EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1802, 15 July 1913, Page 5

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

A NEW ASPECT. I ■ LINKING WITH AUCKLAND NOT WANTED. frho somewhat surprising statement was wlo by a deputation which interviewed ,i ® Hon. w. n. Herri en (Minister for .Railways) yesterday that the settlers of < the Bay of Plenty district do not desire i railway communication with Auckland, tor tho present at any rate, and will ba ' ™. l « nt ln th liiioa linkinir up the different | portions of Uio district villi TauraiifM, i and mth steamer communication between, that port and Auckland, Tho deputation, consisting of Mr. H. J. t«iU and Captain Bennxstt, of Te l'uke was introduced by Mr. W. D. S. Macdonald, M.P Mr. Horriog was approached in lus capacity as member for Tauranga. the doputatiomsts urged that Die Bast Coast railway should bo pushed on from i°r . IU th<s d'wtipn of Opotiki. They 6tated that they considered the prosecution of ilus portion of tho work of greater importauco than tho construction of a bridge across tho Tauranga Harbour, for wuion tho residents of tho town of Tauranga havo lately been agitating. Tho doputationists further stated that tliev recognised that in time to come it would be nece.ssary to connect tho town of Tauranga with tho railway, but for tho prosent they coiifddered that the interests of the Bay of Plenty district as a whole would bo best served by an extension, of tho line beyond To Puko. There was a good harbour, they said, at tho Mount (70 ohaius distant from tho town of Tauranga), where the railway already constructed commenced, and if tho wharf wero repaired, excellent accommodation for shipping would bo provided. As an argument in favour of tho speedy construction of tho railway beyond To Puko, it was stated tlmt tho draining of the Hangitaiki Swamp by divorting tho course of tho river would liavo a very detrimental cfTect on tho Matata Harbour, and it was _ therefore desirable that railway connection betweon that and adjacent districts and tho deep water at tho Mount should be provided as soon as possiblo. Tlio possibility of freezing works being established in tho vicinity was also mentioned. It was stated that the people of Whakatano, Matata, Taneatna, and other districts wero in favour of tho course suggested by tho deputation. Mr. Gill also urged that tho Government should acquire tho Native lands in advance of tho railway. Mr. Herries: If the Natives aro prepared to soli, I am prepared to. buy. I should be glad to get all particulars of any blocks that ore for sale. In reply to « further Tomark regarding the railway, Mr. Herries asked: Do you not want railway connection with Auckland? Captain Bennett paid that they wero not asking for such connection at present. Tho prosecution of the lino eastward in order to give connection with Tauranga mis regarded as of prime importance. Mr. Hemes said that ho would give tho desires of the deputation careful consideration. It was, ho said, news to him that they did not desire railway connection with Auckland. Ho hail always thought that what was wanted was a railway right through from Napier to Auckland. The statement that tho Bay of Plenty settlers "were not anxious to get rail communication with Auckland. opened up a new aspect. Tho deputation intimated that the desire was to make a good port at Tauranga.