EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Te Puke Times, Volume II, Issue II, 1 August 1913, Page 3

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

THE DELEGATES' MISSION.

On Sunday last Messrs A. Morton, representing Papamoa, Gill and Bennett, representing Te Puke, and Donald Grant, representing Paerigaroa, left for Opotiki to attend a meeting of delegates, representing the Coast and Rotorua, and convened for the purpose of taking concerted action in urging on the Government the necessity of the speedy construction of the railway line between the Mount and Opotiki. Meetings were held en route at Otamarakau, Whakatane, Taneatua, Waimana, and Koutarere, at all of which places resolutions were passed unanimously endorsing the action of the Te Puke delegates, when the latter were in Wellington, advocating the pushing on wjth all speed of the railway to Opotiki, and supporting the Paengaroa-Rotorua junction in preference to the Tauranga-Waihi line, at present. There was a large attendance at the nneting at Opotiki. on Tuesday night, when delegates were present from Papamoa, Te PuKe, Paengaroa, Matata, Whakatane, Taneatua, Waimana, Rotorua, and, of course, Opotiki. The following resolutions were carried witfiou'Fdissent:-' I. That this misting of delegates representing Rotorua, Te Puke, Papamoa, Paeng.iroa, Matata, Rangitaui, Wh'akatae, Taneatua, Waimana, and Opotiki desires to urge upon the Government the advisability of .'prosecuting most vigorously that section of the East Coast railway between the Mount (Tauranga) and Opotiki, in order to onen up the fertile lands of the Biy of Plenty.

(2). That without prejudice to the ultimate Tauranga - Waihi connection by railway, it is the opinion of this meeting that the Piiengoroa - Rotorua connection should be constructed before the Tauranga-Waihi connection, as it would be quicker of construction and give us speedier connection with the main railway system of the Dominion, and also give us quicker connection with Auckland, and suit us better in our relation with Rotorua and Waikato.'

(3). That a Bay of Plenty Railway Council be formed consisting of delegates from each railway league, chamber of .'commerce, or similar bodies interested in railway matters in the Bay of Plenty, and that the Opotiki Railway League be asked to request each such body to appoint a and to convene the first mating of the Council.

(I) Tin*; this mating of delegates thoroughly approve of the representations, made by Messrs Bennst and Gill to the Government in connection with the East Coast Railway, and considers that in so doing, they have done good service to. the Bay of Plenty.