THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 224, 20 March 1912, Page 5

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY

DEPUTATION TO THE HON. T. MACKENZIE. • ,'>' _____ T> A deputation representing the Hawera \ s Chamber, of Commerce waited upon the,' v " Hon. T. Mackenzie' at' the Hawera sta-' tion yesterday morning, with reference', t £ to the Opunake railway. • / 'J Mr. E. Dixon, president, said, he uh- •' ', •■ derstood the Government were setting ■ up a Commission to go into the question* <-, of the most suitable route, and the de- -' : putation was anxious that the Commis--' sion should be appointed as early aa- " ' possible, and that its report should be \ furnished as soon as""convenient.' ' V The Minister said the Commission had 'S now been set up, and it would, not be-' •■'<■ flreiry long before it got into harness. JThe Commission would, of course, in- . epect the district with the view of locat-W, ing the route that would best serve .thp*- / district. Anyone interested would o£ I able to give_evidence, and the Commis-,. s ,' sion would be very glad to have inforaa- ' " tion bearing, on the matter. _ ■'.< Mr. R. D. Welsh pointed out that the "fr Chamber was at present marking time, 'K; as it were. There was a movement to inaugurate a tram service, and the Ha- ! * wera people were waiting to see the '■ result of the Railway Commission before ' ■ \ deciding to take further steps in the , matter, as to whether they would go on *\ with the tramway proposal or not." ' fy The Minister said that he had intended to ask the Government to widen \ ; thes cope of the inquiry to embrace ,the ' tramway as well as the railway proposal/' He did not know whether the • Governr-. m<ent would do so, but he purposed sub-, \' knitting' the suggestion, because he re-' v cognised that the extensive traffic—and ■ i-*'_ he was glad to see ifr-khould be trans- f_ ferred from wheels to rails. ~' .'j* , Mr. Welsh pointed out that the depu- }. '» •tation did not desire to do anything ,*' '1 tbat would prejudice the coming of the ' %>% line anywhere near Hawera. He was '' '| veiy glad to. hear that Mr. Mackenzie. .- j' proposed to ask that the Commission.be <> *' f given a wider scope, so that it might £"V« also deal with th* tram scheme.—Star. "■ '