MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 296, 9 May 1911, Page 7

MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS

IN THE OPUNAKE DISTRICT. IMPRESSED BY THE RAILWAY PROJECT. The Minister of Public, Works, accompanied by Mrs. McKenzie, private secretary (Mr, McNamara), Mr. Murray (district engineer), Hon. Ca morons, M.L.C., ill'. Dive, M.l'., Mr. Wake (Mayor of Eltham), and Mr. Parrott (ex-Mayor of Eltham), arrived at Opunake about 3.30 p.m. on Saturday. In the evening the Minister was the guest of the Railway League, and about fiO residents sat down to dinner at O'Connor's Hotel with the Ministerial party.

Mr. Brennan. as chairman, proposed the toast of "The Minister of PublSc ! Works," which was enthusiastically drunk, and musical honors accorded the guest. The Minister, in his reply, stated in his speech that he would admit at once that the Opunake branch line was one, in his , opinion, that had the first claim as a ' branch line for construction. But they . could not build railways without money, , and they could not develop the country by going around croaking about the I debt. He told his hearers plainly that if they wanted a railway they must not blame the Government for borrowing. The Opposition was condemning them for borrowing, but he himseli eoukl spend 20 millions on paying railway lines. The railway in this district he was quite satisfied would pay, and he would give.tjiem every assistance. If Parliament granted him a million, half ! a million, or quarter of a million, he I would deal it out fairly and honestly to all alike. The Governjnent would build ! the line if the money was' votedj, iiuft if the Government did not build the line I no one else woul^. ! "Why ?", a voice. | "Because," ,retorted the Minister, "you 'are only i nuance if you are 1 allowed ,to it!. The taxpayers have' to buy it back.,.,'(Oiieers.) Whether he I was q£ 0 Public Works or not, 1 he was emphatic;!;; hip, opinion that this | branch linc ; New Plymouth line had | a jusf cjajpi ffjr construction. I The f ;Hon.,, said he was | pleased to licar, the "Minister admit that j the ja-ilway, ,ai branch line) had j first tyr construction, aid ke l , knew t}iat when once the Hon. McKenzie ' made up, hjp ( f mipd he always stuck to j his promise, r( .... ! The Minister ,hc made no definite i promise that, he would construct the line, but admitted its fair and just claim,, for ; and if they wanted a' line tncy must send members i tp In,further repacks,, the Minister said that wnen,t)je he constructed )■!*? /people where it would be put W r 9i, and his tjiat. .No quesUo, J s ,r%H: a ?K4- else. T-h'jj,> s t ( , wiv? (( with loud . appJjjiisV „ " oI ? „ hq would accept the ftssmrapyfl he would I <io yie early,construction ; of tljie h,e, himself i had budded, trw, in season | a n( |o | ut.ofsei\pp n l pp l claims this distri('t,, 1 ,W,- : fo | r I ( rtho, of the railway, ; THE.,OPUNAKE. HARBOR.

Messrs. Moore, Guy, McKeown, and Campbell waited on the; Minister with regard to gqt.ti^nfinancial assistance for the Opunake harbp,^,, but the Minister sftifl'.tha't'UpS vpijsj in the Minister of ifarinc's peph't'tm'ept, and had nothing to do'with lrtnv

In .repiy t&iiJirflepntlition for a vote for the ,Qkefo.uHtV%em«r road, the Minister said iitrivafti notrja blackblocks road, and thc,rfqflss,t„ftO}ildrrfiot be dealt with by himl ■ fft'iiwasjjav/dfetail 'that should go through; MSrvDive -or' the county council,.ri •,(,') 'I'M in',"mi-

A subsidy vote jpfrrifi fair was granted sMiftonittibn' of 300 chains of road. f'Mmrtithfi itfa iKifi road to the were igra4itSd(t(Soij biitlgefe over the Otakelio river aalft tile,uMangawlicro river in thqiiWainifitej'Weat' county. The, last two promiseftnWiere.miade t'o deputations at also rwere given veirjy hopeful assurance^ "ifegairding the railway. The ! Jlinis]fefift| pHtty' left Opunake for Manila Wt.ab'dal Il,si.m. ii, 1 ".1 in . ,•) iHh- ' '