LINKING UP THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1551, 16 May 1916, Page 3

LINKING UP THE MAIN TRUNK RAILWAY.

POTIANCIXA COUNTY'S PROTEST. At Saturday's meeting of tin 1 Pohangina County Couneil the lollowing motion, moved by Ur R. I’orl, and seconded by Cr H. Knight, was carried unanimously : —“That this Council strongly protests against the deviation of the Alain .1 rank line via Levin and Creatford. Apart, from (he inconvenience that will be caused by Palmerston North and Peihling as well as the East Coast being cut oil, the tact remains that the proposed district through which the deviation would go is well served both by tramline and good roads, and this Council is of opinion that as long as large tracts of country in the North Island remain undeveloped and lack communication either by road or r such expenditure as is sugg\ , ■ absolutely unwarranted.” Cr Port said the Council had previously decided to oppose' Ihe .proposed deviation. Other members agreed that the proposed deviation was not desirable', and (he Chairman (Air R. AA’. Brown) said that what they did want was a good port at Poxlon. The matter of giving evidence before the Commission regarding the suggested deviation of the railway line was left to the Chairman. FEILDING PUSHING THE OPPOSITION.

The 1 Feilding Chamber of Commerce, which has persistently opposed (lie linking up of (lie Main Trunk line between Marlon and lievin, in a eonnnnnieation to the Oroua County Council on Saturday, requested that the Council pass a resolution adverse to (he proposed Levin-Great ford railway deviation. It was unanimously agreed to pass (he following - resolution ; “That this Council enters an emphatic protest against the proposal to deviate the Main Trunk line between Levin and Great ford, as the Council (‘(insiders (ha) the proposal is a total waste of public linauces and against the interests of the community genera 11 v.”

About thirty residents of Rangiwahia attended the public meeting held to consider tin* question oi making representations to the Koval Commission against the Levin - Greatford deviation of the trunk line and in favour of the const ruction of a line from Feilding to Utiku via Apiti and Rangiwahia.

Addresses were delivered by Mr I). H. Guthrie, M.P., Mr H. Tolley, President of the Feilding Chamber of Commerce 1 , and Mr Fred. Pirani. On the motion of Mr Pearson, seconded by Mr McKen/ie, the following was carried unanimously : “That this meeting enter its protest against the proposal to spend public money on a deviation of (he Main Trunk railway between Levin and Great ford, on the ground that (Ik* advantages of such a scheme would not be commensurate 1 with the cost, and suggests that when public money is available for such a purpose it could be more wisely spent, both from the point of view of the interests of the Dominion and tin l localities concerned in opening up the laud between Feilding and Fliku, via Apiti and Kangiwahia, by a line of railway, as it would shorten (he distance between Feilding and Ftiku, and enable the further development of one of the best producing districts of the Dominion.”

A committee to work with the FeUding Chamber of Commerce was appointed as follows : Messrs Boshier, Morgan, McKenzie, Pemberton, Say well, and Mclntyre.