RAILWAY MATTERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1924, Page 9

RAILWAY MATTERS.

THE MINISTER ON TOUR. VISIT TO OHURA DISTRICT. NEW PLYMOUTH ON TUESDAY. (By Wire —Special Reporter.) Te Kuiti, Last Night. The district between Whangamomona and Te Kuiti was traversed to-day by the Hon. J. G. Coates : (Minister for Railways and Public Works) in continuation of his tour of inspection. While on the way to Ohura the Minister arranged for a railway commercial agent to confer with Mr. P. Garbey, stock buyer,' of Stratford, with a view to facilitating the trucking of sheep at Tahcra, thus saving a three days’ drive to Whangamomoly-,.’ At Ohura ' Coates met county councillors and a deputation from the Railway League and discussed local matters. In view of the evidence before the hill country commission that Ohura land Was deficient in lime, the Minister agreed to take up the matter of freight concessions with the Agricultural Department. Replying to deputations at Ohura and Matiere. the Minister agreed to reconsider the matter of freights on the section of the railway controlled by th© Public Works Department. From Ohiira the Ministerial party visited the railhead at Toi Toi, about two miles from Ohura, and inspected the camp and work/ About seventy men are engaged on the work at the railhead. They then proceeded over the section from Toi Toi to Matiere, where satisfactory progress is being made. At Matiere the matter of cheaper freights on manures, commodities, stock and road metal was brought forward by a deputation, and is to be considered by the Minister.

The party then journeyed via • Aria and Pio Pio to Te Kuiti, Wliere representatives of the borough and county councils and the chamber of commerce waited on the Minister, pointing out' that the proposed daylight express on the Main Trunk line would not be as suitable to residents as the present ordinary night express. In the event of the night express being cut out, the deputation asked that the “limited” stop at Te Kuiti. After considerable discussion the Minister stated that Mr. Welch, commercial' agent, was at present in Te Kuiti, preparing a recommendation on the matter which would be duly considered.

To-morrow the Minister will leave by car for Waihi, where he will switch on the electric light from.the Thames Valley Power Board’s scheme. HeGvill then cross the Hauraki Plains and inspect the proposed Paeroa-Pokeno railway, returning on Monday night to Te Kuiti. Thence he will journey over the Ma’n North Road and arrive at New Plymouth on Tuesday afternoon, leaving the same evening by special train for the south.

Mr. T. M. Ball, district engineer for thb Public Works Department, who is acconipanying the Minister, will return ti) Stratford to-morrow evening. He ieturfis north on Tuesday to accompany the Minister over the Main North Road.