82

[It. W. HOLMES.

I.—lo.

ment railway system, the demand for its reconstruction to accommodate express through trains from Auckland" could not be resisted. The general travelling public, particularly tourists and excursionists, xvould not be contented with the slow service at present possible, and in consequence xvould not travel by the line, neither xx-ould they be content to pay the increased railway fare necessary if visiting Rotorua first, and having to return from Rotorua to Putaruru before going on to Taupo. The distance from Putaruru to Taupo by this route is 57 miles. One great objection to this route is the great height to xvhich the line rises at Oruanui, whence it descends 650 ft. to Taupo. The estimated cost of this route, improved to Government standard, is as follows (exclusive of xvhat xvould be paid the company fox such portions as could be utilized) : — £ Putaruru to Kopoko :23 miles, improving at £1,800 ... ... 41,400 Kopoko to 38 miles : 15 miles, reconstructing at £8,000 ... ... 120,000 38 miles to 464 miles :8| miles, reconstructing at £10,000 ... 85,000 46| miles to Taupo : 20J miles nexv line at £10,000 ... ... 205,000 £451,400 Several lines have in the past been constructed to much lighter standards than are now current, but the xvhole have noxv been brought up to present standards by relaying heavier rails, increasing the number of sleepers and quantity of ballast, xvidening the formation, and improving the station accommodation, in order to provide for the faster trains demanded by the public and the heavier rolling-stock required, and xvhich must travel over all lines indiscriminately to alloxv, of economical working. 2. Putaruru to Taupo via Atiamuri. This route xvould folloxv the former route to near the crossing of the Waikato River, at 38 miles, where it diverges, either before or after crossing the river, as survey may show which is the better, thence folloxvs up the Waikato River to a junction xvith route No. 3. The adx r antage of this route over the former is that the portion of the private line between Kopoko and the Waikato River, a distance of about 15 miles, xvhich includes passing over the Waxva Saddle, can be easily and shortened by tunnelling under the saddle, xxdiile the more difficult part betxveen the river and 46| miles is avoided, and it -also ax r oids the ascent to Oruanui and descent thence to Taupo. From the point of divergence from the company's line to the junction with route No. 3 a railxvay to Government standards can be easily and cheaply constructed. This route, hoxvever, is open to the same objections as No. 1 route, as it leaves Rotorua on a branch line. The distance from Putaruru to Taupo by this route is approximately 77 miles. The estimated cost of a standard line, exclusive of payment to company for portions of its line utilized, is,— £ Putaruru to Kopoko: 23 miles, improving at £1,800 ... ... 41,400 Kopoko to 38 miles :15 miles, reconstructing at £8,000 ... ... 120,000 38 miles to Taupo :39 miles at £9,000 ... ... ... ... 351,000 £512,400 3. Rotorua to Taupo via Orakeikorako. This route proceeds from Rotorua along the old Taupo Road to through the Hemo Gorge, where it diverges, pursuing a southerly course betxveen the coach-road to Atiamuri and that to Waiotapu to the Whirinaki River, xx-hich it folloxvs down to the Waikato River, xvhich is followed up to a little past Orakeikorako, xvhere it leaves and folloxvs a nearly direct course to Taupo. The distance from Rotorua to Taupo will be about 56 miles. This is a fairly easy route for a railxvay, no xvorks of undue magnitude being required to obtain standard grades and curves. The disadvantage of the route is that it misses Waiotapu, and does not pass over such good country as route No. 4. There is nothing to recommend this route in preference to that via Waiotapu; on the contrary, the land is inferior, constructionxvorks heavier, and the undulations of gradients are greater. The estimated cost of this route is 56 miles, at £8,000 per mile = £448,000. 4. Rotorua to Taupo via Waiotapu. This route follows the old Taupo Road through the Hemo Gorge, and thence generally the present coach-road via Waiotapu to Taupo, passing through Waiotapu. The length of the route is about 56 miles. A railway along this route can be easily and cheaply constructed to standard grades and curves at less cost than any of the other routes. The estimated cost being, 56 miles at £7,000 per mile, £392,000, for a line suitable for an express train. The difference in level betxveen Rotorua and Taupo is 296 ft., and, as there are few rises and falls between, there is little more than the difference in level of the termini to overcome. On the xxffiole, it presents the best route for a railxvay to connect Taupo with the existing railway system, being easy to construct and possessing the possibility of rapid completion. The sources of revenue will'be—(l) Passengers; (2) timber from State forests; (3) farmproduce from the better class of country southward of Waiotapu. In addition it will prove an outlet to the pastoral country lying to the eastward of the Kaingaroa Plains.