"THE MOST IMPORTANT LINE."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15610, 15 May 1914, Page 6

"THE MOST IMPORTANT LINE."

-———♦ It is encouraging to hear from the Prime Minister that " the East Coast Railway is probably the most important line under construction at the present time." Those who are not obliged to speak cautiously will agree that it is beyond all question the most important because it promises the most development, the most settlement, the most production and the most revenue of any railway which can now be constructed in New Zealand. However, we need not dispute with Mr. Massey over terms and we are hopeful that the railway estimates of the coming session will satisfy not merely Gisbornc but Auckland. The isolation of Gisbornc is lamentable, but no more lamentable than the isolation of other rising centres and of great stretches of desirable land eastward from Waihi. The extension from Waihi is of particular importance because it has been mora grossly and more inexcusably neglected than any other section of the East Coast project. It has been so deliberately neglected that rival routes have been advocated by almost every district between'' the Rotorua line and the Coast. So meagre have been the votes dedicated to this "most important line" that a veritable panic has been created in every district entitled to branch communication with the in* i '

ovitable disregard •;. for political decorum which i accompanies' such panics. Mr. Masscy will be well advised if he exercises his authority as Prime Minister and insists that tho authorised route shall be pro ceeded with energetically and that the Waihi end shall no longer be treated with scorn. Money is cheap, loans arc easily obtainable and the railway department sadly needs a few more profitable lines to assist in reducing the losses on Southern railways without grievously oppressing the Northern public. There is no reason why trains should not run from Auckland to Gisbornc, via Waihi, within four or five years. The Canadians would have the line through in a year, with the Pokeno-Paeroa line an early successor. Is it impossible to hope in New Zealand for something approaching Canadian energy ?