ALLEGED PROMISE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22951, 1 February 1938, Page 16

ALLEGED PROMISE

BUCKLAND CROSSING OVERHEAD BRIDGE SCHEME MINISTER REFUTES STATEMENT [from our own correspondent] PUKEKOHE, Monday " When you saw tho crossing on a previous occasion you said, ' You will got your bridge,' " said Mr. E. Allan, of Buckland, to the Minister of Railways, tho Hon. I). G. Sullivan, today when he received a deputation in reference to the erection of an overhead bridge nt the Buckland level crossing. The Minister had stopped his rail-car at Buckland in response to a telegram despatched to him at Hamilton this morning asking him to meet the deputation. Mr. Allan's statement was warmly challenged by the Minister, who a few days ago advised that tho department would be erecting warning signals at the crossing, as it could not face the full cost of an overhead bridge. No Record of Promise "It is a solemn obligation with me to honour any promise 1 make," said Mr. Sullivan, "and I have gone to very great lengths to see that my word is kept, but I know of no promise to erect this bridge." Mr. G. H. Macklcy, General Manager of Railways: No promise was made.

Mr. Allan adhered to the statement that when a deputation met the Minister at the crossing previously, he mentioned a list of crossings at which overhead bridges were to bo erected and gave members of the deputation to understand that Buckland was on tie list and that a bridge would be erected.

Mr. Sullivan: If a promise was made it would be recorded at the time, and my attention would be drawn to it later by my staif. They have not reminded me of any such promise.

Distribution of Oost Mr. J. N. Massey, chairman of the Franklin County Council, who headed to-day's deputation, said the Minister had asked the council to contribute five-sixths of the cost of a bridge, which was estimated at £5500. It could not do that, but it still felt that a bridge was necessary.

Mr. Sullivan said that in other cases the Highways Board was contributing. It was impracticable for the Railway Department to face financing arid erecting overhead bridges at all such level crossings. Tho Minister invited the council t<* decide what it could contribute toward the cost of an overhead bridge and also to confer with the Minister of Public Works, tho Hon. 11. Semple, and himself, on the question of the Highways Board contributing. The council later left the matter in Mr. Masse, y's hands. STAFF AND PUBLIC ADDRESSES BY MINISTER Matters affecting the interests of railwaymen both in regard to service conditions and to public relationships wero dealt with by tho Minister of Railways, tho Hon. D. G. Sullivan, when he addressed large meetings at Frankton Junction and the Otahuhu workshops yesterday. Mr. Sullivan also made a statement of the Government's policy in the future activities of the railways and asked for the co-operation of all branches of the service in carrying it out.

At each meeting the reception given to the Minister and to his remarks was both friendly and enthusiastic, according to a subsequent announcement made on the Minister's behalf. When at Otahuhu Mr. Sullivan fully explained certain matters directly affecting the staff which had been the basis of recent interviews between the representatives of the four railwaymen s organisations and the Government. He also referred to matters affecting the staff which had been dealt with since the Labour Government camo into office.

The announcement added that resolutions of confidence in the policy of the Government and in Mr. Sullivan as Minister of Railways were carried unanimously at both meetings.