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The Cyclopedia of New Zealand [Wellington Provincial District]

The Western Districts

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The Western Districts.

As the preceding pages prove, the eastern portion of the Wellington Province is composed of valuable country and rapidly-growing towns. Taking only those portions of the Western districts which lie within the same parallels of latitude as are covered by the eastern districts, there can be no doubt that the latter have a very great advantage in the matter of development. Palmerston is further north than any part of the Eastern districts; and yet until within the last ten or twelve years almost the whole of the West Coast railway was north of Palmerston. So meagre was the development of the southern portion of the Western districts that the Government could not be prevailed upon to construct a railway south of Foxton; and but for the enterprise and energy of the promoters of the private railway of the Wellington and Manawatu Railway Company, it is more than likely that the splendid country through which it runs would to-day have been almost as wild as it was then. Notwithstanding the wonderful advance made in this portion since the construction of the “Manawatu Railway,” as it is familiarly called, it is still of small importance when compared with the older-established parts to the north.

When comparing the two railway routes from Wellington, city people who are not very familiar with the country are greatly surprised at the northerly directness of the Western line. It seems incredible that Plimmerton, eighteen miles, is as far north as Featherston, fifty miles, or forty-five miles allowing for the extra mileage to cover the additional cost of haulage over the Rimutaka incline. The journey to Featherston occupies three hours, while the same latitude is reached by the other line in an hour. The visitor at Carterton is astonished to learn that after paying for sixty-three miles, he is not so far north as Paikakariki, twenty-seven miles. Waikanae is further north than Masterton, but from this point the Eastern railway runs more directly northward than any considerable part of the Western line. This unfortunate indirectness of the southern portion of the Wairarapa line is a very serious drawback, detrimentally affecting the whole line both for its own traffic with the Capital and the through traffic from Woodville, whereas the advantage thus given to the Western line affects only the through traffic. The distance to Woodville, and therefore to Napier and other places on the East Coast is fourteen miles shorter by the Western than by the Eastern line, while the distance to Palmerston, and therefore to Wanganui, New Plymouth, and other places on the West Coast, is fifty miles shorter by the Western line. Even the magnificent scenery of the Rimutaka line will be unable to attract an appreciable share of the Western through traffic, and yet the Western line will get nearly the whole of the Eastern through traffic.

The railway communication between Wellington and Wanganui is fairly direct, though it is possible that the present 151 miles may some day be reduced to about 130 by following more closely the coast line, instead of running inland to Palmerston. When this has been accomplished, and, aided by greater speed and fewer stoppages, a three-hours' service between Wanganui and the Capital has been established, the present nine-hours' journey will be looked back upon with interest unmingled with regret. That so important and beautiful a town as Wanganui should be so effectually and unnecessarily isolated from Wellington is the cause of discontent in both these centres. The journey from Christchurch to Oamaru (a trifle greater distance) is done in six hours, while the same distance out of Dunedin, where the elevations are about as variable, occupies only seven hours. Though these are all painfully slow, they compare most favourably with the Wellington-Wanganui timetable.

The only portion of the Western district where railway construction is being carried on is on that part of the North Island Trunk Railway unofficially known as the Hunterville section. It is opened as far as Mangaonoho, twenty-three miles from Marton, or seven miles beyond Hunterville. The whole route has been surveyed, and the Makohine viaduct, about twenty-five miles from Marton, has been quite recently commenced; but as this is a very large undertaking, and page 1061 not likely to be completed for a considerable time, it is impossible to say with any chance of accuracy how this extension will proceed. The line is “under construction” as far as the Mangaweka section, about forty miles from Marton, but thence to Poro-o-taroa—about 216—it is in the condition described as “proposed.” At the northern end, from Te Awamutu to Poro-o-taroa—forty-seven miles—the line is opened as far as Mokau—thirty-four miles—and the remaining section of thirteen miles is “under construction.” About three-fourths of the gap of 216 miles is in the Wellington Provincial District, and the remaining fourth in the Auckland Provincial District, though the line from Wellington to Mangaweka is a few miles longer than that from Auckland to Poro-o-taroa. It is a matter for general regret that this trunk line is being so slowly pushed on. The expenditure already made for the parts constructed and for numerous roads to feed the railway when completed can never be remunerative until this link of 216 miles is completed.

The lands of the Western districts of Wellington are described in the article dealing with the Province as a whole, and therefore little need be said here on that point. This interesting portion of the Colony has its extensive plains of first quality land, its beautiful mountains pereunially snowclad, its picturesque rivers, its highly cultivated “broad acres,” its almost unexplored miles of forest, and, consequently on all this, its wonderful variety of charming scenery. Every year some development increases the interesting features so seductive to tourists, and every year improved inducements are offered to settlers.

As will be demonstrated in the following pages, all the towns of the Western Districts are extending more or less rapidly. Wanganui—most decidedly the prettiest town in the Province, and hardly beaten in the whole Colony—is a very favourite place of residence, and as communication becomes more perfect, the beauty of Wanganui and its delightful climate must greatly accelerate its rate of progress. It is most fortunate that so desirable a place is so near the capital.

Though so many of the towns in this part of the Colony are very young, there are others of maturer years, and some few about which cling reminiscences of the earliest times. Native disturbances were never very serious in the more immediate neighbourhood of Wellington, but there are many still living in these parts who remember with what caution the “white man” had to extend his operations on the south-west coast of the North Island, when Porirua, Waikanae, and Otaki were the strongholds of the dreaded Te Rauparaha and his son-in-law Rangihaeata. To form some idea of the strained relations between the two races, and the slender ties by which peace was held, it is needful only to remember that but for the accidental discharge of a rille the Wairau Massacre would probably not have happened. Wairau is on the opposite side of Cook Strait, but the perpetrators of the massacre were the above-named chiefs. That the Maoris refrained so well as they did from active hostilities in the neighbourhood of Wellington was no doubt largely due to the influence of such good, wise, and brave men as Bishop Hadfield and the late Dr. Featherston.

In Wanganui are many reminders of the old war times. Not only in the cemetery are there tablets sacred to the memory and setting forth the deeds of brave soldiers and volunteers: in the public reserves of the town handsome monuments have been erected, and give a military air to the place. Some of the most notable historical events are referred to in the following pages in connection with the districts in which they occurred.

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