STRATFORD – ONGARUE RAILWAY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume I, Issue 33, 7 June 1907, Page 3

STRATFORD - ONGARUE RAILWAY.

The question of pushing ahead with the railway through the Ohura Valley has recently been receiving attention from those interested at both ends. The Taranaki people have be agitating in the matter to some effect, aiv! the Hamilton Chamber of Commerc. has been making strong representactions in respect to the starting of the work from the King Country end. It is perhaps only ressonable to expect that the energies of the Government will be devoted towards completing the Main Trunk Line as soon as possible, but it is important that the Department should not be allowed to lose sight of the work, and the necessity of the settlers is the strongest argument possible. Mr Jennings has been urging the claims of the work upon the Minister, and' has received the following reply to his letter : Sir, —I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Ist inst., forwarding a communication from the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, urging that steps should be taken to commence construction work at the Ongarue end of the above railway, and in reply beg to state that the request will receive careful consideration when the railway construction programme for the current year is being decided upon. As regards the survey- mentioned in your letter, I have to state that up to the present no staff-surveyor has been available for the work, the exceedingly busy year through which we have passed having kept all our engineers quite fully employed, and the same condition of affairs still exists. As soon as a suitable officer is available, however, the survey will be taken in hand. —I have the honor to be, sir, your odedient servant, Wm. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works. W. T.Jennings, M.H.R.