EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 195, 12 May 1908, Page 4

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

MR. MASSEY'S VIEWS. ■' ONE OF THE LINES WHICH MUST BE CONSIDERED." (BY TELEGRAM—SPEOIAT, CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland, May 11. 1 Tho importanco of an. early , start being made with the. construction of the East Const Railway from, tho Auckland end was referred to .by Mr.. Massey, leader of the Opposition, in conversation .with a "Herald" reporter on ■ Saturday.. Mr. Massey ..' has lately visited Gisborne, and was thus enabled to gauge tho interest in the work that is beiiig displayed by the residents of that district. "The Gisborne people," ho .said, "are naturally very anxious to have tho railway pushed northwards to Motii, so as to give them a. timber .supply, then on to Auckland by way of Opotiki. - "Thero are great possibilities in tho East Coast districts," continued -. Mr. Massey. " Very; largo areas of good land, much of it in its natural state, are waiting to be opened up by. rail,and- road, and when tho Main Trunk lino is coriipleted, as it will bo about the end of the year, a strong effort should be made to : have the route- from - Opotiki northwards settled, and get work going ,at both ends of tho line. Whatever happens, tho settlement of the country must bo proceeded with. ; From what I havo 'seen and heard, I bclieyo there is more capacity for development in tlio district of which Gisborno is the centre, and along the East Coast than in any other part of New Zealand. I don't suggest that the construction of any other railway should bo interfered with, but this is ono of tho lines which must bo considered and to which justico should bo done."