NORTHERN RAILWAY STILL WANTED: ROAD IMPROVEMENT

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22696, 22 July 1948, Page 4

NORTHERN RAILWAY STILL WANTED: ROAD IMPROVEMENT

Agreement that nothing could be done in the meantime so far as the building of the northern rail outlet from Gisborne to Taneatua was concerned, but that it should be kept in mind while a vastly improved northern highway was pressed for, was reached by members at last night’s meeting of the Gisborne Chamber of Commerce,

Two months ago a letter was received from the Minister of Works, Mr. R. Semple, that owing to the shortage of tunnellers and the pressing need for other railway work in the Dominion nothing could be done regarding the commencement of work on the Gis-borne-Taneatua section. The secretary of the chamber, Mr. M. J. White, suggested that the Minister should be asiced to give the northern railway from Gisborne priority in the 10-year plan and in the meantime to press for a good road between Gisborne and Opotiki. Members expressed regret that the Opotiki Chamber of Commerce apto have abandoned any pressure for the building of a railway between Gisborne and Opotiki and was now pressing for a good road. “Government Stalling on Problem”

The president of the chamber, Mr. T. A.- N. Corson, said he felt that the chamber had pressed hard for the railway, but there appeared little hope of anything being done for at least a year or two. The chamber should ask for a good road to be made but should not forget about the railway. Mr H. H. Barker agreed with the president. “A detailed survey of the route should be made by Government engineers and if it is definitely known that the railway is practicable it should be put on the 10-year plan,” said Mr. Barker. "The Government has been stalling on the whole problem.” , On the motion of Mr. Corson it was decided that the Minister of Works be asked when it was proposed to mase a full survey of the railway route as had bean promised.

Mr. C. H. Cooper contended that the survey which the Government was considering for this railway was made in 1912. in the summer he hoped to lead a party, including engineers, over the route which had been surveyed by interested bodies in Gisborne.

He hoped this would prove that few of the almost insurmountable objects which it was contended by the Government were in the way of building the new line through the Waioeka country were actually there.

Coal Stocks Are Fairly Low : Supplies By Rail

Although coal merchants in Gisborne have been able to supply most domestic orders during the past few weeks, the coal position in the district is not very favourable at present. Limited amounts of coal from the Waikato have been coming into the district by rail for som e time and all of this is being used for the domestic market.

For industrial consumers using large amounts of coal, railing facilities from Wellington have been provided. Colliers from the West Coast of the South Island have been unloading at Wellington and this coal has been distributed to many parts of the North Island by rail. It is now almost two months since the Kakapo brought a large cargo of coal to Gisborne from the West Coast. The coal she brought has long since disappeared. The cold weather of the past two months has caused householders to build up fires in the evenings and consequently coal consumption has increased. Merchants state, however, that the increase in consumption is no more this year than in former winters. Large stocks of firewood are held by merchants.

The largest consumer of coal in Gisborne, the Gisborne Gas Company, has some stocks on hand and anticipates that it will have no difficulty in carrying on a normal service until further stocks arrive at Gisborne. Merchants expect that a collier will commence loading at Westport or Greymouth next week for Gisborne. Mining and waterfront troubles, however, make the coal supply to Gisborne and many other centres rather a precarious business.