NEW PLYMOUTH RAILWAY DEVIATION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8080, 10 April 1906, Page 3

NEW PLYMOUTH RAILWAY DEVIATION.

BOIIOUGH COUNCIL I OFFENDED. Iu February last, (lie Borough Council asked the Railway Department for the privilege of viewing the plans of tlie proposal deviation before adopting tlicin. A telegram to the same effect was sent afterward?, but no reply has since been received. On Monday uight this was unfavorcommented upon by Mr F. E. Wilson, a member of the New Plymouth Borough Council, who considered the Council had been treated with contempt, as the Railway Department seemed to Uavo made up its mind to go on with a route without the slightest reference to the Council. Ho moved that the General Manager of Railways bo asltcd to reply to the telegram above referred to. The Mayor agreed. In spite of letters from the Council, from the Members for the district, and from Hon. T. Kelly, M.L.C., the Department had declined to give local people a bearing, but was, he understood, going ahead with the inland scheme, and passing by the Council altogether. This was going to cost the Council a loss of property, and a consequent loss of revenue. Besides thiSj the line would cross more streets than now. Unfortunately, the Mayor continued, there were some people here who considered the work was unnecessary. We made some scathing reference to these people, who kept the town back, aiid from getting its share of public money in a very necessary work. In concluding, he said the Council had a right to be consulted when the Department intended cutting across and acquiring Borough streets, mentioning .Buller street, and pointed out that the Railway Department might as well adopt the beach route, for the encroachment of tin! sea would make it a beach rout# in a very few years anyhow, The motion was carried.