RAILCAR SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26775, 19 May 1948, Page 4

RAILCAR SERVICE

CENTRAL OTAGO LINE

MR P. G. CONNOLLY’S VIEWS

“Nothing more than a meeting of the National Party in Alexandra,” was the description given by Mr P. G. Connolly, M.P. for Dunedin Central, when he mentioned last Friday’s conference on the question of the provision of a railcar service on the Central Otago line at a meeting of members and supporters of the Dunedin Central electorate of the Labour Party last evening. “ None of the local members of Parliament was asked to attend. Instead, a collection of city representatives. most of them unsuccessful National candidates at some time, went up to make a hullabaloo. “Mr Bodkin knows as well as any of us why there is no railcar service to Central Otago,” he said. “Mr Semple has told us time and time again that the units are simply nor in the country and they may not be in the country for three or four years to come. Britain has commitments in other markets for such equipment. Furthermore, Mr Semple has said that when the units are here will be the time to decide where they are going to be used. “ I know that the four city members have worked really hard for the benefit of Central Otago,” continued Mr Connolly. “There is a lot of talk about a' town and country rift these d'ays. Well, if there is a town and country rift, it is being engineered by those politically opposed to us. That conference in Alexandra was one incident —that is why we were not asked to attend.”