BLENHEIM REJOICES

Grey River Argus, 14 July 1936, Page 6

BLENHEIM REJOICES

RAILWAY COMPLETION Ministers Welcomed SERIES OF ENTERTAINMENTS (Per Press Association.) BLENHEIM, .July 13. Music b v two bands, in streets that were illuminated with coloured lights and deeorated with greenery, flags, am| banners which emb'azoncd messages of welcome, formed the background for the reception accorded Hon. R. Semple (Minister of Public Works) and Hon. P. C. Webb (Miner of Mines), iwho- arrived by ai r to-day espiciai'lv to attend the celebrations arranged to mark the lecti l c-pec. ng at the decis on of the Governmen: to compete tluS uth Island Main Trunk RaU'.vay. The Ministers were en'ertarned by the local bodies at a dinner, when .•ippreefatiyve references were made H the Government's deternnna. ion to finish the line. Enthusi'astie demons' rat ions pane fuated the reply made by Mr Semple, who declared; “ Yon can take it from me shat, ''unless a')' of the Cabinet dies in tiii; meantime, this work won't stop. We’ve considered al! aspects, and, although we twill bo slow in making a start —because we’ve no gear vet. there i s difficulty in get :ng the limber to make the aceommoda Lion—there will be hundreds of men ou the line before very- long. We tire going to raise thirty thousand pounds weth of equipment—not working nicks or wheel-barrows —but we are ■•oneentrating upon up-to-date nmcli'n ■>rv. some of which is already’ on the water, and sltou'd be here in a week ;r two."

Hon. I’. Webb also wins warmly roceived. He condemned 'he stoppag' of work on the line, which had r*>ulted Th a waste of public money, •.(■sides putting men out of employment just when work was most need>d. Tie remarked: ‘‘l venture to sav that. before '.he term of fill's Pari tiiient is over, there wil 1 be tram-

m.fls of people traveling bet ween l 'er--<' and Chr s'chureh. while every wei'k-e'id will sic people takrng trips Lv that new fm m of rail transput:, Th- rai'lcar. whu-h is only at the !•>’ ginning of its d , ve ,l opment.” Later in his s|wech, Mr Webb qual : - fied h : s statement regarding '.he time f.ir the completion of the line by sayrig: “By the end of this Parliament thy/- work will be so far advanced ‘hat no Government’ could stop it. 1 csstirt- yoi. trial it w/l go on until Marlborough is linked with Canter rtirv, and" ths dream of the ear.v ■ et'ler.s > talfilled. If Richard Soddon could look down on us to-day, b‘‘ would say: ‘Well done! You are carrying out the po’iiey I laid down many years ago.’ ’’ Escorted by the bands, and crowds of people, the Ministers later proceeded to the Town Hal’, (where they were tendered a civic re-cep:ion. This was followed by the municipal ball. Tin- Ministers will proceed to-mor-row to Westport, where similar celebrations will be he'd on M edne.-dax in connection with the Inangahua