ELTHAM.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 8144, 16 December 1904, Page 2

ELTHAM.

VISIT OF THE MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The Hon. Hall-Jones, accompanied by his private secretary and Mr Syme, M.H.R., arrived in Eltham on Wednesday night, when deputations representing various interests waited upon him and were introduced by Mr Syme. THE RAILWAY QUESTION. The Opunake railway was the first subject brought forward. hit Syme remarked that Hawera seemed to be making a big effort to divert this railway from its proper course ; Stratford also had made an attempt, but it was pretty well understood that that agitation was only carried on by a few cranks. The track should go from Eltham to Opunake. Mr Boddie was pleased to think that the hon. gentleman was not altogether unacquainted with this particular subject. ! The traffic was getting far too heavy for the road. The questions would doubtless be asked, was it necessary? would it pay? He had no hesitation in t giving an' emphatic yes to both these queries. sonally he was speaking in a disinterested way. All he was contending for was the greatest good to the greatest number. The district through which the railway was proposed to be taken was thickly populated, all the settlers along the road were anxious that something might be done in the matter with as little delay as possible. The fear that Hawera would : usurp their birthright had forced them to take action sooner than they might otherwise have done. They were anxious to see the survey gone on with soon, and if the Government was not prepared to finance the scheme right away could . facilities not be granted to the settlers to I take up debentures? Mr Parlane, speaking as a country settler had no hesitation in pressing the ' necessity for this railway on the Government. The upkeep of the road was fetting beyond me means of the settlers, t would be an economy to put this Tailway through. The district was a perfect hive of industry. It was bound to be profitable, not only to the district but to the whole colony, and would make a good sequel to the mountain railway. To take the railway to Hawera would be to divert the traffic past its legitimate outlet. Eltham was midway between the two ports of Patea and New Plymouth, therefore all dairying companies in the district would be served. Mr Marx, speaking as a county councillor, said that the upkeep of the road was costing the settlers from Is 6d to 2s per acre. Hundreds of vehicles passed along the road every day. There was not a road in the colony that carried so much produce. It was no stretch of the imagination to say that 50-acre farms would soon be big enough, and that meant more population. To divert the line from its original route would mean spending thousands of pounds for and alone. Mr Richardson said his place was about half way along the proposed route, and thought that if the route were diverted it would not be nearly so useful. In some parts lots of boulders were still to be had in the riverbeds, which could be easily and cheaply worked by means of me railway. If the Government were not prepared to go on with the work, give the settlers a chance to take it up. Hon. W. Carncross said that a considerable amount of alarm had been felt in the district lest the railway should be diverted. Another railway that should have terminated in Eltham had gone elsewhere. They did not want a repetition of this. Hence the formation of the El-tham-Opunake Railway League. A diversion of the line would be a cruel injustice to the settlers here, and a loss to the whole colony. Mr G. W. Tayler invited the hon. gentleman to come back, and go over the route himself some time before the next session of Parliament. In replying the Minister said he would only be too pleased to come up and go over the proposed route. Mention had been made of two ports, but the port of Opunake had been overlooked. ' It was very possible that an Opunake Harbor Board Bill would be brought in next session. The opening up of this port was bound to affect the proposed railway. Until quite recently he had not even heard of alternative routes. Since two had been brought forward, one of them might bo considered out of court, and the other was problematical. So far as he could see the Eltham-Opunakc route Btill stands first. The original route would cost about £110,000, and if, the settlers would bring forward a definite proposal re taking up of debentures he would place the matter before the Cabinet with a strong recommendation from himself. In reference to a survey, he was in favor of that being done without delay, and would take an early opportunity of having existing plans amplified. He could not make any definite promise, but in his opinion the railway ought io terminate at Eltham. COURTHOUSE. Another matter brought forward was want of a courthouse, there being no accommodation at present for either bench or bar. Witnesses, it was pointed out, have to be turned into the street in all sorts of weather. The matter had already been put before the Minister of Justice. The Mayor (Mr Tayler)) spoke at some length .on the matter, pointing out the inconveniences at present suffered. The Minister asked if there was no other building available. It being pointed out that there was not, The Minister said he was against building if it could be avoided, and he did not know that there was work for a clerk of the court in Eltham. However, he had been impressed by what had been said, and he would bring the matter before the Justice Department again. WATER - RIGHTS. An application from the Eltham Dairy Company for certain waterrights Was brought forward by Mr Parlane. The Minister promised to look into the matter. Such an application had to be dealt with carefully, as the decision wouh be regarded as a precedent. RAILWAY STATION. The next matter brought forward was the insufficiency of the facilities for business at the railway station. Mr Wilkinson pointed out that a storeman was wanted for the goods-shed, and that a crane, which had oeen asked for over and over again, was absolutely necessary. The Mayor spoke of the great inconvenience of shunting being done across the highway. Mr McGarry also spoke in support of the necessity of the matters brought forward by the deputation. The Minister pointed out that these were matters Sir Joseph Ward had to deal with. But he promised that the requests of the deputation should all be brought before the Railway Department. He would personally make an inspection in reference to shunting on the main road, and bring under the notice of his colleagues the wholo of the questions raised. ROAD TO ROTOKARE. The question of improving the road to Rotokare Lake was brought under notice. Mr Syme said that in this matter, as in many others, Hawera seemed to think that they had the right to it, though, no doubt, it rightfully belonged to Eltham. Only a small piece of road required to be made to complete a road via Eltham, which would also serve Hawera. Mr Boddie regretted that this also raised a question of one town against another, but there was no comparison 'between the two approaches to the lake. He was quite sure that if the reports of the responsible officers were looked into it would be found that the best route was via Rawhitiroa road, though ho had seen it stated that sonio 2J miles of new road was to be made on the other route. The Minister said ho was not aware of any work having been authorised. AH he could say was that the most convenient route should be taken, but he would have a look at the matter personally next day. ___ _ _____ _^

finance the scheme Tight away could facilities not be granted to the settlers to take up debentures? Mr Parlane, speaking as a country settler had no hesitation in pressing the necessity for this railway on the Government. The upkeep of the road was fetting beyond me means of the settlers, t would be an economy to put this Ailway through. The district was a perfect hive of industry. It was bound to be profitable, not only to the district but to the whole colony, and would make a good sequel to the mountain railway. To take the railway to Hawera would be to divert the traffic past its legitimate outlet. Eltham was midway between the two ports of Patea and New Plymouth, therefore all dairying companies in the district would be served. Mr Marx, speaking as a county councillor, said that the upkeep of the road was costing the settlers from Is 6d to 2s per acre. Hundreds of vehicles passed along the road every day. There was not a road in the colony that carried so much produce. It was no stretch of the imagination to say that 50-acre farms would soon be big enough, and that meant more population. To divert the line from its original route would mean spending thousands of pounds for and alone. Mr Richardson said his place was about half way along the proposed route, and thought that if the route were diverted it would not be nearly so useful. In some parts lots of boulders were still to be had in the riverbeds, which could be easily and cheaply worked by means of me railway. If the Government were not prepared to go on with the work, give the settlers a chance to take it up. Hon. W. Carncross said that a considerable amount of alarm had been felt in the district lest the railway should be diverted. Another railway that should have terminated in Eltham had gone elsewhere. They did not want a repetition of this. Hence the formation of the El-tham-Opunake Railway League. A diversion of the line would be a cruel injustice to the settlers here, and a loss to the whole colony. Mr G. W. Tayler invited the hon. gentleman to come back, and go over the route himself some time before the next session of Parliament. In replying the Minister said he would only be too pleased to come up and go over the proposed route. Mention had been made of two ports, but the port of Opunake had been overlooked. ' It was very possible that an Opunake Harbor Board Bill would be brought in next session. The opening up of this port was bound to affect the proposed railway. Until quite recently he had not even heard of alternative routes. Since two had been brought forward, one of them might bo considered out of court, and the other was problematical. So far as he could see the Eltham-Opunake route Btill stands first. The original routes would cost about £110,000, and if, the settlers would bring forward a definite proposal re taking up of debentures he would place the matter before the Cabinet with a strong recommendation from himself. In reference to a survey, he was in favor of that being done without delay, and would take an early opportunity of having existing plans amplified. He could not make any definite promise, but in his opinion the railway ought io terminate at Eltham. COURTHOUSE.