THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 92, 18 April 1912, Page 7

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

The Taranaki Herald comments as follows on the question of the Opunake railway:—

The Mayor of New Plymouth no doubt exercised a wise discretion at Kaponga on Friday evening in refraining from introducing the debatr ■able subject of the route 'of the railway to connect Dpnnako with t.be railway system. Later on he may be called upon to express an opinion when the Commission is taking evidence. In the meantime it might ho as well that New Plymouth should make up its mind where it stain’s in the matter. It may bo urged that it is a question which does Pot greatly concern this town, hut a h’ttle reflection will, we think, serve to convince that it does concern ns a great deal. Presumably we arc all agreed that this is going to he the port cf Taranaki, and that the trade route of the whole province, and even of a much wider area, will pass through this port in the near future, when accommodation is provided for directtrading vessels.. That being so, .our efforts should he turned to influencing trade routes as directly ,as possible to this port, consistently with serving the needs of the point try. Taking Opnna.ke as a trading centre at tin 1 (-western terminus of the 1 proposed railway, it .will he found that the distance from there to New Plymonth by way -of To Roii is G 3 miles, by way of Eltham 59 miles, and by way of Stratfoid 55$ miles, so that there is a substantial advantage .to the district around Opunake in the matter of distance in Lvvour ,of the last-named route. When, however, the elevations arc taken into account the advantage -attaching to the Stratford route is much greater. We do not know the exact ,elevation of Kaponga, hut assume that it is nearly as high as Eltham and higher titan To Poti. If that is so, produce from Kaponga will run down to To Roti, if the junction is there,

and then have to he hauled nearly 500 feet up to Stratford. if the junction is at Stratford it will still have to ho hauled up hill, but the greater distance will make the grade easier. The very heavy grades between Ngacrc and Stra'hfiord will he avoided,. thus tending to the cheaper carriage of produce. These are matters, however, which the official data of tiro Public Works and Railway Departments will throw more light upon than we can. In our view the strongest argument that can he advanced from New Plymouth is in connection with the direct trading facilities at the harbour. We are satisfied that if the people of the district to be served by the proposed railway could see the direct liners lying at the wharf at Motnroa waiting for their butter and cheese they would very strongly support that route whidhl gave them the shortest and cheapest connection between the factories-, and the -steamers, and that we-believe, will be the (Stratford route. They only want an assurance that their produce can and will he shipped as regularly at Motnroa as it been at Wellington. If that assurance can he given the saving in railway freight will turn the scale- .in favour of the Stratford route. Similarly with regard to imports, nfhen the people in the district to be served see their imports of artificial manures .merchandise, etc., landed regularly from direct steamers at Motivroa, their support will go to the lino-which gives them the closest raid chcT.pcfd connection with the port; and that is the Stratford route. The questions cf cost of construction and facilities for handling traffic arc for the railway constructive and operative' departments to deal with, hut it

seems to us to he for New Plymouth to prepare evidence -in favour of the route which will lead most directly to the port, and the host evidence -will ho a satisfactory guarantee that the port .will bardie the trade more efficiently than it can he handled under the existing system of transhipment at Wellington. When the railway is once started it will he ,too late in attempt to change the route .