SETTLERS AND RAILWAYS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144051, 22 March 1913, Page 4

SETTLERS AND RAILWAYS.

STRATFORD TO OKAHUKURA. COMPLAINTS-OF SLOW PROGRESS Settlors ofsthe Ohura district, near Tauguminui, arc taking steps to bring before the, -Government their dissatisfaction at-flip'delay in the construction of -the Stratford-Okahnknra railway, formerly known as tho Stratford-0 tigaruo railway' (says the Auckland Herald). _ In a letter to the Provincial Executive of the Auckland Farmers’ Union, the Ohura branch of the union details itsi grievances. “At tho annual meeting of tho branch,” writes the secretary, “it. was resolved that tho attention of the Provincial Executive bo called to the. slow _ progress being made in tho construction of tho Stratford-Okalm-kura railway, and that tho Government be 'requested to expedite the construe-, tioh from the northern (Okahukura) end to the host of its ability, the settlers of- Ohura. regarding the delay as an Absolute breach of faith on the part of the’Government. It is eighteen months sine?, with a flourish of trumpets, tho line was started from tho northern end; and in that time, as far as the railway is concerned, .practically nothing has been done. I have had from eyewitnesses statements that merely a,handful of men are engaged, and that all the work of excavating and filling that has been done could have been carried out in three mouths by.a decent-sized gang. “A service road has been constructed’ from Okahukura to tho 11-mile peg on the; Ohura main road, and the line lias been surveyed as far as Matiore. Notbihg else has been done, or is being done, and how long the railway will he in reaching Ohura at this rate I may leave to your imagination. “When I took up my land ten years ago ! was assured personally by the Commissioner of Crown Lands that the railway line would he pushed through in from three to five years. Again, when 'after years of agitation tluTlino was (started from the northern end, wo were assured that two or threo years would see the line at Ohura, and more settlers were persuaded to take up land. Thus have two successive Governments failed- in their pledges. “We wish the Auckland executive to bestir itself on our behalf, and offer this reason: The lino from Stratford has reached .Whangamomona. Prom there northwards the survey has Mot been fiSed, as the engineers are striving to find a road avoiding tho terribly ox” ccssive cost of construction that would be necessary in connection with tho Tangarakau Gorge. Wo wish, while this silrvev is proceeding, that all tho money and- all the men bo transferred to the, northern end, which would then stand a fair chance of being constructed within -reasonable time, for if wo aro to go on as at present, leaving both ends practically hung up, it will he a serious matter for the present settlors of Ohura.”

A meeting to protest against the slow way in'which the work is being carried ore was hold at Nihoniho on Saturday, when settlers- from, practically all tho interested districts' wero present. A similar resolution to that adopted by the branch of the Fanners’ Union was passed,..while it was decided to form a branch of the Auckland Railways League.