RAILWAY PURCHASE PLAN

Hawera Star, Volume LIII, 18 August 1933, Page 9

RAILWAY PURCHASE PLAN

ABANDONED NORTH LINES

REQUEST FOR STATE TERMS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Aug. 17. An invitation to the Government to formulate terms upon which the Dargaville railway and other abandoned railway branches will be handed over to private operation is to be extended to the acting-Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates) by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. Tlie request is being made at the suggestion of the people of Dargaville, who express the view that as the Government is unwilling to complete and operate the line an opportunity should be given to private enterprise. The council of the chamber had before it to-day terms recently announced by Mr. Coates upon which the Government will hand over the uncompleted E'ast Coast line to private enterprise. The chairman (Mr. H. Turner) said an enormous amount of money had been wasted as a result of the Dargaville line not being completed. No one with money or sense would consider leasing or purchasing the line under the Government’s conditions. . .

Mr. T. H. Powie said the position with regard to the Dargaville railway was different as no one had come forward expressing the wish to take over the line. In the case of the Gisborne line there was a definite body of people who wanted to operate the line. A motion asking the Government for its terms was carried.