West Coast People "Living In Trees Without Railway’

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30289, 15 November 1963, Page 12

West Coast People "Living In Trees Without Railway’

(New Zealand Press Association)

WESTPORT, Nov. 14. People in Buller and Westland would have to resort to living in caves and in trees if the railway, link with the east coast of the South Island were closed, said the No. 8 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr J S. Haywood) at a hearing in Westport yesterday afternoon. Mr Haywood upheld an objection by the Railways Department against a Karamea carrier's application to cart coal between a local mine and Karamea. ( As far as the importance of the South Island east-west rail link was concerned, Mr Haywood said people on the West Coast could let their fences fall down, their properties go to ruin and their stock take to the bush if it were closed, so great would

be the effect on the economy. Mr Haywood said the case before him would be simplified if the position of the railways in the South Island was similar to the North Island, where it was big business. Handsome profits made by the undertaking in the North Island were usually converted into big losses in the South Island, often to the tune of £2,000.000. He had a duty to the railways. which were a State undertaking in which every man, woman and child in the had a stake. Although he sympathised with the appellant in the case, he had a duty to the people. In the public interest and in the interests of national economy, therefore, he would uphold the railways’ objection.