THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1909 ONGARUE – STRATFORD RAILWAY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 166, 21 June 1909, Page 2

THE KING COUNTRY CHRONICLE. MONDAY, JUNE 21, 1909 ONGARUE - STRATFORD RAILWAY.

THE fact that a definite pronouncement has at length been made by the Government as to the route of the Stratford—Main Trunk Railway will be welcomed throughout the district. Even tbc advocates of the deviation, though disappointed that their representations were held not to be sufficient to alter the original route, have the satisfaction of knowing exactly where they stand. Moreover, they have the additional satisfaction of having received the assurance direct from the Premier that it is recognised toe country along the route of the proposed deviation is mffiafcoUy great in extent,

and good in quality, to warrant the construction at some future date of a separate line of railway. Such an assurance may not at the present timemean a gTeat deal, but it is quite sufficient to warrant the continuance of the Mokau - Waitewhena Railway League as a live and energetic body. The members of the League have already done excellent work in the interests of of their district, and with the hearty and broader co-operation of the adjoining there is little doubt their farther effort* will have greater and more far-reaching effects. That the district affords ample scope for the exercise of the best efforts of its public spirited men, we have abounding evidence, and if the battle of the routes has accomplished nothing else it has proved the existence of men ready and able to sink small differences, and combine for their mutual benefit. Such a spirit should be fostered and encouraged to the utmost. Thus, and thus only, is the King Country, with its manifold problems and complexities, to be carried along the broad road of progress. Its problems have to be solved, and its destiny worked out by the settlers themselves, and the sooner we awaken to a broad realisation of this plain duty, the sooner and greater will be the reward, and the brighter will be the destiny. To the settlers of the Ohura, the settlement of the route will come as a mighty relief after a period of anxious waiting and striving. For years the settlers had regarded the route as fixed, and the prospect of a possible deviation could only be regarded by them with dismay. If, in the beat of the controversy, manifestaions of feeling were made, such could hardly be wondered at. The wonder is that so little bitterness was shown and the fact that the settlers were content to advocate their cause to the utmost, and put up a hard clean fight, hall marks them as men of the right stamp. But the real battle has only begun. A definite step has been decided upon; still material effect has yet to be given to the affirmation of the Government, in the shape of starting work at the Northern end of the line. When the Minister for Public Works

inspected the route of the railway he gave utterance to a policy which decidedly inimical to the interests of the whole district, and if the Ministerial idea as to concentrating the work on the Southern end of the line be carried out there will be little advantage in having the route definitely fixed. A railway in Taranaki crawling towards the Main Trunk at the rate of a mile or two each year is not a King Country line, and compared with a railway fromOngarue running through the fertile Ohura Valley, and connecting the settlers with their markets, and with the chief cities of the Dominion sinks into insignificance. The watchword of our settlors in future is to be Ongaruc - Stratford instead of Stratford—Ongaruc, and to this district the starting of the work at Ongaruc is just as ini|K>rtant as deciding upon the route There must be no delay. Let us cooperate heartily, and advocate the starting of the line at Ongaruc with one voice. In unity lies strength, and it will '.be to our lasting shame if we fail to do our utmost, one and all, to achieve the starting of the work at an early date. Besides, there are other important matters to attend to, and the sooner the line is started, the sooner will our energies be freed to direct in other directions.