RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY COMMISSION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LXXI, Issue LXII, 16 May 1912, Page 8

RAILWAY AND TRAMWAY COMMISSION

MR JOHN GIBSON'S VIEW'S. The following correspondence has been handed to us, and will doubtless be read with interest: Patea, May 13. 1912. Mr A. W. Gillies, Mayor of Hawera. Dear Sir, —I notice to-day, by Saturday's paper, that a meeting' will be held to consider the Opunake railway, also the tramway. Had I seen the notice earlier I would haw endeavored to get to tlie meeting. Nojb fctog able now to do so, I would ask ~oy to be allowed to give my views. They are, briefly: That the surveyed line from Opunake to Te Roti should be adhered to. It was surveyed as the best line when there were no conflicting interests to interfere with the survey; and it brings Opunake as near to Hawera and Patea as will prevent any trade being diverted from these towns. I also think that a tramway from Hawera to Manaia will serve the best interests of Hawera far and away better than a railway to Hawera or Normanby. Once a tramway is in working order between Hawera and Manaia, its benefits will be so apparent that it will soon be carried furhter, to the benefit of the whole district. If settlers knew the advantages of a tram line under their own control they would have had it years ago. —Yours "faithfully, JOHN GIBSON.

Hawera, May 15, 1912. Mr John Gibson, Patea. Dear "Sir, —I received your letter, dated the 13th, but unfortunately, as you would see by the papers, the Council were engaged with Mr Dobson that evening over the water supply, and we were unable to attend. The result was that those interested in the Normanby route were able to carry their resolution not to support the tramway, but to concentrate their efforts to obtain the railway to Normanby. My views in the matter coincide with yours. It is, in my opinion, of paramount importance to develop and hold the great trade of the Manaia district, *»n+h for Hawer» and Patea. If the rail comes to Normanby it will kill the tram, and will also, in course of time, be against the interests of Hawera: whereas with a tram and the Te Roti route, Aye would be well served. I attended the Railway Commission and gave my evidence as clearly and strongly as I was able, on these lines. I can only regret that the other evidence given was much against the interests of Hawera, from mv point of view, which is at any rate a disinterested one. —Yours faithfully, A. W. GILLIES, Mayor of Hawera.

Blennerhassett and Sons will hold a sale at their mart on Saturday, May 18. ...•"* The N.Z. Loan and M.A. Co. will sell cattle at the Kakaramea yards on Monday, May 20. The death is announced of Mr G. A. Pauling, District Land Registrar at Invercargill. He has been in a precarious state of health for some time past. The cause of death is said to have been heart failure, accentuated by an attack of pneumonia. Owing to the King of Denmark's death, the flag was flown half-mast today at the Hawera Post Office, and this will be done also on the day of his funeral. Mr Flubdub: ''You women are mighty slow, During the time it took you to select that hat I went out and made two hundied dollars." Mrs Flubdub; "I'm so glad,, dear; you'll need it to pay for the hat I" •.'•■-■ - '.