HON. J. G. COATES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 8 June 1923, Page 7

HON. J. G. COATES.

ENTERTAINED AT MANAIA

fhe Minister of Public Works and pai -x, v , alter leaving Kaupokonui, rexurned to the Waimate \Vest Countj -Chambers at Manaia. whe,r« refreshmeats were provided and deputations ue .e rereivedT

The toast of the "King" was drunk, after which Mr McPhillips proposed the toast of the Minister. I Mr McPhiihps said he understood i there was a possibility of Mr Coates , being made Minister tor 'Railways; he considered that Mr Coates would be the right man in the right place. Mr Me- : i'iiilUps mentioned that the freight on \ dairy produce between Hawera and ■ i/atea had gone up 130 pej- cent, since ! 1916, and yet the Government said ! thiy could not make the railways pay. ' Motor lorries, were competing with the railways, and money that should be spent 'on the railways was going to ! America to buy lorries and benzine. i Also what was most serious of all, the 1 land was burdened with heavy rates in order that the roads should be kept in proper order to carry heavy traffic. In concluding, Mr MePkillips said he : hoped that" the Minister of Railways would see that freights on dairy produce were reduced so that lorries would not be able to compete with the railways. They wanted to keep all the revenue they could in the Dominion. Mr Coates, in replying, said that all

the Ministers of Railways in New Zealand with one exception had broken up—the job had killed them. So that in mentioning him as the future Minister of Railways they wer* passing rather a severe sentence oii him. (Laughter). It was not for him to say what he was going to do; it was v ; good soldier who did what he was told.

h'.e was member of a team, and would do what the "boss" wauled. There was to be a readjustment, and whoever took Railways had got a pretty Ijia hurdle to face. In connection with development, there was no doubt about Jit that the question ot loading ana

railways ran together. Motor ta-aiFic was here to stay, and we had to make provision for it. .Better road? wvik1, wanted in other parts of New Zealand, . but the question of finance came into j it right away, and they had to map out a programme according to the cloth in hand. Roads in the future were goin^ to compet-e with the railways. 171 Am- j erica, lor example,' light railways were being pulled up every year and roads were taking their place. As far as freights were concerned, he knew that railways ought to compete with roads where conditions were favourable. If they were going to contribute towards highways which wo;,ld compete with the- railways it was only fair to ask the vehicles using the highway to contribute towards the upkeep of the road. The Minister held that the principle of toll gates was quite fair, but in practice the principle could be made to be absurd. In certain parts of New Zealand where the bulk of the traffic using the ,road was not owned by tho ratepayers the toll gate was the fair thing. BuuHcquently an informal discussion took place as to the merits and demerits of toll gateSj the Minister enjoying the hearing of the views expressed by opponents of toll gates. Mr E. Long proposed the toast of the member for the district, Mr Hawken. Mr Hawken had helped them in every way and had done everything that a man in his position could do. Mr Melclon endorsed Mr Long's remarks. ■ Mr Hawken, in replying, said it' was a pleasure to find that his efforts had been appreciated. He had a good district to represent; there were some districts which he would not like to ic~ present. He iound that when Mr i Coates visited Egmont electorate the requirements of the district were very small in comparison with the requirements of some other districts. Mr Hawken attributed this to the fuw work of the local bodies. ,; The Minister then received deputa ; tions. .! Mr J. J. Meldon, chairman of th« ! ■".Tanaia.'Town Board, pointed out thai . the raiiw'ay line was completed as fai !. as Kapuni, 2* miles away, and askec that it be brought down to Manaia. m 1 soon as possible. Mr. Coates questioned the deputation 1 as to the amount of dairy produce whicl _ would be placed on the railway if i _ were brought to Manaia. Mr. McPhillips, who was called upoi - for the information, said that he di< ■. not want to put the Minister in a fals ~ position, and replied that unless rai; ;' way freights were reduced from 11s t !' Bs'or 9s it would not pay his compan [1 to use the railway. ; Mr. Hit-key considered that the tim 1. was not tar* distant when their dan's produce would be shipepd from Ne t. Plymouth. Under that condition :