THE MANAIA RAILWAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 17 July 1925, Page 4

THE MANAIA RAILWAY.

PETITION FOR COMPLETION. APPROVED BY TOWN BOARD. The result of the discussion regarding the completion of the Manaia railway which took place at the June meeting of the Manaia Town. Board was evidenced at the special meeting of the board held last evening, when a, draft of the petition to the Minister of Railways praying that the necessary work to complete the railway from Kapuni to Manaia be proceeded with forthwith was received from Mr A. G. Bennett. The text of the petition was approved by the board without alteration, and the document is to be circuated for signature. It wa s also decided to forward an accompanying letter when the petition is presented to the. Minister, expressing the board’s support. The opening clauses of the petition intimate the desire of the residents of the Manaia Town district and tho Animate West County for the completion of the extension from Kapuni. to Manaia. They give an estimate of the length to be 'completed' as approximate.y 3 miles 50 chains, and ,pomt out that the excavation work for the whole .engtn and the- site of the proposed station and railway yards at Manaia aad been completed, and that all that was necessary to be done was to lay the rails and erect buildings and yards at Manaia. Further depositions follow: “That the proposed line will serve a rich pastoral district, the town of Manaia, the stores at Kaupokonui and Inaha, and will enable tno dairy produce from the Kaupokonui and Riverdale Co-operative Dairy Companies to be more economically transported. “That it is firmly ’believed the line, if compieted, wil] in time prove to be a payable one. •’That the construction of the proposed .line was publicly promised to cue residents of the district by the Honorable Sir William Fraser, the then Minister of Public Works, and, furthermore, the present Government has promised on more than one occasion that the line from Kapuni to Manaia would be completed at an early date. “That for the construction of the proposed line many dairy farms have been cut up. “That if the extension is completed great help will ensue to the Waimate West County Council and the Manaia 'vn Board*in the upkeep of the roads within their respective districts. “That to assist in production large quantities of manures and lime are re"luired, and owing depletion of firewood much coal wil] he required in the district in the near future. “That since the proposed line was contemplated transport matter in the district to be served has greatly altered, inasmuch as the port of New Plymouth has been made more available for large cargo steamers, a fertiliser works has been started in New Plymouth, from which it is confidently expected much manure will be used in the district to be served by the railway, and the Patea Freezing Co. are railing a. large quantity of their output to the Port of New Plymouth, instead of using the port of Patea, and it la confidently expected that in . the near future, of necessity for cheapness in transport, New Plymouth will be the sole port used by the Manaia district for the import of merchandise, manures and coal, and for export of cattle and dairy produce.”