THE COASTAL RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 31 August 1920, Page 7

THE COASTAL RAILWAY.

MAY TAKE TEN YEARS YET. HELP OP LOCAL BODIES PROPOSED. The chairman of the Egmont Cojinty Council (Mr. W. R. Wright) is not over sanguine regarding the probability of a. railway from Te Eoti to Opunake being completed by the Government within a reasonable time, taken by the local bodies concerned. In reporting to the Egmont County Council yesterday on the result of the deputation representing the Taranaki Progressive League, which visited Wellington recently, and of which he was a member, he said that the Premier had stated that the railway from Te Roti to Opunake would be completed as soon as men and money were available. Air. Massey also stated that at present neither the local bodies nor the i Government were getting value for the; money they expended. Mr. Hawken, M.P. for Egmont, had suggested to Mr. Wright that the Egmont County Council and the Waimate County Council, as two of the bodies interested, should consider the question of assisting the Government by offering to undertake to' do all the earth work, and Mr. Wjright thoaght the idea was a good one, (as there was little difference between laying down the earth work for this railway and forming new roads. The councils might also undertake to erect the necessary bridges. Unless, he Baid, the local bodies took the work up in this way and let small contracts, or it was taken out of the Government's hands and let to a large contractor, I under the Railway Construction Act, 'he was afraid it would take over ten years to complete; in fact, he doubted if many of the councillors would see its completion. He had mentioned the.matter to the Premier, who appeared to view it favorably. Or. O'Brien said that if the Government was prepared to pay Ms per day plenty of men could be got. The chairman did not think so. He urged councillors to think the matter over seriously, as he proposed to bring it forward at the next meeting of the Council.