THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 259, 31 March 1914, Page 4

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

To tho Editor. Sir,—Probably no good purpose is tobe seryed by Stratford or New Ply- \ mouth bewailing the decision of the Go-. vernment in fixing the point of juncture of the Opunake railway near Tc Roti, but siting that you have touched on tho matter in your leading columns, and protests are being made in the southern Taranaki towns, perhaps a brief review of the position from Stratford's standpoint will not be amiss. As i* no doubt generally known, both Stratford and Kaponga made strong representations to the Government and put voluminous data before the Railway Commission in favor of the Stratford route, an* while in this dirccton we were assisted more or less by the New Plymouth representatives we felt that had wo been given whole-hearted support by the. New Plymouth Chamber of Commerceand the Harbor Board, our case would have received more consideration at the hands of tho Government. We Stratford people have never wavered in our belief that the port of New Plymouth is destined to become a deep-sea port and must ultimately be the shipping port of Taranaki, but with the railway from Opunake junctioning at Te Roti, it will be at least some time before the greater part of the produce is shipped through New Plymouth. The Railway Commissioners in thefr report laid particular stress on the importance of a deep-sea port at Moturoa governing the point of juncture of the Opunake railway, but in < arriving at their ultimate decision it * would appear that they had overlooked this most important matter. Possibly the extra cost of the Stratford route ' compared with that of Te Roti may hare had an influence in their finding, but at that time only flying surveys had' been made, and it is understood that since a detailed survey has been made of the To Roti route the cost was found to be considerably greater than the Commissioners anticipated. It is difficult to sec what just cause for complaint either Patca or Hawera have to the line junctioning a mile and a-half nearer 6> ETtham than was the case with the Wftflfe' recommended by the Commissioner*. l$ any place has cause for complaint it £» Stratford, as a new route was found from Stratford to Kaponga, which TOute„ it is understood, would be less costly and with a better and upon which the Commissioners did not, of course, have the opportunity of adjudicating, and although the Government was asked to make a detailed survey of this route before deciding definitely on a junction, they ignored the request.—l am, ete., W. P. KIRKWOOD. Stratford, 30/3/14.