Railways and Defence

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 306, 22 September 1934, Page 9

Railways and Defence

Sir, —In your issue of Tuesday I read a letter, signed “20/053.” commending the Government on its defence policy and criticising the Labour Party on its attitude thereto.

In regard to the Labour Party, it is enough to say that “20/053” could get quite a lot of information about “shell splinters howling and shrieking around them” from the ranks of the Labour Party. About his undefended coast town: We will take Gisborne as an instance. How could the women, children, and casualties be evacuated without that necessity to defence—railway transport? How could troops, artillery, stores, etc., be transported to the defence of Gisborne? “20/053” will say by lorry, but lorries Will have to’be commandeered, which will take time, and how long will the roads stand up to the heavy military transport? Yet the Government stopped that necessary work which would have, in the meantime, relieved unemployment, add been a boon to thousands of East Coast residents—the Napier-Gisborne railway. How does that come about?—l am. etc., LABOURITE. Takapau, September 20.