UNCOMPLETED RAILWAYS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 January 1936, Page 4

UNCOMPLETED RAILWAYS

THE Prime Minister this week endorsed the statement by the Minister of Public Works that the railway to Gisborne would he completed. In doing so, he was, of course, only reiterating a preelection promise of the Labour Party to complete a work which the Railways Board had declared to be an unprofitable undertaking. The new Government is quite strong enough to deal with the Railways Board, as Mr Semple has already indicated. The Board placed the South Island Main Trunk railway in the same category as the Gisborne line, but resumption of work on the railway to Christchurch ’is apparently receiving the favourable consideration of the new Government. We do not say the Government will he proved to have been wrong if it authorises completion of these works, hut if they are undertaken the Government will be acting against the matter of fact reports of experts. Less has been heard in renewed advocacy of the completion of the Nelson-West Coast line, a work which, if carried out as originally planned, would link Nelson up with all the main South Island towns, and would give readier access for our produce, without transhipment, to the major centres as far as Invercargill. In recent years the Nelson line has been more in danger of being closed than extended. In view of the change of Government and the apparent change in outlook, there is a reasonable prospect of the Govei'innetnt being prevailed upon to consider completion of the Nelson-West Coast railway, which is already within a short distance of Murchison, although Uie recently-constructed portion has been allowed to rust and become overgrown with blackberry and fern. Ministers of the Crown are due to arrive in Nelson to-morrow. Later, they will he in Murchison and Westport. The opportunity should not be missed by local bodies, including the Progress League, of impressing upon the representatives of the Government, the importance to the district and to New Zealand of the completion of I lie local line of railway. Interest oil the capital already expended will continue t.o be a liability that has to be met for -ill time. Completion of the work will not only provide an avenue for employment, but will give the line an opportunity of paying for itself, including interest charges incurred. Costs of rail transport must be adjusted to compete reasonably with the charges for transport by road. These facts should be impressed upon the visiting Ministers by representative deputations at their own doors.