Untitled

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 70, 9 August 1912, Page 4

MOTUEOA-TF ROTI \. The Taranaki County Council is to' : foe commended for its action in bringing under the notice of the new Government, .the necessity for giving effect to the recommendations of the Opunake Railby authorising the construction of the line from Moturoa to Te Roti, and proceeding with the surveys and other preliminary work. The Massey Government lias not yet'made clear its attitude in regard to railway construction. It but vouchsafes the information that "the construction of main lilies of .railway will be prosecuted with suqh vigor as 'the funds at the disposal of [the Government will permit." This i% beautifully vague and non-committttfo Thp Government has declared for a curtailment of borrowing, and the adoption of- a self-reliant policy, at the same tiriie bringing down proposals that mean ' a steady and marked increase in the national expenditure, and, on the face of it, it looks as if there is going to be precious little money left for railway construction, or anything else. The Government talk of trying the experiment of adopting some cheaper form of construction in connection with branch lines; but even cheap lines cannot foe made without funds. Still, the Government may have something up its sleeve and be able to show us a method of making bricks without straw. Whatever the surprise that may await us, the Opunake line has strong claims when fresh railway authorisations are considered. Everyone knows how closely settled the district it will serve is, and that a line would pay. and pay well, from the outset. The road traffic is considerable, and the cost of maintenance is consequently very heavy. Settlers are staggering under the burden now, and if something is not done soon in the way of putting ,the traffic on rails, their position will become desperate. The tramways scheme, promulgated by Mr. Duncan McCallnm, received short shrift at the hands of the Railway Commissioners, but, short of a railway, it undoubtedly would offer the most effective solution to the road upkeep problem. Maybe the Government's railway policy will allow public bodies or private enterprise to undertake the construction of branch lines like the Opunake one, and no excepti«n could be taken to the departure, so long, of course, as the necessary safegnantfs were provided. Tn such an event, the Opunake line would be among the most attractive propositions for investors, but unless the district affected interests itself meanwhile, there is a very good ehan"e of its claims being overlooked in the consideration of new authorisations. ?.y .bringing under the notice of the neighboring local bodies the necessity for co-operation and action in this direction the Taranaki County Council shows that it is alive to its dutv.