BULLER GORGE LINE

Grey River Argus, 4 December 1943, Page 3

BULLER GORGE LINE

The Handing Over TO RAILWAY DEPARTMENT. WESTFORT, Dec. 3. .he official handing over of me Buller Gorge Radway by the Fubiic woi-ks Department to tne Railway Department took place inis afternoon. A ministerial rail-car conveying non. K. Semple, non. P. C. Webb, and Mr. e. uasey, General Manager of the Hanways Department and omer higher Railway Department officials arrived in Westport in the afternoon for the official handing over. Others in the party were the District Traffic Manager, the District Engineer and Dis, tnct Traffic and District Loco. Engineers, N.Z.R. (Christchurcn), Engin-eer-in-Chief, P.W. Department; District Engineer, P.W. ureymouth, and T. Smith, Inspecting Engineer, P.W.d. Christchurch, also Messrs G. Musson and R. Kemp, Ministerial secretaries. Hon R. Semple is both Minister of Works and Minister of Railways, and has been identified throughout with the completion or the line. He performed the formal ceremony. A civic reception was given at tne railway) station by the Mayor Mr. J. M. Robertson, and a brief speech was made in reply by Mr. Semple. This evening Mr. Semple was the guest of honour at a' civic dinner at which the Mayor presided. The Minister was made the recipient of a beautiful silver rose bowl to commemorate the occasion. me Mayor asked Mr. Semple to change tne name .of the Inangahua junction station to that of S'emplevale, thus making a' prominent memorial of his great work in resuming the construction of the railway, and carrying it through to completion. This railway his predecessors in a former Ministry> had stopped. A pleasing function rook place yesterday afternoon when workmen of the Buller Gorge railway met to celebrate the handing over of the line. Brief speeches were made by Messrs McC'lov and Mulqeen (Railway) and Mr. Krenmer (Public Works) all of whom paid a great tribute to the workmen who had been responsible for getting the job done. The workmen also paid tribute to the guards, Messrs A. Ridsdale, J. Erskine and T. Harrison. Westport was beflagged. when the rail-car arrived conveying the Ministerial party, who after being wel. corned by) the Mayor and the County Chairman, Mr. J. Ward, were given musical honours by the Westport Boys’ Band. In ’ the' welcoming speeches’ tributes were paid to Mr. Semple for having speeded up and completed the railway fine, enabling it now to carry heavy loads. The Ministers, in replying paid a warm tribute to the engineers wno had planned the work and carried it out, and also to the men who had rendered good service in the demolition and construction work, including the piercing of tunnels, and making of strong ferro concrete bridges. They particularly mentioned Mr W. Casey, Lieut.-Col. Trevor Smith, and Captain Park for skill in engineering and in overcoming what at times appeared to be superhuman difficulties.

Lieut.-Colonel Trevor Smith and Mr. Casey replied, and expressed pleasure at. seeing the work conducted. They were convinced it would prove a valuable a'sset to the Dominion, particularly in enabling the speedy handling of coal and other requirements for the East Coast, and in bringing to the West Coast loads that otherwise would have had to be shipped to Westport. At the evening ceremony of hand, ing over the line to the Railway) Department, performed oy Mr. Semple, the Mayor presented to him a commemorative silver rose howl suitably inscribed. The attendance was one of the most representative ever seen in Westport.