THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 25, 14 September 1911, Page 5

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

FURTHER ARGUMENT. The matter of the Opunake railway was further discussed at a special wrs *t.:; i,■ • dig ; usje lat a special meeting of the Egmont County County Council on Friday last. The Normanby Town Board wrote, asking the Council to delegate to present the petition to Parliament, the clerk said he had written to the effect that the delegates of the Kapuni conference were under the impression that the four members “of Parliament would present - the petitions. Cr. Macßcynolds had the notion that in matters like that it should originate from Opunake, because if petitions were presented, say, from Hawera, people in Stratford get the idea that the route question is involved, whereas if it comes from Opunake that feeling of bringing up the route question does not enter. Cr. Farquhar: There is a feeling in the County that Opunake is too slow on the railway question, and that if anything is going to be done it must' be done by outsiders. The Chairman said Opunake had always taken a lead in the matter. In any case, the heading of the petition was wrong. It should have read, “To construct a branch railway from Opunake to connect with the New Plymouth-Wellington line. Cr. Farquhar believed the same as Or. Macßcynolds, that- Opunake should take the lead. Cr. Wilcox: The meeting at Kapuni was a very successful one, and, well conducted. The question of route was kept out of it. Cr. Hurst: The best meeting and biggest meeting that has been held in connection with the railway was held in Opunake. The question of appointing a delegate was not further considered. The Normanby Town Board asked that signed petitions be forwarded not later than the 31st of the month. Over 700 signatures had been obtained to the petition. In connection with the above, it is particularly interesting to note that the Chairman of the Egmont County Council is Mr. W. C. Dudley, who was chairman of delegates from local bodies Held at Kapuni in connection with tho railway, and who is one of the most prominent advocates for a line from Opunake. Mr. Dudley’s statement that “in any case the heading of tho petitions was wrong,” is certainly worthy of . note, as entirely bearing out the contentions of tho Stratford County Council and the Stratford Borough Council.