ABANDONED LINES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 19 August 1933, Page 11

ABANDONED LINES

INFORMATION SOUGHT COINDITIONS OF PRIVATE OPERATION (By Telegraph—Press Association) AUCKLAND, 17th August. An invitation to the Government to formulate the 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, Mr Coates, by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce. The 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, ail opportunity should be given to private enterprise. The council of the Chamber had before it the terms recently announced by Mr Coates upon which the Government will hand over the uncompleted East 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. i

Mr T. 11. Bowie said the position with regard to the Dargaville railway was different, as no one had come for-! ward expressing a wish to take the line | over. In the case of the Gisborne line j there was a definite body of people! who wanted to operate it. j A motion asking the Government for its terms was carried.