OPUNAKE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 12866, 26 May 1905, Page 6

OPUNAKE.

OPtiNAKE BRANCH RAILWAY.

(From' Our Own Correspondent.)

A very big meeting of settlers and li'nsincss men was 'held yesterday in Ihe Drill Hall. The chairman of the i'Towtn Boaard, who convened the jjathering, took the chair and explained the business. He said the present ; ates cpuld not keep up the roads, and .1 railway would relieve the heavy I : ra'ffic. <TMr J. Stewart proposed a motion jtl-sj tl -s follows :i — That a Railway League be formed to further the interests of 1 lie Opunake branch line. This was seconded by jtfr Trotter. Mr Conaglen suggested pledging Ihe rate* to pay interest as an imduconient for the Government to build tlio line. The chairman thought they should tl *k the Government straight out for he railway, as they have built otlvr ! ranch lines since this was ihvst promised. Mr Sway si and thought it was plain "ailing! /Every land-owner in the d'm- • rict has had to contribute to the .inds of the colony. The chairman said there was some contention at the. othr«r eird a>l>iout -tliroute, but it did not matter to them so long as they got a connoction'fomewitere. Mr Cock supported the forming of a (■ague. Dr .Morrison said it appeared to him that the railway would kill the town; it wqukl ilo no good to the country. Mr Moore saiid about nine years ago ,i iv.ilw r ay 'league was formed, they hu [ b"en at the Government for a detaili A survey, but .unti 1 about fivo yeaf ,i"O tlicy couH not"^ 1 ' the. necessary promise,, which then cijne through 'Mr McGuire, and until ' hi-; survey was made the league conld do nothing. I 1 c thought the Government would be prepared to accept the people's assistance financially, as they had vi one in tho case of Waihi. Mr 'G-uy said if they could <lo any for the j)lace now, let \ hem yo on. The motion was carried unanimously. "Members wore then enrolled, the sub->^-ription being 2s 6d. A conimittee was elected as follows: Messrs W. C. Dudley (chairman), Lambie, Conaglen, Stewart, O'Connor. Earner, Shove, Parkes, Trotter, Tind'e, Irenes, and Moore, a/nd D. Duncan secretary. It was decided to forward copies of r. solution to the Minister, *he member, the other leagues, and local LodA deputation waited on Mr Hall- , Jones on Wednesday. May 23.