IMPETUS TO PROGRESS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19947, 16 May 1928, Page 12

IMPETUS TO PROGRESS.

IMPORTANCE OF NEW LINE. POLICY OF PUBLIC WORKS. FUTURE SCHEMES IN VIEW.

[BX TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] DARGAVILLE, Tuesday.

"This railway means everything to the settlers and to the commercial community," said the Prime Minister, Mr. Coates, when performing the opening of the Waiotira-Kirikopuni section of the Dargaville railway to-day. "One • can go further and say it is nn absolute essential to the primary producer."

Unless the farmers of the North were in a position to compete with those elsewhere, said Mr. Coates, they had not the same asset in the land. The new line tapped an important centre and would give an impetus to production, which was already groVing more rapidly than in any other place in the Dominion.

The transition of the north country from bush and gum lands to farming was mentioned by Mr. Coates. "It is very difficult for any community to change ovor rapidly from one form of industry to another," he said, "but timber and gum have taken a back seat, and to-day the North is becoming the home of the small settler; so much so that it carries a greater population per acre than any other district in New Zealand.

"No Government would be justified in withholding encouragement from a people who go in for closer settlement. There is still a lot to do. There are hundreds of children in the North and we must give them the incentive to become settlers and assets to the country." Turning to public works policy, Air. Coates said the North Auckland line formed part of the first comprehensive scheme to handle road and rail transport facilities in conjunction. The railway line was the main artery, and to the rail heads were; being brought feeder roads which would meet the requirements of the community. The Prime Minister touched briefly on the idea of concentrating attentiou on the most important works, and, after mentioning the lines which had been completed in recent years under this scheme, said the three next big works on which their energies would be bent were the East Coast main trunk line, the Westport-Inangahua line, and the connection between Stratford and the main trunk line.

The results of concentrating and.organising were to be found in the big reduction in construction costs and in the fact 'that since 1921 over 300 miles of railway had been opened, 230 miles being in the North Island. Considerable progress had also been made in roads in the country, and what was now deserved more than anything else was access roads to back country farms. The Government was out to do all it could in that direction, and lie knew the farmers were endeavouring to help themselves. Mr. Coates uttered a note-of warning against the dangers of over-rating to provide roads, saying too gfeat a burden would be put on the land'. Overrating, he said, would destroy the farmers' assets. ENCOURAGING PROSPECTS. TRAFFIC ALREADY HANDLED. STRIKING FIGURES SHOWN. fBY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] DARGAVILLE. Tuesday.

The future of North Auckland as a producing area is strikingly illustrated by the traffic returns of the past two years on the Waiotira-Kirikopuni section of the Dargaville railway, which was officially opened by the 'Prime Minister today. For the past 27 months the line has been operated by the Public Works Department over such lengths as have been available, and where consistent with constructural requirements, the department has endeavoured to provide a railway service for the settlers.

In 1926-27 a total of 7403 return tickets were issued to passengers, and last year the total was almost doubled, the number being 14.206. Cattle and calves for the markets totalled 1298, in 1926-27. and last year there was an increase to 3827.

The sheep and nic figures are especially good. In 1926-27 a total of 11.602 were carried to the markets, and last year the number was 28.958. General merchandise outward amounted to 231 tons in 1926-27, and to 515 tons last year. The inwards stock traffic was naturally much smaller than the outward, but it also showed corresponding increases.