EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 19 July 1913, Page 5

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

• AND RIMCTAKA DEVIATION. DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON MINISTER. At the meeting of the Mastertoon Chamber of Commerce yesterday, the President stated that during the past month, the Wellington Chamber of Commerce and other bodies had been moving in the matter of railway communication. Questions had been piit to Ministers by Mr Sykes and others, and the Government had promised to give the matter consideration. In view of what had transpired, and the fact that Wellington seemed to expect the Wairarapa to take the lead, he (Mr Daniell) had sent the following 'telegram to the Minister of Pub'lio Works: — ' ' * "Be Wairarapa railway.—lt is proposed to arrange for large deputation to wait on you re this line. Personally I urge that we can rely on Government directing their officers to during year locate til© Toute where the line should go, having respect to engineering and commercial requirements. Would you kindly say whether I am justified in my attitude, or is it necessary to publicly emphasise again the .present monstrosity?— Daniel]." " The Minister replied: "Will be very pleased to receive deputation you refer to a,t two o'clock p.m. on any day after Wednesday, 23rd inst." Mr Daniell stated that he had hoped that a deputation- .would not have been necessary. It seemed, -however, that the. Government required a strong agitation from the country districts on the subject.' He would suggest that a strong deputation of representatives of local bodies 'be formed, to wait upon the Govern-, ment.

A member: Does the 'Governmentexpect ns to suggest a route? Mr Daniel! said he had been endeavouring to avoid the question of route, and to throw the responsibility upon the Government engineers. He desired to see the work dealt with on the broad public lines of commercial and engineering requirements. They must expect from Featherston, but must be prepared to meet it. Mr Daniell suggested that the Government engineers should be the judges. Mr Henderson said it was desirable to secure a definite route for the deviation before the FeatherstonMartinboraugh railway was commenced. - A communication wag received from "the Wellington Ohamiber of Commerce, covering a resolution from that body, in which a strong committee was set up to 00-operate with Wairarapa local bodies. It was eventually decided, on Ih'e motion of Mr R. Brown, that a committee consisting of Messrs Daniell, Spain, Henderson, Summerell and Donald, be set up to communicate with local bodies and others interested and arrange a deputation to wait on the Minister on Thursday, 'July 31st.