MOTUHORA LINE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXII, Issue 11494, 23 November 1931, Page 5

MOTUHORA LINE

DANGER, OF, CLO&TN.G. FARMERS' UNION MOTIONS: CONFERENCE"" I WITH MR, McNeil. Considerable discussion occurred on Saturday, when Mr. A. McNeil, .business agent for the railways, conferred with the Poverty Ray branch of the Farmers’ Union .regarding tho district lines anrl associated subjects. ' . At the outset; Mr. McNeil expressed his thanks to the press for the full report of his ■■ address at the Chamber -of • Commerce meeting on Wednesday. He had since Spoken to meetings, of farmers at Alain and AJatavvai, about 70 attending' at "tho former' place and about 50 at the latter. Competition , with the. line, was worst at the Gisborne end and Community offon, was required to bring •feibout. Improvement,. During his visit he had noticed a number of lorries running .with lambs and wool from places served by the rail. Under such circumstances, 'those consignments should go by the railway, and it, behoved both farmers and business men to support the local line.

Asked by the president.;"-Mr, J. E Benson, whether the. Government had any scheme to encourage settlers lo patronise the railway, Mr. McNeil replied that the Department had done all it could to faster tho traffic,- but, despite this, the traffic had slipped away to tile motors. Unless support was forthcoming, the, Department would have to call a bait, and it seemed to him now to bo h question of what Gisborne was going to do about the matter. . Motu and Matawai had formed vigilance committees to do wlmt they could for llio line and he suggested that a similar move here would bo beneficial. Tile- problem was not one .to be solved in -a few days and full consideration should be. given to ■ any steps'taken in the matter. Mn his opinion, a combined effort would do a very great deal of good.’ Mr. Benson agreed that. Mr. McNeil had a very difficult task, hut commented that much of tho blame, was due to the Government for the lukewarm manner in which the Transport Bill, from which the farmers expected so much, had been handled. Until the Government .regulated road traffic, he did not know now the. railways were to get on. In his opinion, it would be a good move for the Department to purchase lorries to act as feeders to the railway. A good place to start would he on the l’uha-Mangatu'road, from which came a great deal of wool; either transport to the rail should he arranged there, or steps taken, to prohibit, heavy loads bomb carried parallel with the line. Mr. .McNeil pointed out that one .sequel to the falling off in rail traffic was a drastic cutting, m staffs. iVould it not be better to encourage the railways rather than lorries, which were being run on an uneconomical basis? Complete, sympathy with Mr McNeil was expressed l>y Air. W. Turnbull, who stated that, after the elosing of the Ngatapa branch line, the amount of carting had caused deterioration in the road to the extent ot AC 1 per cent, already this season and ;.the percentage would probably be 75 before the end of the season. Mr. F. S. Bowen contended that the Highways Board, the Transport Board and the Railways Board should be incorporated into one organisation- to control road traffic. Many farmers would accept , a wit price for lorry transport- for but a temporary benefit, a very nearsighted policy. Jn the course of further discussion, the president contended that raising the benrinc tax would, operate unfairly on those areas not served. by rail.’ A certain number of motors to feed the railway was a no-

rpssity. On\ the motion of Mi*. Turnbull, sfH'Ofpffecl by Air. H. -S. B riant, it whs ’decided to take steps to attempt vo ivnpross on the farmers of the district connected with the railway the necessity of giving tho lino a chance for one rear at leastIt was further agreed, on the suggestion of A It. A. Al. Newton, to draft a. letter to tho Government set ring out the serious position, of ■road competition with railways and the nrge-ncy of remedying Afossrs Bowen. Turnbull and Newton wr P appointed a committee to draft this letter. The support of the county counoils in the endeavors cf the union in the matter is to be sought, it was 'further .decided. , • y ’ . A vote of thanks for“tTieir* attendar.cp aT- the meeting was accorded \fr,. McNeil add Mr. Northover, statioivnakter at Gisborne. In reply, \fr. jMeXeil said that be believed his mission here would bring forth fruit ;ind stressed again that the future of the railways rested mainly in the hands of the neonle of the district, and not with the Department. Air.. Turnbull paid a tribute to Mr. Northover for his courteous and energetic efficiency in his endeavors ■for the railway and the meeting Then closed. .