RIVAL ROUTES

Greymouth Evening Star, 8 November 1923, Page 3

RIVAL ROUTES

BULLER GORGE V. EAST?

(Special to “Star.”) CHRISTCHURCH, November 7. At the Marlborough deputation tonight to the Canterbury Progress League, urging the speedy completion of the East Coast railway, Hon. W. 11. Mclntyre (Westport), expiessed a hope that the outcome of the deputation would not have prejudic/al effect

on the Buller Gorge railway. It was largely due to the work of the Progress League that a sum had been placed on the Estimates for work on the line. Tn the past the League had concentrated on one line; he hoped that' policy would not now be abandoned. At the present, the sum of £50,000 was provided on the Estimates for the Buller Gorge line. Io complete the line would cost every penny of £700,000. Eighteen miles were needed to make the line complete. Four miles, already laid in the Buller Gorge, had cost to date £24,000 per mile, in its present rough state, and to put the line in decent order so that trains could use it. would cost another £12,000. If £lOO,OOO were provided each year on the Estimates it would take seven years to get the line completed. He considered that to put a bridge across the Inangahua would cost at least £30,000. Some people, he said, thought that the East Coast line would never pay for axle grease. Others, on the other hand thought it would pay. He had listened attentively to arguments put up in support of the East Coast line, but had to express the opinion that they were not convincing. He considered the Buller Gorge 1 railway line was the most important railway work now uncompleted, if only so far as it concerned the vast coal-field. Mr P. R. Clirnie read a letter from the Wairau Valley Settlers Association, stating that with the opening of the Otira Tunnel, and the probable early completion of the Nelson-Coast gap, the western connection was becoming an increasingly popular proposition in Marlborough, and it was regarded by a large section or C.e public as preferable at Hie present time to continuing the agitation lor the East Coast line. The Associat tion requested that the League would give this fitting consideration, when discussing the problem. The Association also forwarded a resolution which it had submitted to the Marlborough Progress League, “That the League be requested to support the agitation to fill the Glenhope-Tnan-gahua gap, also to ask for a survey ' to be made for a connection via Top- ( house with the western system.” ,