DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 95, 18 May 1909, Page 3

DEPUTATIONS TO MINISTERS

, WESTLAND REQUIREMENTS. [ By Telegraph.—Press Association. •Hokitika, Last Night. lire Hon. J. A. Millar and party arrived here to-day, and, after a 'short .stay, proceeded to Ross, where a nnm ber of Okarito residents interviewed them in reference to harbor construction, the cost of which is estimated by Government engineers to be £33,000. A Atrong case.was made out. After a long discussKnr, the Minister stated that he would' obtain a further report of the probable cost of doing the .portion of th • work most urgently required. In any case settlers would have to submit t' a special rate to pay the interest on the cost. The deputation agreed to this proposal to show their bona fides. After luncheon the Minister inspected toe electrical works at the Boss grildfields, Ltd, •which will shortly commence operations. The Minister then returned to Hokitika, where he met several deputations. Ha subsequently left for Greymouth. \ THE EAST COAST RAILWAY. 1 Napier, Last Night. A representative deputation from the ] recently-formed East Coast Railway I League waited on the Minister for Pub- < lie Works to-day and urged the import- < ance of a railway being constructed be- ' tween Napier and Gisborne. In the ' course of his reply Mr. McKenzie said i lha't several railways were urgently 1 needed, arid le was sorry the Napier- 1 ■Gisborne line was not classified as one i ■of these. There was only a short length .' ■of the trial survey to be concluded, ' •and he thongit he could say that would be done. He advised the deputation to j endeavour 'to get Parliament to authorise the railway. He thought tie railway should be commenced when the lines now in hand were completed. .