The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST, 2, 1906 THE RAILWAY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1823, 2 August 1906, Page 2

The Gisborne Times PUBLISHED EVERY MORNING. GISBORNE, AUGUST, 2, 1906 THE RAILWAY

| 'J 1 1 1 New Zealand l having coilI <?linl<-<i a .as/ics o.f brightly written and j ably compiled articles on tl,ic Fast (joasl [ lino follows up the subject, will; leading i-I article summing up the position, and v.'u p quote (lie louder almost in full. After [j I atille that the series of special articles h upon Hk proposed Fast Coast railway I | route will hyve'jnado its readers familiar | with the urgent nccess'ty for the energetic | building of that lino, and yvilij the imI mouse national advantages which Vfl* * accrue therefrom, the morning journal proceeds: Without belittling the claims ol other railway projects, we think it may fairly be said that no line which can be constructed in the colony would give •' quicker or greater returns or would have ' a more profitable future. For even the Pokeno-Pueroa section of the scheme, while it would shorten by some 45 miles (the railway distance between Auckland and j eastern points, would tit the same time open up over a million acres, hired v con - I

sisting oi exceedingly rich swamp laud lying around the Pinko and Thames rivers, the great agricultural value of which is well known. Apart from this area, which lies comparatively near to Auckland eitv and would carry thousands of settlers where there is now mere waste, the East Coast country itself constitutes a vast mine ot agricultural wealth, the tapping and exploiting ot which, must bounteously re ouv the initial outlay ah wyll as contribute 1 urge annual sums to the expenses cf Go- t

vtnimcnt and to the maintenance of our secondary industries. It can he roughly

divided into four divisions: From Katikati to T.-un-angii : from Tmiruiigit |o Opotiki ; from Opotiki to Kamku., where the < tis burnt! line now ends ; and the great bush region lying hack from the I’.ay of Plenty (toast anil stretehing from the To Arolia Mountain right across to the Motu The edge ol this great tract is now (sparsely peopled by not more than 20,01)0 Kuro pean settlers all told, enough to assist from the beginning in malting a line pay, hut not a tenth of the possible settlement For this tract of four or live million available acres would easily carry an agricultural and pastoral population of at least 100,000, in addition to as many more in its towns and villages. Such an increase of industrious producers and consumers, we would again point out, must advantage all and could injure none. It would ease the burden of taxa.lion as well as provide employment for city artisans and trade lor city merchants. And It woidd strengthen our nation by filling one of its greatest wastes with tens of thousands of prosperous and loyal British homes. Taking in detail the divisions of Ihe Fast Coast region to which we have alluded (states the Auckland journal) it lias been shown by our special correspondent that they are eaeli and all entirely suitable for settlement in some way or other of the forms well established in the colony. From Ivatikati, where the railway from W.-tilii would reach the Bay of Plenty, to T.-ui-ranga there is a belt of coast land, 10 miles long and from four to seven miles in width, which would be highly productive for fruit-growing or wine making if it was made accessible by a railway. At present it is very meagrely settled and contains large areas of Crown and Native land. From Opiliki lo Tauraiigu the country is somewhat belter settled, for here is some of the very richest land in the colony. There are nearly a million acres of coast land ill this division, partly swamp, which, when drained, will compare favorably with the very best of the Canterbury Plains This lias been proved by experi cnee, for in the Taurauga country HO bushels of maize per acre is not rare, and patches have given over 100 bushels per acre. Yet even here there is still immense scope for increased settlement, for the present progress of the district is also handicapped by blocks of Crown and Native lands. From Opotiki to ivaraka the country is comparatively unsettled and has immense areas of Crown and Native lands This is one of the finest sheep raising districts in the colony, much of it carrying two sheep to the acre ; of it over 1,.ICO,001) acres would he tapped by an Fast Coast route Although its settlement is only beginning the eagerness with which our pioneers regard it is shown by such land ballots as that recently held at Opotiki. In the magniliccnt bush region that lies hack from the coast, across the whole region to he skirted by the proposed line, the greater part is very fertile and entirely suited for occupation. It is hardly settled, but the East Coast, with subsidiary branches, would open fully 2,000,000 acres. Wo have summarised these important leading features of the country to be traversed by an East Coast line in order to emphasise tire bearing it has upon the progress and prosperity of Auckland and of the colony We would urge upon our Auckland members the wisdom of keeping the proposal well to the front at Wellington, for though there are other deserving lines there are none for which more convincing arguments can be advanced or by which the public of the colony has more to gain.