THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 28 July 1928, Page 4

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

RESIDENT OFFICIAL AT KAPUNI

A KAPONGA REQUEST

4. meethm of representatives of focal business, firms and the dairying interests was field in the Kaponga town nail last evening for the purpose oj formulating suggestions leading up a, more extended use of the ravin ay facilities of the district. The meeting in was convened by Messrs -i. Charters (E'armeis’ Cc-ope'r'ahi've Orgauiisatin), G. E. Alovrlssey (Newton King Limited), and R. G. Cook (Kaponga

Dairy Company). . , , , f ~ The chair was occupied, by air it. Fitzgerald, and there were present:— Messns J. S. Charters, C. E. Betts, A. R. Bates, J. Guy, R. Arnold,. C. Iwist. C Stewart, C. El Alornev, o. Scani-on, C G wynne', and Horace Mellow. Apologies for absence were received from Alessrs A. A,. Tait and K. Cock chairman and eecertai-y respectively of the Kaponga Dairy Company. In opening the bmsinasls of the meet - ( n ot M r Aiorrisisev briefly explained that in the interests of the general eom.ni.iui.itv of Kaponga, and .surrounding district' i,‘ had been deemed desirah.e to av before the Railway Department tin* necessity for the appointment ot n responsible officer to take charge- of the Kapuni Station, on the iTe Roti-Opii-naJce line, with a view to the i,,cr and di.s-iatch of inward and outward goods. Tt was felt that 'the appointment of a jicrmanent officer would, result in a greatly increased volume of freight transmitted on the branch line. Both consignors and consignees would have faith in the safety and delivery ol their goods, and a‘dependable source ot information would be established. Overtures hful already l*?en made to t.he <d)epartment in this wwinection, and with } a , view to meeting the wishes of-the oommun'.tv it had been arrangedl hat Mr Scoiv’lar traffic inspector, Wanganui, would on August 2 confer at Kapuni with a committee appointed to represent the ‘various interests concerned. Air Morrissey submitted a. copy of the letter to the department bearing on the , subject. In this it was .stated that «i|t the present juncture the district was handling all : its inwards andi outwards merchandise, etc., per medium of motoi transport to and from the Bltham sta-t-on. Provided that better facilities for handling and communication were forthcoming from thp .Railway Department it was proposed to divert the transport of goods to .and from Kapuni Station, ajon.r the Opuna-ke branch line. The railways would then directly benefit- to the extent of Is 2d per ion of goods transported. To encourage the residents to change their tranisport route, they would expect the department to place a. .goods and booking clerk in charge, install a telephone connected with"Kaoonga and provide : a small hand crane.

COMMITTEE APPOINTED. It was resolved that the following committee he set up to meet and confer with, the traffic manager. Wanganui at Kaipuni on August 2 : —Messrs I) Fitzgerald (representing farnneae), C Morrissey, J. S. Charters, A. R. Bates, J. Guy, and J. J. Davison (representing the -business section), A. > • Tate, W. A. O’Neii.l and It. G . Cook (representing the Kaponga Dairy ComTlie view was 1 expressed! that the suggested reform would be equally beneficial to the residents of Manaia. as to Kaponga, and it was resolved that a committee of Mamaia tradespeople be invited to attend a meeting at Kaponga on Monday next for the purpose of "drafting a schedule of reasonable paints in euppoirt of the seihemi? for presentation to. the railway authorities. It was decided that, as the committee had a fair outline of the position already laid down, no time should he lost in'thoroughly organising the trades, lieoplp of the town. It is understood that a request as to l>e made that the present ,railway .service from Hawera to O'nunake (f-onnr da vs nor week) should he substituted lw a, daily service.