OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 58, 4 March 1912, Page 4

OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

DISCUSSION AT PIHAMA. At the meeting of the ratepayers in the Oeo riding of the Egmont County Council, which was held'at Pdliama on Friday evening to discuss the proposals for raising a loan with which to put the roads in the bounty in order, the question of a railway through the district was introduced into the discussion, says the Hawera “Star.” • It was recognised by all the speakers that the railway was an absolute necessity to the district, and 'there was no “battle of the routes.” Mr. Conaglen reminded the meeting of the two deputations which 'load visited Wellington for the purpose of advocating the construction' of the line. On’ the first occasion the deputation offered to find all the money required by tiie Government for the construction of the line, the only condition be : ng that the work was to be tendered for. The proposal was not entertained. On the occasion of the visit of the second deputation an offer was made to the Government that the interest on the cost of construction, at the rate of 3$ per cent., would be guaranteed, the work to be carried out by co-operative labour. This offer was rejected. Mr. Conaglen said it was recognised throughout the district that if the railway were built their road troubles would end. The suggested tramline would alleviate the position somewhat in the Waimate County, hut would net help the Egmloint County ratepayers. It was ridiculous to have to keep on transporting their produce and bringing in their supplies by waggon, which resulted in heavy expenditure on road maintenance, when the whole could be placed on a steel rail. The comparison in cost of the two systems was that cf 12 to 1. What would cost Is for transportation on the roads would only cost Id on a railway. The speaker (said he thought now that there was a probability of the member for the district being Prime Minister of the Dominion, their© would be no further difficulty in regard to the railway being constructed. A voice:'You have more faith in Mr. Mackenzie than I have. Cr. Campbell said that for some considerable time ho had recognised tliat what was required was a railway from New Plymouth to Hawera, round the coast. If such a railway were constructed the four local bodies round the Mountain would reap the benefit. Personally he thought that if the tramline were constructed from Manaia to Hawera it would block the railway being taken round by that route. If the railway followed the main arterial. road from New mouth’ to Hawera there would be.no 'further necessity to raise loans for road maintenance. , •/; The consensus of, opinion, at the meeting was -that the railway would finally settle the question of road maintenance and loans for that purpose, and would be the meanJs of wiping out what were described as “relics of the dark ages”—the toll gates.