PAEROA-TANEATUA RAILWAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21251, 3 August 1932, Page 15

PAEROA-TANEATUA RAILWAY

Sir.—l would like to suggest to all committees and railway protection leagues that they form one central body, say, at Tauranga. The attitude of the Railway Protection League should not he to criticise the Railway Board for daring to suggest to close our lino, but to work hand in hand with the board in endeavouring to stop sufficient leakages to justify the line being kept open. One leakage that wants stopping is of greater magnitude than many people know of, and that is the leakage'at Waihi. For every thousand tons of general goods that arrive at Waihi by rail in one year, 17,000 tons are brought in by road. Put this at, say, 30s per ton, and we have £25,500 per annum leaking at Waihi. Efforts must be made to stop that. A lead that could be followed with advantage all along the line has been taken by the ratepayers of Katikati, and that is by endeavouring to stop the senseless overlapping of cream lorries and cream being conveyed past nine railway stations to Pacroa. 'lhe Waikato Valley Dairy Company and the New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company have been asked by the Ratepayers Association to cease the practice of conveying cream from the district by lon_%, but to consign it by train. If our railway goes there will be no creain worth collecting in the district. Let every settler served by the line give it his whole support. Wo will not save our railway by fichting or criticising the Railway Board. Hector Steele..