WAIROA DEPUTATION.

Taranaki Daily News, 24 May 1919, Page 2

WAIROA DEPUTATION.

ASKS FOR A RAILWAY. i '. ' { By lelegraph Press Association. Wellington, May 23. A 'large deputation, representing practically all tlu local bodit's and producers ia the Wairoa district, waited on Sir William Fraser and the Hons. Mac Donald, Wilford, Myers, and Guthrie this morning, requesting rail connection be-' tween the town of Wairoa and Wa'ikokapu, p, distance of 33 miles, in conse-: quence of the harbor works at Wairoa having silted up, making it practically h. possible for shipping. The deputator. represented that there were 160,000 freight carcases of meat in the freezing works, which, it was imto get away, and that the district, was without supplies of necessary timber, iron, and stores. The Minister of Munitions had arranged for supplies of coal to keep the freezing works going, but the utmost difficulty had been experienced in getting the coal asliore and over bad roads to the works. Sir William Fraser, after disclaiming the Government's responsibility for the failure of the works at Wairoa, and expressing his personal belief in the WaiItokapu scheme, said that a week or ten days ago he authorised that not a flying, but a detailed, survey be made of the proposed route of the railway. This was the first instance to his knowledge where a detailed survey had been commenced before a line has been authorise-! by Parliament. He pointed out that the railway could not be commenced without parliamentary sanction of a Bill on the Fubiect. He promised to support the Bill in Cabinet Sir Wm. Fraser asknowledged the offer of the natives and other ownew of the land concerned to give the necssary laid along the route Messrs Wilford, Myers, Guthrie, and MariDonald also spoke in favor of the icherne, and indicated that they were prepared to support the proposed line in Cabinet and the House.