NEW RAILWAYS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume L, Issue 114, 10 April 1930, Page 7

NEW RAILWAYS.

ATTITUDE OF REFORM PARTY MARLBOROUGH PUZZLED. Per Press Association. BLENHEIM, April 9. The condemnation of the . Government’s railway policy by Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, during tho course of las speech at Hastings, .is puzzling Marlborough people, who had been led to believe by his supporters that he had recently come to the decision that tho South Island Main Trunk should be proceeded with. . ' While Mr Coates in the north is reported to be condemning the railway projects, Mr H. Holland, Reform member for Christchurch North, told a Kaikoura audience that he had conferred with his leader and had been informed that no matter what party was in power the line would go on. STATEMENT BY MR COATES. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND April 9." Commenting on the telegram from Blenheim, Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, said that members of the Reform Party, Mr H. Holland included, would remember that the attitude of the party was clearly defined when the matter was discussed in the House last session. x . “So far as the South Island mam trunk line is concerned, the party considers that if an impartial survey ,of the case shows that the construction can be justified, then work will go ahead,” said Mr Coates, “but all tecnnical evidence clearly shows that great caution should be exercised. As to the Midland line, I am definitely of the opinion 'that the construction of work there should cease until a thorough investigation lias been made, particularly of the effect of the recent earthquake, by which part of the route was badly shaken.

“We believe that before any new line is constructed,” Mr Coates added, “that a competent body of men should investigate all aspects in order to show whether a good road cannot at this stage economically serve the districts through which the railway is proposed to be built. In view of the important bearing that motor traffic has upon transport economics at the present day, it is very desirable that the proper investigation should be made, in ' each case before plunging into heavy expenditures. In any case, .the country should be made aware of the position as to whether profit or loss is to be faced by the construction of any line.”