GAP IN RAILWAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22465, 8 July 1936, Page 12

GAP IN RAILWAY

MR. SEMPLE AMAZED

THE DARGAVILLE LINE CESSATION CONDEMNED COST OF BALLOON LOOP [BY TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL REPORTER] DARGAVILLE, Tuesday "1 am amazed that any Government should have been so stupid as to have stopped the construction of. the Dargavillc line when it was so near completion," said the Minister of Public Works, Hon. It. Semple, to-day, after ho had gone over the uncompleted portions of the line. He was also strongly of the opinion that the Kirikopuni balloon loop should never have been built, although he would not commit himself as to whether he was in favour of pulling up this section. The Minister left Dargaville this morning by motor-car and inspected portions of the line and the uncompleted gap between Dargaville and Tangowahine. It was seen that in many places the formation had subsided badly and where the rails had been laid they were sagging in long undulations. A Sorry Spectacle At Tangowahine, the terminus of the public works line from Kirikopuni, material and trucks which have lain where they were left when the work was abandoned present a deserted and sorry spectacle. On one siding a rake of trucks has gradually subsided with the line as the filling has settled, looking like nothing so much as a long-abandoned switchback railway. The public works train was placed at the Minister's disposal, and with his party he travelled from Tangowahine to Kirikopuni. He was accompanied by the Bt. Hon. J. G. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, on this journey. The Minister viewed with much interest the section where the inward and outward lines to and from Kirikopuni run parallel for some distance before they part in a wide sweep to form the loop.

"Maddest Thing I Know" "This is the maddest thing I know," said Mr. Semple when expressing his evident disgust at the action of the previous Government in stopping the work. "The line should have been completed long ago. It would have been giving service and there would be something coming back for the vast sums that have been expended. We would at least have been getting value for that. Ten miles of the line have been laid and about 7\ miles have yet to be done. On some of this the formation has bees done." Mr. Semple also pointed out that the completed line would have connected with 23 miles of the Kaihu railway, which was now dead at both ends. "In my opinion the balloon loop should never have been made," said the Minister. "The line should never have gone beyond the point where it could have branched off to Dargaville. Money was spent there needlessly which would have been sufficient to complete the line to Dargaville. The loop with its approaches cost £150,000, and it only requires abolit £50,000 to do the job. It is nothing short of a tragedy. It never should have been done." FACILITIES AT KAIKOHE BETTER SERVICE REQUESTED [by telegraph—OWN correspondent] KAIKOHE, Tuesday improved railway facilities were sought from the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, when he visited Kaikohe last night. The Minister was welcomed by Mr. C. Cameron, chairman of the Kaikohe Town Board. An assurance that if a more rapid service was provided Kaikohe could provide more revenue by way of passengers and freight was given by Mr. A. F. Guy on behalf of the Kaikohe Chamber of Commerce. He said the difficulties to-day were delays to passengers and the haulage of goods from Otiria. The irregular train service •was interfering with the children's education. Mr Guy urged the Minister to earnestly consider the early formation of the Pokapu loop, which would save travelling time from Auckland to Kaikohe, and also the completion of the lino to Rangialiua. The extra revenue from the loop would more than compensate for the outlay. The Minister said that where he found a community manifesting a faith in and devoting all its business to the railways, as was the case in Kaikohe. it inspired him. If the requests were at all possible and reasonable he would recommend them.