"THE BAY” GETS BUSY

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 412, 21 July 1928, Page 13

"THE BAY” GETS BUSY

EXTENDING EAST COAST LINE PETITION AND MEN OFF TO WELLINGTON (From Our Own Correspondent.) OPOTIKI, Friday. The Bay of Plenty is sending a petition and representative men to Wellington to support its claim that the Government should proceed at once with the extension of the East Coast line from Taneatua to Opotiki.

The final arrangements were made at a representative meeting last evening in connection with the petition to Parliament asking for the immediate construction of the Taneatua-Opotiki section of the East Coast railway. Mr. D. Rodie, commercial manager of the Railway Department, and Mr. A. W. Wellstead, business agent of the department, were present.

Mr. J. H. Reid, chairman of the Opotiki Railway Committee said that a good deal of support had been promised by M.P.’s, and the petition had been largely signed. He proposed that the petition be sent to Wellington and the Hon. K. S. Williams be asked to present it to Parliament; also that a strong deputation, representing the County Council, the Borough Council, the Farmers’ Union, the Chamber of Commerce, and other representatives of business interests go to Wellington to support the petition. This was carried with, acclamation.

Mr.. Rodie addressed the meeting, and said he had been instructed by Mr. U. H. Sterling, General Manager of Railways, and the Hon. K. S. Williams, to inquire into the possibilities of the railway to Opotiki, and said it was absolutely essential for the people to give the whole of their business to the railway. At least a year’s experience was wanted to show whether the present line to Taneatua would be a payable proposition. An appeal for fighting funds to send the deputation to Wellington met with a satisfactory response. At the conclusion of the meeting the following resolution, proposed by Mr. A. L. Arrowsmith, was carried unanimously: “That this meeting, representing various interests in Opotiki. pledges itself to support by word, act and every legal means in its power, the Government Railway Department in its endeavour to provide facilities of transport within the Dominion for the producer and their produce, and the commercial community, and deprecates the support given to private companies to the detriment of the State-owned railway.