NELSON-WEST COAST RAILWAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 3 January 1927, Page 3

NELSON-WEST COAST RAILWAY

AIATIOMAiiNECESSSfY

(Cantributed).

Among the manifold claims made for the linking up of the "Gap" in the Nelson-West Coast railway., that of its' urgency and immense importance as a national and unbroken line of communication has never yet been considered to any extent commensurate with its importance as an inland line of absolutely jiecessary and paramount strategical vaiue in the event of New Zealand being subject to ah attack by any enemy of this country or of the British Empire. We need not be at all alarmists or scaremongers to realise that this possibility may eventuate. For it is recognised by all students and observers of international affairs that notwithstanding the great work being done for world peace by. the League of Nations we are hot at "all certain that there will be "no iriore war." It is equally recognised on all hands . that the storm centre of any future conflagration likely to be fanned into the blaze of war, will be somewhere in the Pacific. If ever such a cataclysm happens, Now Zealand is bound to be well within the range of its influence and points of attack. It will be generally agreed that many parts of the New Zealand seaboard are not invulnerable from, attack. This factor alone makes an inland unbroken line of communication and transport an imperative, essential national need. In this connection the Midland Railway arid that of the West Coast-Nelson line would fill this bill in all its bearings, especially so with the completion of the Gleßhope-Westport to Inangahua sections, and that of linking these up with a, line via Tophouse to Blenheim and the Sounds. It will be well within the mark to predict, that these lines of communication when completed, thus linking up all'the provinces from Ports Nelson and Picton with those of Canterbury, Otago, and The. Bluff, with the main system of South Island railways, might well lie the means of saving this country millions in money and property, and many precious lives in the event of any' attack being made on this and the North' Island.

This linking up the North, West, and East Coasts with the greatest coalfields of Ibis Dominion, located in the Buller and on the West Coast, would "solve the coal problem of this Dominion." as so often proclaimed by one of the greatest statesmen New Zealand ever had. While we may all be animated with a bitter hatred of war, and war makers, and never be likely by words or deeds to provoke or countenance war, we may be called on for, war of self defence to save our country from the ravages cf an enemy. Where shall we be in such an event with our present "gaps" or broken links in our main inland railway system? Should we not therefore wake up, both our people, and Parliament, to a realisation of'this national need for our main inland railways to be speedily linked up for strategical . purposes, in readiness for any time of urgent need. It .will be "far better to-be prepared and sure, than to be unprepared and sorry.".-

But even based on a plea of sureness, of no danger of. any'enemy ever making these.lines of communication necessary, the Government of this country will—as it is now—be almost as great a foe to the welfare of this country so long as it continues to hold up the development of the coalfields, the mineral resources, and the primary and secondary industries of the Nelson Province (which are a national asset) —and so long as it compels the people to submit to the yoke of imposition that the lack of railways now imposes on the province. The Nelson Province has been struggling, for this emancipating railway for oyer 60 years, and successive Governments have perpetuated a' great wrong not only on the Nelson Province, but also on the whole of this Dominion by their failure to right this wrong. This failure to fill up these gaps not only endangers the DbmThion in case of attack by some foreign foe, but also by its strangling of development of known resources and industries, and that of a great tourist traffic the fostering of, and provision for which, would materially help to bring untold wealth and revenue to the railways,. Government, and ppople. The filling of these gaps in our main inland lines is urgently, economically, strategically, and nationals needed.

So that, whether viewed from the angles of neerl for an inland line of communication for the rushing of either men or material, to- any given point or tort, in times of need, or for the peaceful development of industries, trade, and tourist traffic, the urgency of speedily forging these links in our railway system, makes it a sound, ' sane proposition, . a sound national investment and a national urgent necessity.