OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 102, 20 October 1911, Page 7

OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

i MINISTERS AND MEMKERS. Tn the Tlousp of Representatives on Tuesday afternoon, the A to L Petitions Committee reported that certain petitions for the construction of a branch railway line through South Taranaki to connect the Opunake district with the new line should be referred to the Government for consideration (says the Dominion). Mr. Pearce expressed surprise that no decision had been oome to in regard to the Opunake railway because it would be one of the best paying branch lines in Now Zealand. He " quoted from the statement made by the Minister for Public Works at Opunake in confirmation of his statement. The Minister had stated that it was one of the first branch railways that should be made as it would be most, profitable. At Uawera the Minister had made a similar statement. He was sorry that on the. Estimates there, was money to be voted for two other less important branch lines and none for Opunake. Ife did not know what the reason was for this state of affairs, unless it was that there was a difference about the route and that some misguided electors had decided to ask the Minister for Agriculture to contest one of the seats in Taranaki. Meantime the line was hung up. However, after the election the Minister would be hung up in < the same way. (Laughter.) The Minister for Public Works should carry out his promise, notwithstanding the fact that another Minister was standing for the district. He, (Mr. Pearce) was present at the meeting at Hawera and had himself heard the Minister make the statement. He noticed that the Minister for Agriculture was smiling, but li«s would not smile so much on election day. Mr. Hinc expressed regret that the Taranaki men should be somewhat divided about the route. The Minister, however, should stick to the Stratford route.* The Hon. R. .McKwizie agreed that he had stated that it was a very line bit of country and that the railway should be one of the fir-t made, but there were three or four portions of Taranaki thai wanted a railway Marled from ] the main line towards Opunake. He had ; no doubt that the ra-ilwav would be made before long -when Taranaki re- i turned two members who would advocate I Taranaki requirements in a reasonable ! manlier and not. in the excitable manner I in which they were put before (lie I House at present. The Minister for | Agriculture bad much better cause to | be satisfied than any other member hail- i ling from Taranaki at the present time. The two ircntlcmcn who had just spoken ! would not be in the llnu-e to advocate j the line after this session.