TELEGRAMS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIX, Issue 82, 8 April 1910, Page 3

TELEGRAMS.

NOT TO BE ALLOWED TO REST. RAILWAY ROUTE DIFFERENCES. MR. MANDER EXTENDS HIS CHALLENGE [l»T TELtqaAPh — SPECIAL TO THE POST.] AUCKLAND, This Day. Mr. T. Maiider, M.P., to|d a Heiald representative that he was by no inrarn satisfied that Wednesday's deputation to the Hon. R. M'Kenzie in reference to the North Auckland railway deviation had forwarded matteis much to far as that Minister was concerned, but Mr. M'Kenzie's stand wa.« so arbitrary and unconstitutional that he was quite certain the matter would not- be allowed to r»*st wh»re it »s. '"Mr. M'Kensie deliberately slated," sj.'d Mr. Mnndsr, "that the population to be served by the western route w>m*d be in the proportion of thiee in one over that to ne rerved by the eastern deviation. Now, I hove figures prepared and certified to by auditors ill this city ivhirh fhow conclusively that the Minister's statement >s incorrect." The fizurco referred to were handed by Mr. Mandor to the pressman a* follows : Western side — Hobson County 6306, Otamatea West 2328, total 8634*; eastern side — Whangarei County 10,381, Otamatoii East 100. total 11,381. Mr. Mnnder went on to explain that the Minister had included Otamatea County on the western side, whereas it runs down the oast coast further. Mr. Mander said a straight line drawn through Kirikopuni, on the eastern route, from coast to coast, showpd the distance to be 33 nii'o« from the eastern coast Rnd 17 from the west, or only 12 miles fjom Dargaville, the -terminus of the Kaihu Valley railway. Mi. Mander added : "I repeat ray challenge to Mr. M'Kenzie, and defy him to take it up. I will pire £1000 to any charity in Auckland if Mr. M'Kenzie can piove that the western route is cheaper, shorter, or more central, and auothor £1000 if he can disprove my figures as regards the population."