THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 201, 3 February 1915, Page 5

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

COUNTY XX)raifCHi; TAKts ACTION.; An j'tilie meeting" of the ''Taranaki County Council yesterday tiie necessity for some'stops being taken to get matter's in train ior the proposed OpunaknMotui'OA railway was touched on, Crv McAllum asked if any reply had been received from . the Western (Railway League in regard to the Council's eom« munication on the subject, and on being answered in the negative, he eaid thai if, behoved the Council to move, in ttoii matter. The survey was proceeding, and hud now reached Omata, and he thought steps should be taken to set tip the Railway Board. He did not know what steps it was necessary to take, not did he want to upset anything that was now in train, but he thought that as the Railway League had not had 'tfw (curtesy to reply, soii>« one should in the matter, ~ The chairman did not know what was being dpjne. Councillor Binnie considered that it was rather early yet, as the route of the railway had been definitely fixed only • as far as'Warea. At Puniho Hhey had. ; made four trial surveys, but none had been definitely fixed on, and he thought, \ it would be rnadvisable to move im *ho mu'.ter unitl the rdute had been fixed as far as Moturoa, and they had some estimate of the proposed cost. Cr Andrews, as one of the members of the League, said nothing would be done until they had an estimate of the cost. Then they could fix the rating area and strike the necessary rate. Cr McAllum contended that ft lot of, preliminary work could be doie »ew. Tliciy could define \the Railway dig-' tvict, prepare a roll of ratepayers, and elect the Railway Board. All this would take considerable time. His idea was that if the Railway League did »ot reply by artisan date shrd cmfwyp pa reply by a certain date, the Council , should set up a committee to take- the . initial steps, and lie moved to that ' effect. Seconded by Mr A. E. Laurence. Cr. Andrews understood the Council had decided to have nothing' to do with the matter as a Council, but now they wanted to put their finger in tie ' pie.' Were the Msa. and Waitara members prepared to go into the'matter? Cr McAllum said they could meet that contingency when it arose. The chairman had said that he personally was not in farour of the Council tackling the matter, but that did »os. mea» fke Council. The chairman eaid his remark was that the Council bad plenty to Oo without seeing after the railway, bift the time might come—in fact, mie&t have already come—when it was fke duty of the Council to take a«8on. The resolution was carried.