THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Taranaki Daily News, 15 March 1922, Page 5

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED. SMALL CONTRACT SYSTEM. MORE ACTIVITY URGED. The Opunake railway was again the subject of discussion at the meeting of the Egmont County Council yesterday. Under date of March 6 the Minister for Public Works wrote regretting that the Government was not able in the meantime to push on expeditiously with the work on the Opunake jailway. There were a great many lines in the Dominion which were bordering on a state of completion and should be completed’ and put out of hand before he was able to concentrate on additional lengths of railway. One of these was the Te Roti-Manaia railway. The Government were, he said, employing a good number of unemployed on the Opunakp railway at present, and he was afraid he could not concentrate more on this prticular railway until the other railways in Taranaki and other parts of the Dominion were brought to completion. Cr. O'Brien said that he had been informed by a gentleman well up in the matte* that the whole of the men on the Opunake railway were on the small contract system. These men were employed in relief work and their wages would be a charge on the. Consolidated Fund, and so would not interfere with the Government grant. Cr. Ferguson pointed out that the overhead charges were getting unbearable. He estimated that it cost the Awatuna Dairy Company 3/- per ton to cart their produce to the railway owing to the tolls nnd the license fees imposed by the Egmqnt and Eltham Counties and the Eltham Borough. They must take some steps—either appeal to the Government to wipe out the present toll-gates or give the Egmont Council permission to erect toll-gates. They were told that they would get the railway some time, but he was ashamed to have to get up so often to advocate the railway.

Cr. Tosland said that there was a fair amount of unemployment in the district and the Minister should be approached to start the railway from the Opunake end to absorb any unemployed at this end of the district. He moved in this direction and the proposa. os seconded by Cr. Ferguson. Members considered that the Government would place the -unemployed on the line as occasion arose. Ultimately it was decided, on the motion or Crs. O’Brien and Trotter, that a list of the unemployed in the district be obtained by the Town Board and placed before the council at its next meeting, when it •will probably be forwaruod to tne Minister.