THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 5 November 1919, Page 4

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

The reinstatement of the OpunakeMoturoa line in the Railways Authorisation Bill will cause gratification throughout the district to be served by this important link in the railway sor >s of Taranaki. Whatever may have been the real reason for ita deletion, there was certainly no justification for cutting out this line from the list of authorised works. No useful service will be gained by either discussing the action of the Minister or speculating on the peculiar circumstances which lend an air of mystery to the incident. The wrong has been righted, and that is all that need matter. It is not probable there will be any appreciable expenditure on the line this year, but the Minister can, and should, at the earliest possible moment, have steps taken to determine the exact point at which the connection will be made at the New Plymouth end of the line, for until this has been officially decided the New Plymouth Harbor Board will be unable to complete its plans, which are to be made to fit in with i:. "'lilway. One of the main features of the large expenditure now being made to complete the improvements at the harbor is for facilitating the transport of produce and the distrbution of imported goods direct to the settlers, and it is this factor that will have a marked effect in making the branch line a profitable asset. As Mr. S. G. Smith, the member for Taranaki, pointed out in the House on Monday night, this line, which is urgently wanted by the people it will serve, will feed what will be. one of the most important ports in the Dominion, and, thanks to his efforts, ably assisted by the member for Egmont (Mr. Wilkinson), the work has been authorised, while the reception given to the restoration of the line by the Legislative Council indicates that the Hon. 0. Samuel has acted in the best interests o£ Taranaki. We join in the chorus of approval at the authorisation of the line, and in the appreciation of the services of the -members above mentioned.