NAPIER-WAIROA LINE

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21226, 26 July 1934, Page 15

NAPIER-WAIROA LINE

AN ADVERSE REPORT RAILWAY BOARD'S OPINION U'UKSS ABSOCU.TIOK TEtBOIWS.) HASTINGS, July 25. That the line would not return sufficient revenue, including its net feeder value, to pay maintenance and operating costs, even if no portion of the capital cost was added to (lie railway capital liability, is the opinion of the Railways Board as expressed in its report to the Prime Minister on the proposed completion of the Napier-Wairoa railway. The report was considered at a conference of interested parties at Wairoa to-day. The report emphasised the increasing competition which would have to be faced from both road and sea in the event of the line being put into operation. It also stated that certain revenue which it was earlier considered would be available was affected by the decision to proceed with the erection of the Wairoa freezing works. After discussing the report the conference to-day decided (a) to ask the Government to have the Railways Board submit a detailed report upon the whole line; (b) to find out what guarantee would be required for a State railway from Napier to Wairoa, and from Napier to Gisborne; (c) to discover what amended conditions would be required for private enterprise to complete and operate the line. A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE •ratss association TBUSGBAM.) WELLINGTON, July 25. In the House of Representatives to-day, replying to Mr W. E. Barnard (Lab., Napier), the Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes said the Government did not at present propose that the Napier - Wairoa - Gisborne railway should be completed. The terms and conditions which the Government would be prepared to approve for the handing over of the line and the associated works to private enterprise were at present under review.