OPUNAKE RAILWAY COMMISSION

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 275, 17 May 1912, Page 4

OPUNAKE RAILWAY COMMISSION

THE SITTING AT MANAIA. The Opunake Railway Commissiontook evidence at Manaia on Wednesday nffni-Knn. The following precis of the evidence was supplied .by the secretary Mr. W. McXamara. Mr. F. W. Grainger, manager of the Patea Refrigerating Company, gave information with reference to the volume of produce from South Taranaki exported during the past year from Paten. The Refrigerating Company was owned by the co-operative dairy companies, who had sunk £20,000 in establishing the works and acquiring the steamers engaged in the transport of the produce between Patea and Wellington. Most of the factories in South Taranaki sent their produce to Patea. Mr. T.. McPhillips, chairman of the Waimate County Council, referred to the difficulty and expense of maintaining roads, in the county. He advocated the construction of a railway with branches in the direction of Manaia and Kaponga, failing which he would reluctantly advocate the construction of a tramline from Manaia to the main railway line. The County Council would give a guarantee of £IOO per annum for ten years against loss on a railway feeder.

Mr. A. IT. Christie, chairman of the Manaia Town Hoard, urged the necessityof a feeder line to connect Manaia with the proposed line. There were heavy charges on merchandise inward, owing to the cost of cartage, about lis to private firms. The Town Board would give a guarantee of £25 per annum in the event of a loss on a railway feeder serving Manaia. Mr. John TVybourne, secretary of the Riverdale Dairy Company, gave figures showing his company's output, which was carted to the railway at Hawera. A tramway between Hawera and Manaia would serve his company. Mr. T. A, Bridge, county councillor, advocated a line runing out near Te Roti, which would be suitable for shipment at either Patea oi< New Plymouth.

Mr. D. ,T. Hughes, county councillor, Kaupokonui Dairy Company director, and member of the New Plymoutli Harbor Board, said the district should have a feeder for the railway. Patea port would not be able to serve the South Taranaki district in the future, owing to the enormous development. Mr. W. S. Young, settler, of Manaia, advocated a line of railway from Manaia along the present main road to TTawera or Nnrmanhy, with a separate line to serve Opunake.

OthcT witnesses were Messrs. W. T. Wells, E. Long, W. Borrie, and E. C. Barlevmnn, whose evidence was mainly on similar lines.