The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1914. RAILWAY MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 211, 6 March 1914, Page 4

The Daily News. FRIDAY, MARCH 6, 1914. RAILWAY MATTERS.

One can appreciate the anxiety of the people of the Waimate Plains to push on with the construction of the longpromised Opunake railway. For very many years they have been laboring under great transit handicaps that, unfortunately for them, have increased, and not decreased, as the years have gone by. With the closer settlement of the land, and the turning from butter to cheese-making, the wear and tear of the roads has grown almost beyond the financial powers of the local bodies, and if this were not severe enough an impost, the neighboring local bodies controlling the outlets to the railway erected toll-gates and imposed burdensomo charges. It is, then, no wonder that a deputation of Plains representatives seized the opportunity of the Hon. James Allen's brief sojourn at Hawcra the other day to press once again the importance of commencing the Opunake railway. Mr. Allen, however, gave them little encouragement. It was the same stereotyped official reply: "The matter will shortly come before the Cabinet, and will receive sympathetic consideration." No doubt it will be "kept steadily fn view," as it has been for the past decade or two. It is against the policy of the present Government to construct branch railways. "It stands for pushing on energetically with the construction of the important trunk lines, and complete them before satisfying the claims of districts Bituated like Waimate and the New Plymouth-Opuaake coast. At least, that was the policy promulgated by the "Reform" party prior to its occupancy of the Treasury Benches. But that plank, like o many others, has been jettisoned. Why, the , very first thing the Prime Minister did was to authorise a branch line through a well-roaded district in his own constituency! We refer to the WaiuicuPukekohe railway, the construction of which has been started, Mr. Massey himself turning the first sod only the other day amidst the plaudits of his grateful constituents. There is no comparison whatever between the urgency of this and the Opunake line. Waiuku and district possess good communication both j by road and water, whilst the district t is not half as closely settled as South , Taranaki. From a national point of | view, the Waiuku district could well ; have waited for a few more years, and a , commencement made with railing South | Taranaki, which would prove a highly • profitable proposition from the begin- ■ ning. But South Taranaki lias not I got as a representative the Prime Min- ; istcr, who evidently believes in getting in early and looking after No. 1. The Waimate Plains people would no doubt be inclined to suffer for a few more years the serious disabilities under which they are laboring were the Government but carrying out its promise to concentrate first on the main lines, but when they see tho Government commencing a comparatively unimportant branch line in the Prime Minister's own electorate it is only natural that tliey should protest against the unfair treatment to which they are being subjected. It is not as if tho Government is paying attention to the railway requirements of Taranaki in other quarters; for it is not. Ministers promised to facilitate tlie passing of the necessary legislation to enable local bodies to construct the much-needed line between -vloturoa and Opunake, but when it came to redeem the promise, what happened? The Minister coolly resurrected mi old Act, furbished it up a little, and apologetically remarked, "Here you are, gentlemen; it isn't much, I know, but it is all I ean do for you these busy days. Take it or leave it." The measure is quite useless in its present form, and for all practical purposes might just as well have been allowed to repose where it was. This is another example of the difference between promise and performance. In respect to the Stratford main trunk line, the Government is showing no keen desire to push oil with the work. It seems more concerned with the northern end, whore its sympathies chiefly lie. At the present rate of progress the railway will pierce the Ohura from tile Stratford end in ten or twelve years' time, but there is no reason why it should not be accomplished in four or five. Verily, Taranaki is not getting the 'square deal" in railway matters it was so frequently promised by the gentlemen who now have charge of the country's political ' affairs.