RAILWAY EXTENSION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 272, 21 November 1904, Page 3

RAILWAY EXTENSION.

ANOTHER I.IN'K 1\ T THE MAIN TIU NIC LINE. .-?HE OFFICIAL OPENING. TAIHAPE, Nov. 19. To-day the official opening of the extension of the railway to Taihape was ci-tgbra-ted. The various buildinga in the township were gaily decorated with flags and evergreens. The .Ministerial party, consisting of the Premier, Hon. W. Hall-Jones, Messrs Willis, Wood and Remington, M's.H.R., with the Mayor of Wanganui reached Taihape at 12.30 by the ordinary train. A procession of school children formed up in front of t-h<» station, surrounded by a crowd of residents and excursionists. Directly the train pulled up at the station a bawl played and the reception commit tit received Mr Seddon and conducted him to the portals of the station. Mr R. T. Batley, a Moawhango settler of thirty, years' standing, presented the Premier with an address of - welcome.

The Premier, in replying, contrasted the expenditure of the Atkinson Administration with that of his Government , showing that during Sir Harry Atkinson's last year of office £10,318 was spent, while the appropriations of 1004 amounted to £l9t; 400. He assured his hearers that the line would be vigorously pushed on* and that only .">1 miles of virgin country remained untouched. Referring to the Makohine viaduct he said it was unfair to charge the plant used in its construction against that work". It wus now being; used for the manufacture of similar works. Mr Seddon looked forward to the completion, in the near future, of this great national work. Jle promised to spend every shilling of this year's vote, and let the people know the expenditure year by sent rate of progress it would not be long before the line was finished. The Government knew what wes inquired to make the line pay, and ; that was the construction of roads. :

He dwelt on the value of the pint timber for • butter boxes, ami regretted the destruction of millions of feet before the completion of the railway. Ten years ago the Awarun country, in which Taihape was included, was firmly held by the natives under the treaty of Waitangi made 64 years ago. During hi* term of oflice the whole of that block had been acquired, and hundreds of settlers were now located on the land. After dealing with other minor matters Mr Meddon concluded amid cheers.

Hon. \V. Hall-Jones also spoke, stating f hat the vote for roads thiß year was a record one. He intended proceeding with the construction of the most urgently required roads during tkis summer, and promised to return in three weeks to accept aii invitation to a disncr from the Afataroa settler^.

Messrs Willis, Wood, and Remington also gave brief addresses. Hiraka te Rango, a chief of the tribe from whom the Taihape land .was acquired, welcomed the Premier on behalf ot tile Maoris of the district.

At the. close of the proceedings cheers were given for the Premier and party, and the procession, headed tiy the band and school children, and followed by the Ministerial party seated in carriages, marched through the town and adjourned to the reception ground, where the Premier addressed 250 children. The party were entertained at lunch in a Jarge marquee, when various toasts •were honoured. Hon. Hall-J ones returned to Wellington this afternoon. The Premier is being entertained by the demonstration committee this evening, and returns to Wellington at eight to-night.