STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 64, 24 June 1910, Page 8

STRATFORD DAY BY DAY.

THE iEAST KAILWAY. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Stratford, Last Night. Now that the railway line is opened to Te Wera the settlers will be looking forward to the time when the completion of the work enables the train to run, to Pohokura. After this there will be a lengthy wait the Department say eighteen months, but in all probability it will be two years —ere Whangamomona is reached by the rails. The piercing of the Saddle is preventing the extension of the line, and there seems just cause in the complaint against the Department that this work should, have 'been commenced many months ago. The same thing happened in connection, with the Pohokura tunnel. The formation work has been completed for several miles past the tunnel and the. opening of this portion of the line for either public traffic or to enable the Department to material through to the head works was blocked. until the tunnel was finished. It is stated that it is not definitely determined what route the railway will take after leaving Whangamomona as there is a possibility that a deviation will be made to escape the Tangaraikau Gorge. Should this be done it is understood that many of the difficulties will be avoided. On the other hand, if the line goes through the Gorge another tunnel will be necessary some few miles past Whangamomona. In order to avoid the delay that is now ensuing it would he desirable that the route 'be definitely decided on and that the .work of formation and, if Recessar}, tunnelling he put in hand* So that when the Whangamomona tunnel is completed the laying of the lines for the next section can be speedily completed. » What the Stratford-Ongarue railway line, when completed, will mean to this district was evidenced in a quotation supplied by the Taupiri Coal Company to a dairy factory. The freight of coal tlo Te Wera is 12s 9d, but when the line is opened it can be railed for 8s 3d.

Mt. T. Mercer, of Stratford, leaves on a holiday trip for Queensland at the beginning of next month. Messrs-. A. W. Budge and G. D. Sole have been appointed the representatives of the Stratford Society at the annual conference of acclimatisation societies in Wellington. The health of Father O'Dwyer, who has been a victim of influenza, is improving, and he hopes' to soon be about again.