THE OPUNAKE LINE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 84, 30 March 1914, Page 2

THE OPUNAKE LINE.

THE GOVERNMENT'S STRANGE

ACTION.

Widespread and general dissatisfaction appears to exist in regard to the Government's decision as to the route of the Opunake railway. Kaponga feels that it is hopelessly ignored and left in the cold. New Plymouth reflectively wishes it had lent more whole-hearted aid to Stratford in the latter's endeavor to obtain a junction at the only right place instead of projecting a fantastic scheme of its own. Even Opunake is not altogether satisfied, and the Waimate County chairman finds that as far as the interests j of his district are concerned the route chosen "might, have been better, j though of course it might possibly j have been worse," The chairmau of i the Manaia Town Board holds that j there should have been a closer ad- , hesion to the route outlined by thw Commission "which was based on the best and mostj disinterested opinion," i and still claims a-' hearing from the j Government oh this point. W.v' BorVieis reported; to'have said "that "the route is fairly ; central, though I'm inclined to think that, had political considerations not) entered into consider- ! tion, the Commission route \vbiild have been, the. choice." ' •'

; M Hawerai.the Chamber of Commerce met, o\\- Friday evening''and 'ex- 1 pressed, ■much dissatisfaction, finally deciding to respectfully Cab- '

inei to inform the Chamber of the reason for departing from the route recommended by the Special Commission. At- this-! latter •- meeting" -the 1 "Hawera Star" reports that in speaking on the matter Mr G. V. Pearce, M.P.,.said thatf the 'Government na:l made a very weak decision," which would satisfy np ojje. , I| -filmed- as if there had been' a good deal of pul-

ling to get thfe I railway near to New Plymouth, ancLthe route chosen would not suit the people north" or south.. jThe route of the Commission was well enquired into, 'and should have been adopted; The ,present' Gqyeminent did not set. up ] the Commission, but it was appointed by the Hon. T. Mackenzie's Government. However, that should make ~-no difference, for the Commission was composed of the leading officials of the Government, and the Government had shown a great deal of weakness in not carrying out

the route selected by the Commission. The route chosen meant two or three miles extra for the produce from the

Waimate Plains for all time but he did not think it would affect Hawera to a large extent, because nine-tenths of the traffic, goods, and passengers must come through Hawera. The sum of £BO,OOO was to be spent in improving the port of Pa tea, and when theso improvements wore carried out the facilities for handling the produce would be ever greater, and he felt sure that nearly all of the traffic would come this way, even if the line connected at Te Roti. However, he did not agree with the decision 3f the Government, although ho believed it would be very difficult to have the position altered. He was not pleased with the Government for having departed from the route advised by the responsible officers, and which was undoubtedly the best route for the district.

A Press Association telegram from Eltham states: A combined meeting of the local Chamber of Commerce and the Eltham-Opunake Railway League this morning passed the following resolutions: ''That this combined meeting expresses approval of the action of the Government in finally fixing the route of the ElthamOpunake Railway, and is of opinion that the route fixed is in tho-best .interests of the whole district, and feels assured that the work of construction should be pushed on with all expedition, also that this coinhined meeting congratulates the Opunake Railway League on the final fixing of the route by the Government, and desires to express its readiness to co-oper-ate in any function in connection with the turning of the first sod at Opunake."