STRATFORD RAILWAY LEAGUE

Taranaki Daily News, 28 October 1920, Page 8

STRATFORD RAILWAY LEAGUE

. FIRST ANNUAL REPORT. ■-■ The following report was presented at the < first annual meeting of the Stratford Railway League on Tuesday night:—

Your Executive have to report an active year's operations since the forinatiort of the League, loth July, 1919. A number of matters have been dealt with closely allied with the League's functions during the year. Your League also co-operated with other local organisations in an endeavour to have the Broadway railway leases placed upon a better footing, both in the interests of the. town and the lessees. The important question of speeding up the construction of the Stratford-Main trunk railway primarily engaged the attention of your executive, and every opportunity v .is taken to attain the desired end. K.'presentations have been made to the Prime Minister, and the Minister for Public Works pointing out the absolute necessity of pushing on with the Stratford end of the line, so that the heavy work involved beyond Tahora would be completed by the time the line reached Tahora from the Okahukura end. thus enabling the line to be linked np without undue delay. While realising the scarcity of labour, your executive view with regret the small number of men employed on the Stratford end of the line for a considerable time.

Unfortunately the co-operative system, with pay per diem less than can be' secured by labourers at easier work than railway construction, does not attract labour. When the Minister for Public Works visited Stratford, your League made representations that better results would probably be achieved by letting small contracts, and in this the Minister concurred, but up to the present nothing tangible appears to have been done in this direction.

A most important matter in connection with the construction of the line is that a complete detailed through survey should be made right through, as early as possible, and it will be necessary for your League to earnestly concentrate, on getting this important part of the work carried out. With the success that has been achieved in opening up the deep sea port at Motiirna for the largest liners, and a

direct service from overseas, together with the probability of New Plymouth being eventually made the first ami last port of call for intercolonial steamers, the importance of the completion of the Stratfoj'd-Oka.hnkura railway is daily emphasised, However, the desired end can only be brought about through a united front presented by all interests throughout the province,' and without any relaxation of effort, and to this end your League is now affiliated with the Tarauaki Progressive League, this latter body having been recently formed &<j the result of a widespread feeling in the province for morn concerted action in the future than has been the ease in tho past in attaining objects of provincial importance. Membership and' interest in the working of the League during thr year has been very satisfactory, and it 'is confidently anticipated that this will he maintained". ' The Auckland Railway League desired your League to affiliate' with that body, b : tit while, in no way antagonistic to the Auckland RailwayLcague, your Leai gue decided that it would be in our best interests to confine affiliation to

liodies within the Taranaki province Your League was represented at a. conference held recently in Stratford for the purpose of bringing about an implored time table for the through rail-\ way service from New Plymouth to Wellington and rice versa. Your representatives heartily endorsed the suggested new time-table as being in the lirt-t interests of the province. Irt conclusion, your League desires to sincerely thank all who have during the year lent their assistance to further the aint.'* anil objects of the Stratford I Railway League.