RAILING THE PLAINS.

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1918, Page 4

RAILING THE PLAINS.

FROM TE EOTI TO OPUNAKE AN© NEW PLYMOUTH. During tbe harbor campaign doubt luuJ been expressed regarding tie statement made by the member for Egrnont us to the sincerity of the Government in pushing on with the Te Roti-Opunake and Opunake-New Plymouth railway, so Mr. C- A. Wilkinson, M.P., wrote to the Minister for Public Works on the subject, and elicited a reply which will, we arc sure, te regarded as exceedingly satisfactory. Mr. Wilkinson's letter to the Minister is as follows: "Would it be possible for you to give me some assurance of the Government's intention in Tegard to the vigorous construction policy in connection with the Opunake lines a3 soon as lata and material are available after the conclusion of the wart I have understood up to now that it was your intention to employ quite a number of returned soldiers on this work, and that you hoped to have the balance of the line from Opunake to New Plymouth authorised, so that work could be commeneed at both ends. If you could give me any information for publicity, I will b? glad to have it. If not for pttbßeity, I will be glad' to have it confidentially." The Minister replied as follows: Dear sir,—l am in receipt 'ci your letter of the Cth inst., in, regard to the Opunako railway line. I have no hesitation in repeating to you what I have said previously in regard to this line. I consider that as soon as money, labor, and material are available, this line, right up to New Plymouth, should ibe completed, and I will endeavor to give effect to this. You can make any use you please of this statement. But for the war, thejine would have been completed to Opnnate long ere this.—W. TOASER, Minister' of Public Worlai. '