"People not in dumps": PM

Waimarino Bulletin, Issue 4, 12 August 1988, Page 17

"People not in dumps": PM

Speaking of all his recent trips in various parts of the Dominion the Prime Minister said he found a very good feeling and spirit prevailing. "I am pretty confident," he said, "that the people in the county generally are not down in the dumps." If there had been a little tightness in the money market the great bulk of people he had spoken with did not feel it and were in good heart." (Prime Minister Sir Joseph Ward quoted in the Waimarino County Call dated Friday, June 26, 1908). Parapara rail As the construction of the Main Trunk Line neared completion in July 1908 when the rail-heads were only four miles apart and a branch line from Ohakune to Raetihi was being planned, an even more ambitious railway project was receiving attention as this report in the Waimarino Call, Friday, July 17, 1908 attests. Under the heading: "Wanganui to Ohakune - Proposed New Railway" the following cabled report from Wellington appeared: "The construction of a line of railway from Wanganui to connect with the main trunk line at Ohakune, pass-

ing through Raetihi, was referred to o n Wednesday by the Minister of Railways. In answer to a question by Mr Hogan (a member of the House of Representatives) it was stated that the country over which this proposed railway would run was explored some years ago by Departmental engineers when examining the various suggested routes for the main trunk railway. The information then

gained shows that the country is of very hilly nature and exceedingly difficult from a railway construction point o f view. Any railway over that route must necessarily be an expensive one. As the Departmental engineers were all very busily engaged upon construction work it is regretted, states the Minister, that an officer cannot be spared to make a survey of the proposed line."