RAILWAY AND ROAD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 1, Issue 37, 17 July 1939, Page 5

RAILWAY AND ROAD

'DISCUSSION IN OPOTIKI MEETING TO BE CALLED A decision to hold a public meeting. asking all public bodies to attend, for the purpose of pressing for a good road and the railway to Opotiki, was taken at Friday's meeting of the Opotiki County Council. "Mr A. G. Hultquist M.P. will be asked to attend. A lively discussion followed the receipt of a letter from the Opotiki town clerk in response to the '•ounty council's request that the borough send representatives to attend a public meeting. Mr Black said they had waited fo~ the railway since the first election. The council could not take promises from a private individual. Mr J. T. Merry said the idea of the oublic meeting was to get the strong backing of the public. Mr Black said the borough was apparently* not so interested as the county..The borough had apparentlv missed the point altogether through Mr Johnson's statements. Mr Merry said that the member should be asked to bring the matter up in Parliament. Mr Black said the coast road was of little interest to .Opotiki. They should press for tlie road to the rail., head. Mr W. Gault said there were no .settlers on the pronosed road. Mr Burke said they should press j for a good highway to Opotiki and leave it to the Government. Members expressed the opinion that a good road and railway should be pressed for. Mr R. A. Hedley said that thev had waited for generations and now thev wanted the results. Mr Gault said that he had received a letter from Mr Hultquist asking that he be invited to attend the public meeting. Mr Hedley said that if the borough council did not wish to take part other bodies be asked to co-operate. The council had no animosity towards the government but it was a matter of policy to press for the road and railway. Mr Gault said he understood that the railway was fixed for the other side of the Waimana river and the Waimana road could be gone.on with He thought the Taneatua road the nearest and if they waited for the other they would wait for years. 'Mr Burke said that it should ne left to the Government to find the best road' to the ralway.