The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15. THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.
For close on thirty years, the people 1 ] jf Southern Taranaki have persis- ' leiitly advocated the necessity for ' railway communication between Opunake and the main railway line. . Nearly thirty years ago the Govern- ' ment of the day recognised the abso- ' lute necessity for the line, and in pursuance of that recognition sur- ' veyed a route, which was subse- ' quently reserved, and has ever since been known as the Ekham-Opunake ' Railway Reserve. The railway was ' specially authorised, and ten per cent of the proceeds of the land sales within a specified area were set aside for the purpose of building the lilway. For some reason not ava .ble after such a lapse of time, tb Act setting aside the ten per cent was repealed the year following its enactment. The repealing of the Act is a matter of no special consequence just now, but the indisputable fact that the Government, so long ago, seriously entertained the question of constructing this railway gives cause for wonderment that not a single sod lias yet been turned, and Opunake and the rich tract of country intervening is, comparatively speaking, still as much handicapped in the mat ter of communication as it was 25 years ago. * * * To A certain extent the gradual construction of roads, and the metalling of the more important of them running from the main line coastwards, for a time served the wants of the settlers, and caused a cessation of the railway agitation. With, however, the almost meteoric development of the dairy industry in that district within the past ten years the whole condition of affairs has completely changed. So enormous is the traffic on tie roads that even heavy borrowings and the imposition of the highest rates, are now quite inadequate to maintain the roads in a condition much above passability. The ElthamOpunake road, which, for its entire length, carries an enormous volume of traffic, has almost completely disappeared. To re-metal it from end to end would cost thousands of pounds. And so it is with the Main South Road. Even wore the money spent, unless a great deal of the heavier traffic were by some means diverted, no permanent relief would lie brought to the settlers, becauss within another five years the same position, as presents itself to-day, would again have to be faced.
Many reaso- s have been advanced for the eoinp v.vtively short life of South Taranaki loads. No doubt tho inordinately heavy traffic is the prime factor, but the wetness of C3ftain seasons of the your aids the bro dung-down process, and the supervening hot, dry winds further assist by clearing the roads bare of all the most essential binding material. As hopeless as the ElthumOpunake road is the condition of cvciy main and side road traversing the district. The burden is now as heavy as the ratepayers can bear, and the county councils and the road b lard are altogether unable t'l offir any hope except by further heavy borrowing. It.-should bo reinoui'lieivd that the roads ill that por- • ion oithe province have a habit of wearing one years before the money with which they have been constructed has been repaid, and if the present system is allowed tn oontiiiwi it will be no uncommon thing for a ratepa} er to be paying interest for halt-a-W.eu loans on the one stretch of road. 1 * * * * A case occurs to us at the moment, of a portion of a main road that was metalled between six and eight years ago at a cost of many , thousands of pounds of borrowed ' money, repayable in 21 years. That road is already beyond the repairing stage, 'and another big loan will shortly be imperative. Ratepayers in that district, are therefore, faced with the position of having for the next fifteen years to pay interest and sinking fund on the cost of a work which has entirely disappeared from sight and use. Such is the position throughout southern Taranaki, a position, we venture to believe, that t does not exist anywhere else in the s colony to tho same extent. That r country is not in the back-blocks, but , in one of the most thickly populated I farming districts in tho colony—a ' district, moreover, that lias shown a spirit of independence in burdening [ itself with a heavy debt in order to improve its roads. Such a condition of affairs must not be allowed to continue, especially when the remedy is r at hand. The only solution is the construction of a railway line, regarding which no dissentient voice ; has ever been raised. * * # * , Some two years or so ago, Opunake and tho adjacent country districts, feeling acutely the pinch of isolation, I heavy freight charges and heavier rates, ro-kiudled tho railway agitation •lame, and have kept vigorously ' fanning it over since. To such good purpose was tho movement worked that the Minister of Public Works was induced to put in hand a detailed survey of tho line along the reserved route. In urging the claims of Opunake before the Minister, the whole district presented a united front. Unhappily for Opunake and . long sull'eiingsettlers, that unanimity was soon disturbed. Stratford put in a claim for the terminus of the proposed line, and agitated until the Government promised to have an alternate survey made by way of Kaponga and Lmvgarth to Stnitfcrd. That was all rght-it. was recognised that the question was going to bo a , battle of routes. It was recently stated that the compilation of the reports, estimates, and plans of the ' surveys was almost completed, and it, was believed tho matter would bo so ■ far advanced as be discussed, and perhaps provided for during the coming session, At this stage Hawera entered the field as an aspirant for the junction " honor," and at a meetinir held last week resolved to fight for its claim. The action of Iliwera in the matter is hard to reconcile with their speakers'avowed sympathy with Opunake and the country settlors who want the railway. Although representatives wore invited to be present from P.itea, Opunake, and other kindred bodies, and though nearly every country delegate spoke shongly and regretfully concerning Hawera's proposed action, the motions affirming Ilawora's " claims " were carried. It was statod at the meeting that Hawera would not have moved in the matter were it not that Stratford was agitating for a diversion, and there was reason to fear, might bo successful. Surely very weak reasoning-two wrongs don't make a right. * * * # The position clearly seems to bo now that the rival aspirants for the terminus are fighting simply tor their own selfish ends. What is best for the district as a whole is of no moment at all, nor does it appear that the axe-grinders concern themselves much about the oppressed country settlor unless he chooses to be a party to their schemings? This is surely a ridiculous state of affairs. How »n the name of all that is
reasonable is it to be expected that the Government will hasten the commencement of this necessary work, in the face of such dissension. The movers in these rival agitations must be perfectly aware of the result of their actions, yet they claim to be desirous of pushing on the railway, Well might the farmers cry in despair, "Save us from our friends" * * ss New Plymouth is keenly alive to the necessity for the construction oE the Opunake line, and is also wise enough to recognise that the increased prosperity of any part of the province must be reflected in the chief contre. All this unseemly agitation tor the terminus is only delaying the construction of one of the province's most urgent public works, and hampering progress, and the New Plymouth body that would be mad enough to assist the agitations, and thus still further delay the commencement of the railway, would find no sympathy here. This matter has got to be considered, not from the standpoints of the towns of Stratford, Eltham and Hawera, or even Patea or New Plymouth, but with a view to best serving the requirements of the district to be traversed. That, fairly and honestly considered, there need not be the slightest fear that the province's and the colony's interests had not best been served. Meantime, therefore, Taranaki should present a united front in urging the Government to commence the too-long delayed work, and, with the Government, the opinion of whose engineers and advisers is after all " entitled to some consideration," may fairly be left the matter of route. Should it appear from the selection that any grave injustice has been done, we shall have plenty to say, First and foremost, however, let us get the construction of the line authorised.
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8182, 15 August 1906, Page 2
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1,458The Daily News. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15. THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY. Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 8182, 15 August 1906, Page 2
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