THE STRATFORD RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 April 1920, Page 5

THE STRATFORD RAILWAY.

BETTER PROGRESS ASKED FOR* CLAIMS OP TAUMARUNUI. MINISTER TO INSPECT ROUTE. (By Telegraph.—Special to Daily News.); Wellington, Last Night. An appeal to tho new Minister of Public Works {Mr. Coates) for the more rapid construction of tile Stratford* Okahukura line from the Main Trunk; end was made by a deputation of sett*, lei's from tho district and from, the ' town of Taumarunui to-day. it way urged by speakers there wai' the utmost need for tho vigorous prosecution of the construction work on this i part of the line. It wag nine yean?' since the work had been put in . and although tho formation work for i nine miles had been put in hand to thlfc toyvu of Matiere, not a single mile ofj railway had been opened. 7] . T,l( ' 'lmputation suggested to the MM istcr that all the work in connections with the lin e had been done from tJbdl Stratford end. The line had been taken j as far as Tahora, and this wag the end' of the settled country in that part. Nexti came the difficult country of the Tanga-i rakau Oorge, or tli ( . deviation by way of' tlaeo Valley, and it was suggested that' the line ought to be built from the Oka-i hiikura end up to the gorge before tba> dithcult part of the work was begun. The argument • was that the Ohurd district lmd no community of interest! with Taranaki, but rather with Tail* manmui, and that therefore the effort of tiie Government should be not to, .10111 up the Ohura district with Taranaki but. with Taumarunui. The aim of the deputation was to secure the construction and opening of the line to Matiere, a distance of ten miles from lite Alain Trunk junction, i The Minister was summoned to Cabf* not, at t lie moment, and he was unable to discuss the matter at length with thd deputation, but he promised to visit the district, coming over the line of route from Stratford through the Ohura, and on Via Oknhukura to Taumarunui, duri mg the coming week, probably on Wednesday. He said that it would be hia endeavor to see all the works in prothi- line CO! ' stl ' Uction ' and among them

The deputation agreed that this would be the most satisfactory way for the Minister to learn the facta of the case, ami they expressed their appreciation of Jua promise.