THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 81, 22 August 1912, Page 5

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

DEPUTATION TO THE MENT. ministerial hedging. SURVEY TO BE GONE ON WITH By Telegraph—Own Correspondent. Wellington, Last Night. A numerous deputation of TaranaJd ami +? lted , m the Prime Minister and -the Minister of Public Works today to request that a section of the &'i i™' TV' aboUt sixteen * length, should be authorised. r' v ' Pearce Sili(l that the deputation represented all the local bodies, chambers of commerce, and various important companies iu the distuct. Die deputation wanted the Government to authorise a portion of the Upunake line, as recommended in the cornmiwloners' report. The -dentation moL TT' 1 Wlth tha T pute recom?ni Commission. the 'request. Mackenzie alao supported Mr. Powdrell (Kaupokonui Dairy Factory) said that his factory was the argest cheese factory in the world, and it, amongst others, would be directly served by the line. At present the torTfnd Ca lf ag i e ° f V'* Ka "P ok °™ Factor) and its branches was 13% miles, With a railway, the average "cartage «ould lie one mile and a half. This showed the great saving that would be tt° i? the , maintenance of the country roaids, and the saving to the' Kaupokonui Factory would be over £7OO wouidT 1116 Sa ' Vin " t0 ° ther would be on a proportional scale. u-m , r 'r ? A d (cl,airnian of the Hauera County Council) detailed the enormous s Ums , that had Leen eor body he represented on road maintenance and road construction. The construction of the line would relieve the theirr°>, rmOUS,y in the matt " of their road charges, as the whole of the traffic would go over the line. vtr Mr / (chairman of tile Waimate West County Council) said that the county rates amounted to about 4s per ; " »>ey oould not get their produce on the rails the very near future the rate would amount to 0s Tier acre. If the Government was not prepared to do anything, he hoped that the T ' leV WCre at one time. I don t know whether thev are prepared to do it now. I say that we m Waimate West, are prepared to build the small portion of the line from Kapuni to Manaia. Mr Dudley (chairman of the Egmont County Council) said that, without any offence, he wished to remind Mr. Massev that h.e was chairman 'of his meeting at Manaia, and that the question had been asked, "What about our railway?'* Mr Massey had replied, "Of course you will get your railway. If the Hon. Thos. Mackenzie _ had not been standing for district you would have had"your The Prime Minister: "L,et me say that I dont remember that." Mr. Dudley; "Perhaps you do not want to, sir." Several other members of the deputation also spoke. The Prime Minister, in reply, said that h£. was pleased to hear the representations of the deputation. The merits of tlie suggested line had been discussed in Parliament over and over again, but he had never contemplated that it was proposed to go in for such an ambitious scheme as that outlined in the Commission's report. The proposal would involve an expenditure of half a million of money. He believed that the portion of the line referred to by the deputation would pay, and pay handsomely, but thte Government had financial limitations bevond which it could not go. Until tho Public Works Statement was prepared it would be impossible to say how much would be available. The deputation would then know what the Government was prepared to do. His friend had madie reference to an election joke. Mr. Dudley: No joke. You said it as if you meant it. The Prime Minister: You have got a very fertile memory. I did more than joke. I voted for the railway when it was last bfefore Parliament, and I stand by that vote now. In all probability, he continued, a Railways Authorisation Bill would be introduced this session. At all events he would see that the survey would be gone on with. He thought it would be necessary for both th ; e Minister of Public Works and himself to visit the locality, and so far as the allocation of money was concerned the _ Government would" do the best to be just to all parts of the country. He : coincided in the opinion that this railway should have been constructed, and that it should be made in the very near future. (Hear, hear.) The Hon. W. Fraser (Minister of Public Works) agreed that the best suggestion would b!e for the Prime Minister and himself to visit the district. When the Prime Minister referred to a survey, lie did not mean a detailed survey, because such could not be made till "a lin!e was authorised. He hoped that the Cabinet would be able to gratify their wish.