MAUNGATUROTO STATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18495, 4 September 1923, Page 5

MAUNGATUROTO STATION.

Sir, Some considerable time ago, possibly a year or more, it was held, after careful and exhaustive inspection by railway experts on the spot, that Maungaturoto railway station was the only; one in the near neighbourhood that had the situation and possessed .the natural advantages requisite for • the purposes of a sub-terminal station. Of course, , ; there was opposition to this select ion—there always is in such cases—~ was pressed, and expressed at the fime, with all" the; ' vigour they could • command, by self-interested parties who:' wanted the sub-terminal station nearer to their own back yards, irrespective of suitability, but fortunately and properly the advice of the experts • prevailed and ; Maungafuroto was adopted, as was thought .-. finally. Considerable work has accordingly been concentrated since at Maungaturoto station, fitting it for its intended purpose, and as far as I knew was still proceeding until IE read it in your issue of August 23, that the Minister for Railways, in reply to a question in the House, • had admitted giving instructions that : no more work was to be done at Maungaturoto station, his reason being that' there was a dispute as to where the sub-terminal station should be. . He further admitted that if' was true, that, experts had made recommendations regarding Maungaturoto station, but he wanted to knew exactly how they were arrived at. ' •As the Hon., J. G. Coatcis: was not Minister for Railways when xha railway experts made their recommendations regarding' the MauDgaturoto , railway station, he may be officially correct (though I don't concede the' point) it. asking the experts for the above information, but only go, long as it is not his intention to adversely criticise or interfere with their findings Anyway, the explanation will deceive nobody here. It seems fairly evident that a political .move is now being engineered by the old malcontents for the purpose of overriding, if possibles the recommendations of the experts, and that they have so far found the present) Minister for Railways, who is also member for their district, a pliant if nob sympathic instrument ; for their purpose i However, Mr. •• Murdoch, member for Mar3den, deserves the public thanks for bruising the matter tip in the House, and I have no doubt he will continue to give it his. able attention until the political jobbers in•; this matter are defeated ■ and finally routed. ; ; v \| ' SETTLES. Whakapirau, Kaipaia. ;. ~" ■ -