RAILWAY LINK

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 146, 17 March 1934, Page 8

RAILWAY LINK

Napier to Gisborne > COMPLETION URGED Deputation to Ministers DATA SUBMITTED .deports of Local Committees Arguments in favour of the completion of the East Coast railway line from Napier to Gisborne on which construction was stopped in . 1931, were placed before members of the Government by a deputation yesterday morning. Reports prepared by local committees which have investigated the project were , supplied to Ministers, these reports ' ■ showing the estimated cost of completion, the maintenance and working expenditure that would be involved, and the potential revenueearning capacity of the line. The Primo Minister, Rf. Hon. G. VV. Forbes, who administers the railways ..portfolio, promised to place the reports before the Government Railways Board and ask for a special report on the data submitted by the deputation. Ministers present in addition to the Prime Minister were the Minister of Finance, Rt.. Hon. J. G. Coates, the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Hon. R. Masters, and the Minister of Public Works, Hon. J. Bitchener. The Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department. Mr. C. J. McKenzie, was also present. Mr. H. M. Campbell, M.P. for Hawke's Bay, said there had been a good deal of opinion up along the East. Coast in connection with the stoppage of' the railway. Two committees had been set up, one to work out the costing and possible returns from Napier to Waikokopu, and the other to do the same with the section from Waikokopu to Gisborne. The southern committee had arrived at the opinion that the proposition was a sound one: The speakers on behalf of the southern committee were then introduced by Mr. Campbell. The Mayor of Wairoa and chairman of the joint committee, Mr. H. L. Harker, said the committees wanted to place all their cards on the table and proposed to present reports they had had prepared dealing with all phases i of the project. It was felt that the completion of the railway would increase the value of the land through which it was to pass and of which the Government itself was a very largeowner. The deputation proposed to ask the Government to allow its officers to go into these reports and state where they were wrong. If it were considered that data in the reports was at fault then the deputation would appreciate an opportunity to discuss these points on which tljere was a difference of opinion between the authorities and the committees. The deputation felt that when those reports were dissected by the departmental officers it would be found the proposition was a sound one, and that the case was so strong that it would be extremely difficult for the Government to resist it. Barge Sheep Fanning Area. After reading a resolution carried by the joint committee advocating the completion of the line from Napier to Waikokopu, the Mayor of Napier and chairman of the southern committee, Mr. C. 0. Morse, said that they in the southern end of the district, could hardly realise why such a large sheepgrowing area as Poverty Bay should be left without railway facilities. He believed that through the completion of the first section to Waikokopu the Government would see its way to finish the northern section. If the railway were completed and the past expenditure written. off, it was going to be a great advantage to the railways system of New' Zealand. If it were not completed. the capital already sunk in the line would be lost. He did not suppose there was any place in New Zealand so isolated as that which the-line would serve. “At least ten p<’ cent, of the flocks of New Zealand are pastured in the area the railway would serve,” declared the Mayor of Hastings, Mr. G. A. Maddison. He urged tiie Government to allow its departmental officers to confer with what the committee called its . officers. The Crown owned more than halt' of the land between Waikokopu and Napier, and the deputation considered that the project could be made payable from a railway point of view. Owing to the condition under which stock was transported at the present time the farmers were losing as much as 5/- per "head on sheep. The loss on slock averaged 2 per cent, by death and from 20 to 25 per cent, of the sheep moved were bruised and injured to rm extent that they became secondgrade lamb or mutton. The matter was one of national importance. Mr. Campbell suggested that the Prime Minister make it his business to visit the district. He could then see the position for himself and draw his own conclusions. Plight of Gisborne. Speakers on behalf of the northern committee were introduced by Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P. for Gisborne. He said the northern committee felt it hud a case that was perhaps even stronger than that put forward by the representatives of the southern section. So far as Gisborne was concerned the people there felt they were completely isolated. “The money has been spent and whether a train passes over the line or not the interest and sinking fund have to be met,” said Mr. Coleman. “What has to be taken into account is whether it is worth another £1.250,000 or £1,500,000 to complete the line. A population of 33,000 from Gisborne up will be served by this line.” The Mayor of Gisborne and chairman of the Gisborne committee, Mr. John Jackson, said he was in complete accord with what had been said by the southern representatives. The deputation realised that when the railway was stopped drastic economies had to be .effected. The time had come when it appeared as if there were a turn ijj the.tide and with that turn the depution hoped the Government would be able to finance the completion of the railway. After those interested in the line had spent considerable money of their own to finance the preparation of reports they were satisfied it could be made a payable proposition.

.Mr,. Lissant Clayton, of Gisborne, contended that the decision of the Government Bailways Board not to complete the construction of the line was based ori erroneous deductions. One thing the board did was to make a cotnrtrtrison with the Taneatua line as the "case of a non-paying proposition, but that line only served 408,000 productive acres, carrying 650,000 head of stock. On no grounds whatever was it fair or reasonable to adopt the returns from the Taneatua Una as a

standard of comparison upon which to base prospective results likely to accrue from the operation of the Gisborne-Napier railway. The Taneatua line had been compared with a "district such as theirs with 2,000,000 acres of the most fertile land in the Dominion. Poverty Bay. not including Hawke’s Bay, was four times greater than the area served by the Taneatua line. Further, one-tenth of the sheep of the Dominion were carried in the district, and it was also one of the greatest exporters of live stock in the Dominion. The present means of transport available to the farmers meant a loss of as much as £5O on every 1000 head of stock. Revenue Potentialities. Mr, Clayton went on to say-that the line had "revenue potentialities that were well worthy of consideration. The parallel road factor was eliminated in the case of the East Coast because people would use the railway if it were available, not only because of the expense of motor travelling, but by reason of its hazardous nature in the East Coast district. With the steep hills and inclines and turns on the road people would not use the road if it could be avoided. Further, the district presented unlimited opportunities of closer settlement. He hoped the Prime Minister would come through Poverty Baj’ and see the ghastly skeletons of past hopes and ambitions along the route of the railway, and that as a result of his visit those skeletons in the form of abandoned viaducts and so forth would become revivified. Mr. Claude Williams, of Gisborne, said the economic wastage of moving stock under present conditions was 2/C on a sheep and 5/- to 10/- a head on cattie as compared with other parts of the North Island, certainly in Hawke’s Bay and the Waikato. It took from five to six weeks to bring stock back to condition. Mr. Campbell: My experience is thar it takes longer. Mr. Williams said the completion of the line would mean great access of wealth to the district. That wealth would be taxable and the indirect returns to the coffers of the State could not be ignored. The completion of the line offered the only possible chance of retrieving some of the capital lost and of transforming a hideous failure into a comparative success. During the months when the freezing works were closed down the fat stock trade was lost to Poverty Bay. It was impossible'to shift fat cattle except by sea. and then only at very great risk and very great cost.. , Mr. K. S. Williams. M.P. for the Bay of Plenty, suggested that with his practical farming mind Mr. Forbes should visit the district along with Mr. Masters and his practical commercial experience. They could then form their’ own judgment. Reply By Mr. Forbes. Replying. Mr. Forbes said the decision in respect to closing the line was not a decision of the Government, but was come to as a result of legislation passed by Parliament following a report from the Government Railways Board. Before a line could be reopened it was provided that there had to be a report from the board and a resolution of both Houses of Parliament. It passing the legislation the Government had been influenced by the fact that the railways were losing a large sum of money, as much as £2,000,000 a year, and it was felt the taxpayers would resent such a large loss. The initiative in regard to the starting or stopping of any railway project had to come from the board. Mr. Forbes undertook to arrange for the reports presented by the deputation to be submitted to the board, which could then report upon them. If there were further points on which information was wanted arrangements could be made for a meeting with the board. It was not with any degree of pleasure that the Government witnessed the closing of the line, for it added to its difficulties in that it had to find work for the men displaced. At the same time it was done to ease the burden on the taxpayers. Reference had been "made to Taneatua, but his experience in that respect was not very encouraging. Before the line was constructed the Government had been told what it would return in revenue, but when he was in the district after it was opened the settlers were taking a ballot to see if they would send their goods by sea or rail. The result was that they were going by sea. Mr. Claude Williams said there were cases where the contrary was true. He understood that the Stratford line was exceeding expectations. Mr. Masters: That is so.

Mr. Forbes said he could not but be impressed by the figures placed before him.

After Mr. Campbell had thanked Mr. Forbes and .his colleagues for hearing their representations, the deputation ■withdrew.