upon elsewhere in this issue — no bteps have been taken to put the work in hand. With regard to the characteristics of the country thoough which this last named section will have to go we state the following from observations made of the country. Two miles or so beyond Morrinsville the survey line crosses the Piako river, a stream of no particular width at that spot. Rather less than a mile further on the great Piako and Waitoa plain is struck, through which it extends a distance of six miles, in a dead level. This plain is composed of what is described as good swamp with a clay or sand sub-soil, and experience has proved that it can be easily drained. The Waitoa is crossed about a mile this side of the To Aroha boundary of the plain, and the Waihekau and Piranui a short distance on the other side of that boundary. A saddle with easy grades on both sides is passed in this neighborhood, and from there the line crosses good country, rather swampy, but with a good bard sub-soil. Altogetherthe country presents nothing in the shape of engineering difficulty. Jt should be done for about the same amount as the Waikato contract, perhaps a shade more on account of the bridges. The difference, however, would be immaterial, and most assuredly afterproviding for all liabilities contracted against the sum appropriated for the work, it must be sufficient for all requirements of the case. We now come to consider another importent feature in the incentive to an immediate prosecution of the work. The railway commission of 1879 had what is popularly called a "down" on this line and in the plentitude of their wisdom reported against it. They were nevertheless forced to admit that the following ares of country might be reasonable expected to contribute to its traffic : — Agricultural land (freehold), 130,000 acres Do. (crown), 23,000 „ Open pastotal do. 2,000 „ Rcclaimablc (freehold), 56,275 „ Do. (crown), 9,345 „ Do. (native), 23,832 „ The agricultural crown lands they estimated at the value of £34,500 ;the open pastoral (crown) at £1,000 and the reclaimable (crown) at £9.345. No, details of that computation being famished we < are left wholly in the dark 'as to the means employed for arriving at it. Our computation, however,: is .somewhat, different and in order that it may be open to the fullest possible critisms. we give it in detail, /as follow;s :— Before touching the swamp lands at all' there are 30, 000 acres agricultural land the 1 most part of which has been already put into cultivation. Of the swamp 'eont-* Ijany'spro^erty'tnere^are , £30,000^ acres, : conterminous to the line. A large propor- . ,tion of that area is^in grass" aiuF'carrying- . cattle— we'sliodld say 6,000 or 7,000 in grass, 1 ' besides a considerable, area in surface sown grass.' -Lo^kerby estate;'comprising 22,PQp acres, of which, 7,000 -are* iriow/in, grass 1 Jamlun'der^cultivation. sTe •ai least 3,000 acres are^unSer/cultiyation.. Then, we- Have at least 3,000 acres in Ismail holdings, , under, grass or other cuftif ;yationli;iMrWiAfMurra^Bprbper%cons, ;,su^6f4o,'oooacres;alarges6rtibtfof which, i^tcultiyatedKof^ui /grags^i; Messrs Gould Bros.- tioldslO.OOO acres/of ' wEich? nearly? t^o;thi^dj!j,^s',i|i:2graW .-The Auckland:

in course of being drained and roads cut through the blocks. Of that area 10,000 acres are situated between Matamata and Te Aroha. Mr Larkworthy has 4,000, of which 3,000 are in grass, and Messrs Smith and Chudleigh 5,000, large portions of which are being brought under cultivation. Matamata consists of 70000 acres with a considerable area in grass and cereal crop. Then we have "the Aroha block ; comprising about 60,000 acres portions .of which have been sold, and is now in course .of J»ing occu« pied. There is also the Richmond block next ,to Messrs Goulds property consisting of 20,000. These 'lands so to speak that will be tapped or else intersected by the line, "while the v coiintry beyond, the line will have to ' serve until further extensions of th'e«i|ijway system are provided for is pra^lfojajly speakiug inexhaustible. , These-^re^fhe facts of the case. We -have stated- them fully which is the very best evidence we can afford of their bonafdcs.