The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1901. THE STRATFORD-WHANGAMOMONA RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXIII, Issue 55, 25 March 1901, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, MARCH 25, 1901. THE STRATFORD-WHANGA-MOMONA RAILWAY.

Whew the town seotions at Stratford were offered for sale some 22 or 23 years ago, a great flourish of trumpets ' was made about the value of the ssc- ( tiens as the new town was to be the junction of the railway from Taranaki to Auckland, The sale was a most ' suocessful one, sections soiling for very high prices. Political influence, the 1 , bane of public werks in New Zealand,' succeeded in diverting the line consider- ■ ably south of Stratford and had undoubtedly much to do with the estab- , iishment of Eltham, Then came the celebrated battle of routes in which Taranaki interests were ruthlessly sacrificed, and the central line adopted ttthe North Island saain trunk line. During the years which followed this decision the Stratford people instead ef wasting time crying oyer spilt milk set themselves earnestly to work to push ! on the development of their town and district by a vigorous reading polioy. 1 Their wisdom in this respect was shown whfn the railway agitation was reopened, by the influence which a large and prosperous population gave them. The chief plank in their platform was a coach read connecting the Taranaki and Auckland railway systems to be followed by a railway. They also insisted that while willing to wait for railway connneetion the railway when made must connect with the TaranakiWellington line at Stratferd. Qn this point tbey bad two difficulties to co.ptend with—first, that raised by the engineers, that of grades, and secondly, the Wellington influence which was always watching to divert trade from New Plymouth t» Wellington. On the first question the Stratford people, by a survey made at their ewn expense, proved that a really find class grade could be got right into Stratford, and that New Plymouth not Wellington was their port. The second question has besn settled by tho Government of the day doing an act of jusHce in keeping to the promises upon which the tswn land was originally fold. It is now officially that the first sod of vhis important line of railway will be turned on Thursday. We hope to see the people of New Plymouth well repraeented on this occasion. The construction of this line from Stratford means a great deal for New Plymouth. It really pecurei the whole of the trado of 'Tacanati, and placas the port of New Plymouth in a position to compete with any port in the bslony. The construcof this railway line to Whangamomona, sixty miles from Stratford, means bringtbe tradert of the enormous area threugh which it runs in daily commuuicttjfcion with the pert here. The future succ«6g apd prosperity of New Plymouth is hound up with the develop- ] ment of the country districts, and the growth of a large and flourishing deeob at Stratford is a matter of first importance to iTc 0 Plymouth. We hope the suggestion of our Stratford correspondent will be given effect to 2«d. an excursion train run from New Plymouth te Stratford on Thursday next. New Plymouth should officially recognise this important event in the history of Taranaki and support the efforts of the people of Stratferd to celebrate the went in a manner worthy of the occasion