THE GORGE LINE.

Manawatu Times, Volume X, Issue 1344, 12 November 1884, Page 2

THE GORGE LINE.

ThftvWSodville correspondent of -the N.2£"Times recently referred to the Gorge line as a " piece of madnesi " *nd suggested that the line through: the F.M'ty-aaile Bush should be coastrusted ' m preference. In Monday's issue of the Times he is taken to task by a correspondent signing him»e.lf " Woodville"' who claims that the great desire of the Wood ville settlers "is to.be, connected with Wellington by railway by the #£■■ ieat and shortest route, and as that by the Gorge and Palme reton is admitted on all hands tc be fully thirty miles shorter than that m fttagterton, they without hesitation support it, ' Another reason for supporting that route is that the line throughput will be a level one, free from any sharp curves, and will enable trayellers to reach the city fully four hours quicker than by the other route. The.; Gorge line as a whole presents no, engiaeering difficulties, and the short auction through the Gorge proper, some three mile* m extent, where any do occur, I am assured by engineers of repute, c*n be cons' ructed for about £10,000 a mile — a very email lum as compared with the cost of many miles of the steep- and dangerous Rimutaka line. Again, by connecting "Vyioodyjllfe with l*ilmerston, some seventeen miles only will be requirei to be built, while by "the other route sixty miles will he required to be constructed to make the connection with Wellington. These sixty miles would, if we may be guided by the experience of t&e past, take; the GoT%rnment fully fifteen years to comti pjete,> while that b> the Gorge, a£ the same rate, wouid take only four y*ari ; and should it happily bo placed m the hands of th«, enterprising aqd pushing Manawatn Railway Company, ;we:n»ight hope to see it finished m eighteen months from date, but. I fear there is no such good fortune m store '• for the settlers of this district. I, witk others, feel that we owe a debtofigra|fcw tude to the above company for the vigor which they have displayed m the prose* cution of the great work entrusted to them, wi'hpufc euch.. .» Wbqdvijle and the rounding districts fr'owld I6rimai.yiyearii to come bV«but out from the benefits of such a market at Wellington will afford tor the »ale of their proa lice.