Railway Extension.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 136, 13 June 1904, Page 2

Railway Extension.

Sill JOSEPH WARD IN (TTAOO. (Per Press Association.) DL'NEDIN, June 11. Sir Joseph Ward received a lienrt.v reception on arrival at Tahakopa yesterday after an iirduousi journey through mild. In the evening lie was ™tertained at u Imniiuet, to which alljout 10 sat. down. A start was made on the return journey at 8.30, the route being the proponed route of the railway. After the party hii.l taen welcomed by tlit? school children the Minister ollicially announced the Oiwning of three and a half miles of line helween Owakn nnxl liuliinii Sir Joseph in (lie course of an address, said the extension had £23,000, and had been a very dillicult piece of work. He said the re sources of the district hud been a surprise to him, and lie would advocate the s|ieii'ding of more money in extending the line, as it was a work which was thoroughly justifiable. In the evening Sir .Joseph was entertained at a banquet, lit Ownku. In reply to the toast of-The guest of the evening," he read a telegram from the Premier regretting lii» absence and stating that he believed he had now turned the corner. Sir Joseph quoted statistics regarding the progress of tho colony ami of tluRailway Department- As regards the Railway Superaiiniial ion Fund already 214 men had been placed on It. Six persons had died. Referring - to the alleged dissatisfaction in (l, t . railway service, ho said lie was iicrfeclly satisfied that a great majorny oi the railway servants were not only not dissatisfied, but were very well satisfied with what was going on in the railway service, and whiili t hey hurt done so much to make suecess u - lie. then quoted n. eommunication from the employ,, eR n t the Hillside workshops expressing tboiit unqualified approval of tUe conditions under Which they were al onset employed. The co„„,.uni«, ion «»Mgned hy M 0 „ u .„ un „ fjujlc voluntarily.