OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 85, 30 May 1911, Page 5

OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

THE KAPUNI MEETING. IS IT A SOUTHERN “DODGE”? Tho following resolution passed at tho last meeting of the Norman by Town Board was forwarded to the Stratford Borough Council and was road at. hist night’s meeting:— “That all local bodies, railway leagues and chairmen of dairy factories in South Taranaki bo written to asking them to appoint ono or more delegates to attend a meeting in the Kapuni Hall at 2 p.m. on June 14th, the business being to discuss tho matter of tho Opunako railway.” The Normanby clerk further stated that Kapuni had been fixed as the place of meeting as being the most central. Cr King moved that the letter lie on tJio table. Cr McAllister seconded. He said the whole point of the matter was that the meeting was being held at Kapuni. The Kaponga people favoured Stratford being tho terminus, and making Kapuni tiie meeting place was a slap at Kaponga. Cr Ward moved that the Mayor and one councillor be appointed to attend the meeting. Tho Mayor and Cr King would easily be able to controvert any arguments brought forward in favour of the southern route. It would lie very unwise to take no notice whatever of the meeting. The Council had been asked civilly to send delegates, and ho thought they would only be doing their duty to tho ratepayers in doing so. Or Lawson seconded tho amendment. , Cr Hoaly thought the matter of route should not bo discussed at tho present juncture. ... Cr Sangster said the Minister for Public Works had advised the people pf Taranaki to meet together and try to come to some agreement among themselves, and weight would probably bo lent to the agitation if there was an appearance of an endeavour to reach an agreement. ’ Cr King thought it would bo a waste of time to attend the meeting. What the Normanby Town Board wanted was to have send 'down two delegates to tho Kapuni meeting to help the southern people to get tho terminus at Normanby. .When the railway was built tho terminus Would bo put at tho best place, and it would be sure to be put at Stratford, whether Stratford people liked it or not, though ho suspected they would like it. Cr Morison supported the amendment. If for no other reason, delegates should lie present at the meeting to watch Stratford’s interests. After considerable further discussion it was decided to hold the matter over till tiie Council’s next ordinary meeting on June 12th.