WAIHI-ATHENREE RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIX, Issue 11, 12 January 1918, Page 6

WAIHI-ATHENREE RAILWAY.

WORK TO START ON MONDAY. NEGOTIATIONS WITH MINISTER. As the result of pressure by residents ti the district most concerned, and also by the Auckland Railways League, the Minister of Public Works (Sir William Fraser) has arranged for a resumption of work on the Waihi-Athenree section of the East Coast railway on Monday, in accordance with his undertaking to do so if 100 men were available. A wire to this effect was received this morning by Mr. R. R. Hunt, secretary of the Railways League. The announcement is the outcome of a good deal of correspondence with the Minister. Following the latter's undertaking, the Mayor of Waihi enrolled 55 men willing to start work, and Mr. G. Vesey Stewart, of Katikati, assisted by Mr. Paul Parera, secured 35 Maoris. A few days ago the Mayor of Waihi telegraphed to the Minister stating, that the men enrolled were anxious to start, and asking that the necessary authorisation be given at the earliest possible moment. The Minister replied that his present difficulty was in finding an engineer to supervise the work, as three of his staff had gone into camp since October. The chairman of the Auckland Railways League (Mr. P. E. Cheal) then wired that he had got into touch with an engineer who was willing to supervise the construction of the line if the Government desired. To this Sir William Fraser replied: 'Your wire received. I am inquiring re work on Waihi-Athenree Railway."