QUESTIONERS DISAPPOINTED

Hawera Star, Volume L, 15 May 1930, Page 5

QUESTIONERS DISAPPOINTED

MR POTJSON AT BLENHEIM IB} Telegraph—Press Association.) BLENHEIM, May 14. Unusual public interest was displayed in to-night’s address by Mr W. J. Poison, M.P., president of the Farmers’ Union, in view of his reported statements at Invercargill and elsewhere in reference to the prosecution of the South Island Main Trunk: railway. Mr Poison was reported as stating that .tlio line would cost £15,000,000 to complete, and that as the Dominion’s annual railway loss was £2,000,000 and 1 the line could never pay it should be stopped.

• As the estimated cost of .the railway is not £15,000,000, but £2,500,000, Marlborough people, headed by the local Farmers’ Union, demanded an explanation, which Mr Poison gave 'to-night. A big crowd was present, and Mr W. T. Churchward had been appointed by the Progress League, with the sanction of the Farmers ’ Union, to address certain questions to Mr Poison.

Mr Poison claimed that he had been misreported in the south and that what he said was that £15,000,000 ivas being spent, not on the iSouth Main Trunk or in the South Island, but on the. whole of the New Zealand railways. If it could be shown that the railway would not result in a serious loss he would be the first to help secure it. However, this did not apply to the Nelson line. The position was different,- that line could never pay, he was afraid, and in any case the country had been so shattered by the earthquake that a tborough investigation was essential. The meeting ended very curiously. A motion ’of thanks to Mr Poison was put and carried, and Mr Poison moved the customary vote to the chairman. The chairman thereupon declared the meeting closed, but Mr Churchward rose and asked leave to address certain questions to Mr Poilson.

The Mayor, who presided, said Mr Poison had informed him that his visit was purely and simply on Farmers’ Union matters and ho would answer no questions on political subjects. jYTr lOhurch/yvarcl; LBirt you haven ’.t heard the questions. The Mayor: Anyway, I rule there will bo no questions, and the meeting is closed.

iMr 'Churchward: Very good, sir. What had premised to be a very lively meeting then terminated without one of the many question® Marlborough wants to ask Mr Poison being put.