POKENO-PAEROA RAILWAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 151, 28 June 1928, Page 10

POKENO-PAEROA RAILWAY.

DATE Or AUTHORISATION. MOST JUSTIFIABLE LINE. For years past the agitation to obtain recognition of the Pokeno-Paeroa section of the East Coast main trunk line has been taking place, and in view of the proposed construction of tlie line front Rotorua to Taupo, Mr. P. E. Cheal, chairman of the Auckland Railways Leajyup, drew attention this morning to tln« fact that the decision to make the liitter lino was as unjustifiable as a payable proposition as the Waikakapu line. lit discussing the relative importance of the Paeroa-Pokeno and the TaupoKotortia lines, Mr. Cheal claimed that the former railway was the most important part of New Zealand's railway construction programme and went even fur(her to say that it waa more important than any other on the East Coast at the present time. "I am in thorough agreement with the proposition that future railway construction must be based on the total amount of assured goods and passenger traffic, and in that connection I think it would be a fair thing to get the settlers along the proposed Paeroa-Poke-' 11r> line to state what amount they'would approximately pay per annum. This Mould be a legitimate way to secure customers and would save operating the railway at a loss subsequent to its construction." In 1016, said Mr. Cheal, the Minister of Public Works promised to put the l'okeno • Paeroa Authorisation Act \ through. It was not done. The , Auckland Railways League , asked the reason why, and the reply was that as the war was likely to last for some time there would be plenty of time for, this bill. Next session came, and the following sessions—no Authorising Bill* After., considerable trouble, caused by thp sect ion not being on the list of .line* to be authorised, the Auckland Railway* League was «uddenl.y informed that it had been authorised in a "Washing-up" finance bill. Mr. Cheal said no one connected with the Press or members of Parliament interested, nor the Minister of Public Works, who must have Men and read this "Washing-up" hitf,leimiiwbered anything about it a month or two after it became law. The paragraph in that bill referring to the construction of the Paeroa-Pokeno railway reads as follows:— ' *1 1. The Governor-General may from time to time, jn the name and on behalf of His Majesty, undertake to enter into contracts for the construction of an extension of the Pokeno-Paeroa railway from the end of the line in block 11, Wnihou survey district, the length of such extension being thirty-live miles more or less. 2. The cost of constructing such railway shall be paid out of moneys to be appropriated for that purpose by Parliament. 3. This Act shall be deemed a special Act authorising the construction of the said extension of the said railway within the meaning of the purpose of the Public Works Act, 1908. This little clause, affecting nearly forty miles of an important main trunk line, ' and saving forty-four milce in future travelling to the East Coast, was not noticed by any person interested in this particular section. ;