RAILWAY TO RAETIHI.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1229, 11 September 1911, Page 3

RAILWAY TO RAETIHI.

$, "ARTERIAL" LINE WANTED. PRIME MINISTER CANNOT PROMISE IT, A proposal to construct a railroad connection between Wanganui and Ohakuno was submitted to the Prime Minister on. Saturday morning by a deputation from Raetihi and Wanganui. The scheme outlined was that a branch lino should bo constructed from Ohakuno to Raetihi, with the ultimate object of completing tho line to Wanganui. . Mr. JJngan, member for Wanganui, in introducing tho deputation, said that Sir William Hall-Jones had been over tho country, and they fully expected that the line would have been under construction -wig '.ago. It was almost expected from what had been said then that tho material used in the loop-lino over the Kanoi plains would have been transferred to tho other side of tho Main Trunk lino and used for this branch. Mr. Peter Brass, chairman of the Wai- '?«""? Co,lllt . v Council, spoke of the great difficulties experienced iu the haulage of timber. The country was wet, and it was impossible to construct anv road that would carry tho timber that was being conveyed. In nine months, three miles of road near JJoropito had been completely buned. They telt they would go baclc if nothing were done. If the Government was not prepared to do it, the others wero prepared to rate themselves and construct tho line if they could get permission. Mr. T. Harris, president of the Progressive Association, Raetihi, said that at present they had to leave fully a third of their timber in the bush owing to the excessivo cost of cartage. With tho railway, second-class timber would bo cut, and ths would conserve their resources. Thero were 3000 acres oi' good milling bush eight or nine miles from Ohakunc, and with tho present means of conveyance, this would be left untouched, if this bush wero burned, tho State would lose ,£07,500 in railway freights at 'is. per 100 ft. This was double the cost of tho line. He also said that ,€BO,OOO would bo spent in wages in the cutting of the bush. Air. T. B. Williams, president of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. T. Punch, sawmiller, also spoke. Sir Joseph Ward replied that he was glad to hear representations regarding so important a proposal. He and his colleague, the Hon. I'. M'Kenzie, were well acquainted with the district and the advantages that would arise from the construction of the line, and especially tho benohts that would accrue to tho timber industry. Tho only reply he could make at tho moment was' that the matter would receive consideration when tho Government was considering the general railway authorisations. Ho could not make any delinito promise at present, because the whole country had to be dealt with in the allocation of money, All tho facts would bo taken into consideration, and this important matter would not be overlooked. Neither ho nor his colleague could make a promise regarding any line.