EAST ROAD AND RAILWAY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 7 March 1907, Page 2

EAST ROAD AND RAILWAY

(iOViiIINAII'JsT IiEMA' TO TJIE SIiXXLEHiS' ItEQUESTS. AN' UNSTATKSMANUKE THREAT. A week or two back a meeting of protest with regard to the tardy prosecution of public works was held iu Hi vat (old and resolutoins carried tliercat were forwarded to the Government. Tlie reply which has been received from the Aictiiy-i'remier, the lion. Mr Jl;ilt-Jones, is such as aliuosl to take away the breath of settlers, particularly in the districts between VVlinngamomona and Stratford. Tint a .Minister of the Crown, and the Hon. Sir HaJl-Jonus in. partfioular, „-dioul}l deliberately offer Kueli a threat to this province, is a mailer calling for a protest such as will bring home to the Hoverninent., if it is not already aware of it, the enormity and pusitive unfairness of tile proposals. The following is (he text of tin l ]Jon. .Mr llall-.lone.V reply:—

"JJear Kir,—l have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your memorandum of the 23rd instant, forwarding a communication from the' Town Clerk, Stratford, containing a copy of a resolution passed at a public meeting held there on t lie l'.ltli instant, in reference ito tho Ohura road and railway con ! sanction.

"in reply thereto, I regret to 1'" tlinl the good work that has been do in your district is not appieeiated, it. would lie in many other parts tlie colony where the needs are at lea as great. "With the many railway works

hand a larger sum could not bo provided for the Mount Egmont and Iluiroa railways, and it is n. question

whether it "is not advisable to suspent these works until a larger sum can I) annually provided for their completion This will receive consideration who: dealing with the estimates for the en

suing year. "In re the Ohura road: As you are. aware a large sum has been expended on this road. The land is all taken up, settled, and paying rates to the .local authority, and so that, effect may lie given to the resolution' you forwarded me, 1 am arranging for th s road up to and including the metalled portion in and about Whangamoinona being handed ovor to the County Council, who will provide for maintenance. This will permit of any money authorised by Parliament beng utiliv ed in carrying on further metalling.— Yours faithfully, Wm. Hall-Jones."