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The New Zealand Railways Magazine, Volume 8, Issue 7 (November 1, 1933)
The Rival Routes
The Rival Routes.
During 1884 also, the Western route, as the line of the present Main Trunk-Stratford link
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line was then called, was explored and reported on by Mr. R. W. Holmes and Mr. A. J. Rawson, of New Plymouth. The reports on the various lines and the evidence taken before the Select Committee of Parliament appointed to consider and report on the best route for the North Island Main Trunk Railway occupy over a hundred pages in the Appendices to the Journals of the House of Representatives for 1884.
A memorial totara tree near the junction of the Wanganui and Ongarue Rivers, Taumarunui. It bears an inscription stating that it was planted by the chief Puia, the father of Manu-aute, as a token of the promise of safe conduct to Mr. Rochfort and his party of surveyors blazing the track of the Main Trunk Railway. The tree is very nearly fifty years old.