THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1841, 24 April 1884, Page 3

THE NORTH ISLAND TRUNK RAILWAY.

The following paiticulai-, of the journey of Mr Mitchclsonand Mr Knoipp over the cential (Kochfoit's) unite lia\e been bupplted to the Auckland Heiald :— They left Wellington on Monday, the 7th instant, and Mat tm's Station on the s,une dxy. then loute laj along Kochfoits '•line." or, ab is bettei known, the "cential line" of lailuay. The lonte extend-* along by the ho.ul wattus of tlie Wangamu Itivei. On Knda\, the 11th, the party reached Tuhmangi Station, ivheie they examined the bush country along the western side of the Jiu.ipehu. They travelled through the Muinnotu and Rangihoa counti y, and reached Ta Kaanu on the night of the 12th. Fiom th<ne the party pioceeded to Kakaiamea, and thence to Maungatapu on tlie we->tei u side of the burning mountain Maiuhoe (commonly known as Tongaiiro). It may be heie fctated that it is not alone tho duection or cbaiactei of the pioposed line with which tbi» inspection ih concerned. The Hon the Minister for Public Woi k.s took obsei vations of the chaiactei of tlie counti y on either side of the line, the natuie of the soil, its adaptability for settlement, and the advantages piesented for special indiistiies. From Maruhoe the party pioceeded to Waimarino, whence they could .see right back to Tuhmangi and tho Upper Wanganui country. They mounted to eveiy accessible trig, htation, from which an extended view was to be obtained of the mu rounding country. Fiom VVaimaimo they proceeded to the trig station at Hahnngatahi. Here the paity entcied the bush country and found the land for the most pait very good. On the road from Waimaiino to the trig, station known as Puketapu (a very high hill) they met the fust of the King natives of the Wanganui Country. The party slept at a settlement on the Pungapunga river on the night of Tuesday, the 1 3th inbt. They were received with welcome, and kindly treated by the natives. On the morning of Wednesday, the lGth they reached Tauraaranui. It was at this place that the unfortunate Moffat was murdered. The party was received very kindly by all the natives there ; but they were "troubled" about one thing. They said they were annoyed by Europeans going into the Tuhua country to prospect for gold^They had heard that a man named Berry had been in the country for two or three weeks. They had sent out scouta to look for him, but failed to discover any trace of him. At the time that Mr JMUtchelson left- the place they had not succeeded in finding him, From Taumaratf»y passed w Waimiha, where they

wove also welcomed and hospitably treated by the natives. They slept at the latter place on the 17th. From there they proceeded to Te Kuiti, in the " Waikato King Country." Heio they weio leceivod in a mannir even moie friendly than by the Wang.xnui natives. From Te Kuiti they travelled to Kihikihi, which place they reached on Sunday last. So far as the "centi.il line" itself is concerned, Mr Milc'idt-on speaks of it very favourably. He considers Mr Ttochfort de^en es great credit for laying it off, consideiing the c Minti yhe had to go through. The gi .ides aie all easy, one in eighty being the steepest. As the p;u ty had to observe the features of the countiy that be along the loufce they were obliged to follow a somewhat zig-/Wg loute. The dkstxnco they travelled was about (500 miles. As already stated, they ascended to every trig station that w.i* at all «.cce*sihle. Ho tlunks < it scarcely possible to obtain an easier line than KocMfoit's, that is, one that can be constr acted tor £.1000 a mile. The distanco fiom Mai tin station, on the Wellington hide, to Kihikihi, on the Auckland side, is 200 miles. If this line were constructed the lailway distance fiom Auckland to Wellington would be 420 miles. The Hon. Mi Mitchelson next proceeds to inspect the Taranaki or western route. The proposed line from Napier is now out of the question. The above information must be regarded as somewhat in the nature oi <i biidseye view of the central line. Mr Mitchelson has gathered a large mass of interesting infoiinatron by the way. Tins information will be laid before Parliament in detail, and will be accessible to the public by the publication of the ne\t Parliamentary bluebook.