OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 147, 30 September 1910, Page 5

OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

WHICH IS THE ROUTE? , Wellington, Thursday. A short debate on the proposed Opunake railway line took place in the House to-day. Mr. Pearc&, Patea, asked the Minister for Public Works, "Whether, in view of tihe fact that in his list of proposed railways he included three alternative routes for the railway from Opunake to the -main line be will set up a commission of tihree—hwo commercial experts and an engineering expert—to take evidence in the district and decide where the best route for the line should be — from a commercial as well as from an engineering point of view—with the o)b ? ject of allowing the local bodies to raise the money to construct the line if> the Government will not undertake the construction 1" . / The Minister for Public Works replied: "A considerable., sum. of money has already iheon expended in surveying the different alternative routes for a projr cted railway to Opunake and as all the information required in connection with these routes is already in the possession of this Public Works Department there is no necessity to set up a Royal Commission to deal with the matter. The question of allowing the local authorities to undertake the .construction of the railway is an important point of policy upon which I am not prepared to express an.opinion at present. iMr. Pfarce said the ireply was unsatisfactory, as it added nothing to the knowledge members possessed. The roading problem Ibetween Opunake and the railway line was very acute. The climate was wet, road metal was scarce, and the traffic was heavy. The Hawera County Council wais spending £60,000 on roading and the Eltlham Countv Council £4-0,000. A rate of three and a-half per cent, was heing levied in the districts, which on land worth £6O an acre meant 6s 3d per annum. The district was one of ■the richest, if not the richest, in New Zealand, and for twelve miles at least the line would pay 10 per cent. He would have no difficulty in getting four per cent, guaranteed in a week. .There was a reserve two chains wide for the line, although it was not in the right place, having been made before the country was settled. 'Mr. Pearce urged that the proper route was in the direction of Patea and asked that a commissioa, with power to call evidence, should be set up to settle it. Mr. Okev (Taranaki) said the Taranaki members,were willing to sink the question of route and combine in urging that the line should be constructed over the best route. The Minister should himself visit the district.during the recess. The local bodies would be willing to rate themselves for the line as at present they were put to hieavy expense in roading.—Eltharai Argus special correspondent.