OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1430, 3 May 1912, Page 4

OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

AN EXPERT COMMISSION,

Tha Eoyal Commission, v/hlch has been appointed to inquire and report upon the question of a route for the proposed Opunake railway, is believed to be ouiy the second Royal Commission that has been set up for sueh a purpose in New Zealand. The first was that which settled the question of tho route of the North I Auckland railway, but the present Commission differs from its predecessor in consisting entirely of expert members of the Civil Service'. Mr. I?. W.. Holmes, Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, is "the chairman, and tho other Commissioners are Mr. James Burnett (Chief Engineer of Hallways), Mr. G. Bullard (Commissioner of Crown Lauds, Taranaki), nnd Mr. E. Clifton (Director of the Fields and Experimental Farms Division, Department of Agriculture). It has been variously .suggested that the proposed Opunake branch should iunction with the main line of railway at Eltliam, at Stratford, at To Ivoti, at Hawera or at some other point, while it has also been urged that a line should be taken from New Plymouth round the western sido of Mount Egmont, through Opunake, to rejoin tho main lino at or near Hawera. All these alternatives will be considered by the Commission, which is directed to report not onls as to the Ijest rdute for a branch to Opunake, but also as to whether any other railways or tramways are required to servo the area lying to the west of the main line of railway in Taranaki.

The 'Commissioner will hold sittings and hear evidence as follows:—Hawera, MasSi Manaia, May 9; Opunake, May 10; ICaponga, May 21; Eltham, May 13; Stratford, May 14; New Plymouth, May 15. Mr. W. M'Namara, Public Works Office, is the secretary.