ELTHAM OPUNAKE TRAMWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 16 September 1907, Page 3

ELTHAM OPUNAKE TRAMWAY.

♦ AN EXTENDED SURVEY. At Saturday's meeting of the Eltham County Council a letter was received from the Clerk to the Opunake Town Board offering a contribution of .£lO towards the cost of an expert's report on the electric tram scheme to Opunake. The clerk to the Egmont County Council also wrote offering £OO.

Cr. Quiii asked why did they not do that at first.

Cr. Boddie: They have thought better of it, and got daylight now. Cr. Quin said this altered the whole position. It would -necessitate Mr. Black going back on his work. Cr. Boddie suggested that the chairman move that the survey be completed, and that the oner be accepted and Mr. Black (the engineer) be communicated with. The letters showed that they were, right in insisting that the report Ik between the two centres and not extended.

Cr. IVase .-nggcsted that this would delay the report.

The engineer said that the work done by Mr. Binrk on the rivers would be w'a-ted in the event of the proposal being cVitnded to Opunake. 1 ('if. Boddie -aid he thought the reports should be distinct, each paid for by the body authorising it. The chairman >aid the Eltham people would be £SO worse oil' than if Opumwc bad come ill at first, through .the increased contribution that had been demanded off the county ami borough. The engineer's first oiler for the whole survey was £lr ! it, and to Auroa-road lie charged ,CIOU, and now the presumption wa" that £7O would be the cost of the extension.

Cr. Pea-e thought the extra distance would cause the engineer a lot more work". He had practically two reports to make.

Cr. Fitzgerald thought there was only the question of extra travelling expenses, if the engineer was satisfied with the water-power he already had tented he had no need to test further

reams. The chairman: There will have to be. separate reports. Cr. Fitzgerald: Why not extend the one now in hand? Cr. Pease moved that the offer of the Opunake Town Board and Egmont County Council lx: accepted and Mr. Black be communicated with, but the offer be not binding unless terms could be arranged with the engineer. This was seconded by Cr. Boddie and carried.—Eltham Argus.