The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1912. RAILING TARANAKI.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 318, 6 July 1912, Page 4

The Daily News. SATURDAY, JULY 6, 1912. RAILING TARANAKI.

The report of the Opunake Railway Commission was laid on the tabic of Parliament yesterday, and is of a character which will, we feel sure, give satisfaction throughout the province; The commissioners, in their recommendations, go further than probably the most optimistic anticipated. It was generally thought that a line connecting Opunake with the main railway would serve the district. The commissioners take a broader view of the position, and recommend—unanimously, at that—that the line should be constructed from Moturoa, round the Mountain, to a point near Te Roti, with a branch line from Kapuni along the existing road line to a point near Kaponga, which would permit of future extension to Stratford and Manaia. The commissioners acknowledge that they i have been influenced in their decision by the potontialities of the harbor at Moturoa, which they recognise must shortly become the gateway for the imports and exports of the whole province. As they put it: ''We have recommended the location of the proposed railway to suit the collection of produce for export and the convenient distribution of imports." We are frequently told that even with a deep sea harbor at Moturoa the Home boats would not call for the produce, preferring to pay the charges to Wellington, but the commissioners, we are glad to notice, do not subscribe to this opinion, expressing the view that the concentration of produce exports at Xew Plymouth will provide bulk sufficient to warrant the mail boats calling, in which case Xew Plymouth would be made the second last port of call. If this is done, the port would draw from a wider field than the boundaries of the province. It would draw from as far south as Wanganui, and as far north as Te Kuiti, when the Stratford-Te Koura line is through. We are pleased that the commissioners recognise the potentialities and possibilities of our port, upon the development of which so much effort and monev have been expended with such successful results. The commissioners recommend that the construction of the line should be commenced simultaneously at Tc Roti and Moturoa, and that when Kapuni is reached at the southern end the construction of the five miles of branch line to Kaponga (an easy work) sbould be put in hand. 'The extension to Stratford, they say. might await the completion of the remainder of the suggested line. The total cost of the line will be ever half a million sterling, but the commissioners entertain no fears about tho profitableness of the undertaking. No doubt, if the line were made a light one, the cost would be materially reduced. The commissioners do not favor the construction of tramways, which, of course, would be unnecessary were the proposed railway scheme adopted. The scheme is as sound as it is comprehensive, providing as it does for the efficient railing of probably

the -most productive portion of the Dominion. It oil els an effective solution to the transit problem that has been pressing with growing foroe on the ratepayers of the districts affected. The importance of the work is such that we hope Parliament will adopt the recommendations of the Commission and authorise a commencement of the work with as little delay as possible.