OPUNAKE RAILWAY COMMISSION.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 14 May 1912, Page 5

OPUNAKE RAILWAY COMMISSION.

SITTING IN HAWERA

The Royal Commission, appointed to enquire and report upon the question of a route for the proposed railway from Opunake, and also in connection with the proposed tram scheme, commenced its sittings in Hawera Borough Council Chambers this morning. Mr R. \y. Holmes, Chief Engineer, Public Works Department, is the chairman, and the other Commissioners are Mr James Burnett (Chief Engineer of Railways), Mr G. Bullard (Commissioner of Crown Lands, Taranaki), and Mr E. Clifton (Director of the Fields and Experimental Farms Division, Department of Agriculture). The purpose of the Commission is: 1. To enquire into and report upon the best means to be adopted to provide adequate means of communication for the transport of produce and other merchandise in the area of country lying to the westward of the main line of rpilwav f^om "F^wera to New Plymouth, whether by railways or tramways, and bavins; regard to the opening up and development of the said area/the probable traffic, and the necessities of the country through which such railways or tramways wiH -pass. 2. To enquire into and report upon the different routes suggested for the proposed branch line of railways from the Wanq;anui-New Plymouth railway to Qpunak©.

3. To further enquire and report what (if any) tramways would be advisable for the opening up and development of the area of country herein-beTore referred to, and the best location for the same.

4. What will be the probable -cost of the said railway or tramways, and what will probably be the economic and commercial value and other merits of such rajMvays or tramways, respectively. When the Commission opened this morning the Chairman announced tli the nroceedings would not be open J the Press. «•