EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 214, 8 September 1921, Page 5

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

BAY OF PLENTY CLAIMS. STATEMENT BY MIXTSTER. (Hv Teleffrnph.—Press Association.) TAURAXGA, this day. The Importance of accelerating work on the East Coast railway was strongly urged b_v a deputation which waited upon Sir W'm. Herries. Colonel Ward said tho Minister of Public Works had placed this railway third on the list of important lino?. The recent census revealed that during the last quinquennial period the population of tho district had increased by 3ft per cent., and no other part of the Dominion had shown snch an increase. The railway, therefore, should t><> at the top of the list. They asked Mr. H.-rrie« to assist in Parliament and In tho Cabinet in the direction of urging the linking up at the earliest moment of Jho Bay of Plenty with tho railway system of the Dominion. Tlie bridge across the Tauranga harbour was essential, and the railway should be pushed on rapidly to Waihi.

Mr. J. S. Thompson, representing the Otumootai branch of the Farmers' Union, asked Sir William to do his utmost to relieve the present isolation of the district and to exert his energies in gptting the railway pushed on from Opotiki to Tauranga and from Tauranga to Waihi.

Mr. H. A. Sharp said they wished to Fee the line pushed on to Waihi, and also to Opotiki. Until the line was connected up from Waihi to Tauranga it would not pay interest. The connection with Waihi wa3 essential for the whole coast.

Sir William Hemes said he agreed that The completion of the earthworks to Waihi was most important, but there was another important matter from the colonial point of view that should not be overlooked by the Tauranga'Railway League, and that was the PaeroaPokeno line. lie regarded that line as one of the key positions of the East Coast railway. He would do hi~ utmost to secure as larjre a vote as possible for the railway to Waihi and for the bridge, and would also strongly support the extension of the line beyond Taneatua. He did not know- how far the expenditure of the amount voted had gone. He hoped the amount had been fully spent.

On his return to Wellington he would inform Mr. Coates it wa.s strongly desirpd that he should visit Tauranga a? soon as possible.