EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1818, 2 August 1913, Page 14

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

REPRESENTATIONS TO THE GOV EHNMKNT.

(By TclcsraDli.-Ssocial Corresnondent.) Opotiki, July 31.

A conference of delegates representing every town settlement and district in the Bay of Plenty, including Rotorua, was held lipro on Tueiday night, under tho auspices of the Opotiki Railway League. The meeting was unanimous in supporting representations recently made by the le Puke deputation to the Government and declared itself in favour of connecting with Auckland, via Paengaroa and Rotorua. Tho following resolutions were unanimously passed "(1) That this meeting of- delegates representing Rotorua, io Puke, Papamoa, Paengaroa, Matata, Rangitaiki, AVliakatane, Taneatuy, Yt'aimana, and Opotiki, desires to nrgo upon tho Government'the advisability of prosecuting most vigorously that section of the East Coast railway between Mount Tauranga and Opotiki in order to open up tho fertile lands of tho Bay of llenty. (2) That without prejudice to the ultimato Tauranga-Waihi connection by railway it is tlio opinion of this meeting that the Paengaroa-Rotorua connection should bo constructed beforo the Taura-nga-Waihi connection; as it would be quicker of construction and- give. us.speedier connection with the main' railway system of the Dominion, and also give us quicker connection with Auckland and suit us better in our relation with Rotorua." . .

The conference further resolved: "Thr.t a Bay of Plenty- "Railway Council be formed consisting of delegates' from each Railway League, Chamber of Commerce, and any similar bodies interested in rail-u-ay matters in the Bay of Plenty, and that tho Opotiki Railway 'Leaguo bo asked to request each such: body to appoint a delegate'-aud to. convene the first meeting of the council." . In a special- resolution the! conference commended Messrs. Bennett and Gill for tho good services they had rendered tho Bay of Plenty" in their representations to tho Government. • The resolutions have been forwarded' to the Minister for Public Works.