THE MAIN SOUTH ROAD

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 230, 27 March 1912, Page 5

THE MAIN SOUTH ROAD

CONFERENCE AT OPUNAKE. A conference was held at Opunake yesterday between delegates from the Taranaki and Egmont County Councils, to discuss the question of the Main South Road. Delegates present were Messrs J. Brown (chairman), D. McAllum, R. Stevens and C. Andrews, members of the Taranaki County Council; W. C. Dudley (chairman), E. Maxwell, J. Burgess, and S. Campbell, members of the Egmont County Council. Mr. J. Brown presided. The pros and cons of the question were thoroughly discussed, the conference lasting about four hours. All members agreed that it was necessary to do something, and that at once. A resolution was proposed by Mr. McAllum, and seconded by Mr. Burgess, to the effect that the delegates recommend their councils to engage an expert to go into the question of electric trams, with power derived from Bell's Falls, the expense of such report to be borne equally by the Egmont and Taranaki counties; such report to be obtained provided the Government, who have rights over all water-courses for electric power, will grant the local bodies 'the right to use these falls for the purpose of the trams. —This was carried.

An amendment was proposed by Mr. W. C. Dudley, and seconded by Mr. S. Campbell, to the effect that the matter be held in abeyance pending the report of the commission which had been set up re the Opunake railway, and whose scope had been widened to include the tramwavs. —This was lost. Mr. E. Maxwell proposed, and Mr. Stevens seconded, that the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie be written to asking him if, seeing that the commission had been extended to include tramways, it would be possible to still further extend it to consider the question of a tramway from New Plvmmith southward along the coast. —This also was carried.