THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIII, Issue 17, 17 May 1912, Page 5

THE OPUNAKE RAILWAY.

SITTING OP THE COMMISSION AT MANAIA.

The Commission held a sitting at Manaia on Wednesday, at 2 p.m. Mr. K. W. Grainger, manager of the Patea Refrigerating Company, gave information with reference to the value of produce from South Taranaki exported during the past year from Patea. The Refrigerating Company was owned by the co-operative dairy companies, which had sunk £26,000 in establishing the works and acquiring the steamers engaged in the transport of late produce between Patea. and Wellington. Most of the factories in Southern Taranaki sent their produce to Patea.

Mr T. MePhillips, chairman of Waimate West County Council, referred to the difficulty and expense of maintaining roads in the country. He advocated the construction of a railway with branches in the direction of .Manaia and Kaponga; failing that, he would reluctantly advocate the con-

struction of a tramway from Manaia to the main line. The County Council would give a guarantee of £IOO per annum for 10 years against loss on a. railway feeder. .Mr A. H. Christie, chairman of the .Manaia Town Board, urged the necessity for a feeder line to connect .Manaia with the proposed line. There were heavy charges on merchandise inward, owing to the cost of cartage—about 10s per ton to private firms. The Town Board would give a subsidy of £2~) per annum in the event of a loss on a railway feeder serving Manaia Mr John' Wyborn, secretary of the Riverdale Dairy Company, gave figures showing his company's output, which was carted to the railway at Hawera. A tramway between Hawera and Manaia would serve his company. Mr. T. A. Bridge, Waimatc- West County Councillor, advocated a line running out to near Te Roti, which would be suitable for shipment at either Patea or New Plymouth. Mr D. J. Hughes, County Councillor, said the district should have a feeder for the railway. He was of the opinion that Patea port would not bo able to serve the South Taranaki district in the future. Mr W. T. Wells, farmer. Manaia, gave evidence regarding the possibilities of stock raising in the Manaia d strict. Mr W. S. Young, settler, Manaia, advocated a line of railway from Manaia. along the present main road to Hawera, with a separate line to .-.rrve Opunake. Messrs C. E. Barleyman, E. Long, and Wm. Borrie also gave evidence. MR JOHN GIBSON'S VIEWS.

The following correspondence has been handed to us, says the Hawera "Star," and will doubtless be read with interest ; Patea, May 13, 1912. Mr A. W. Gillies, Mayor of Hawera.

Dear S'r, —I notice to-day, by Saturday's paper, that a meeting will be hold to consider tho Opunake railway, also the tramway. Had I seen the notice earlier I would have endeavoured to get to the meeting. Not being aide now to do so, I would ask you lo ho allowed to give my views. They are, brietlv, That the surveyed line from Opunake. to Te Roti should be adhered to. It was surveyed as the oest line when there were no ccniliet.no- interests to interfere with the survey; and it brings Opunake as near to Hawera and Patea as will pre,oiio any trade being diverted from these towns. 1 also think that a tramway irom Hawera to Manaia will serve the best interests of Hawera far and away better than' a railway to Hawera or Norman by. Once a tramway is m working order between Hawera and Manaia, its benefits will be SO apparent that it will soon be carried furjier, 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 auo. —Yours faithfully, K JOHN GIBSON. Hawera, May 15, 1912. Mr John Gibson,

Patea. t) ear Sir,—l received your letter, dated the 13th, hut unfortunately, as you would see by the papers, the Council wore 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, both for Hawera 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, we 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 my point of view, which is at any rate a disinterested one. —Yours faithfully, A. W. GILLIES, Mayor of Hawera.