EAST COAST RAILWAY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11792, 4 March 1909, Page 7

EAST COAST RAILWAY.

FACETIOUS THAMES PEOPLE. A deputation from the Thames Borough Council waited upon the Hon. R. Mulvcime (Minister / for Public Works), in connection with tlio Etvst Ct>ast milwny. The Mayor (Mr A. Bums) said that the Council, in "conjunction with the Qhinomuri and Waihi OouncilH, had been endeavoring to bring before the Government the desirableness of proceeding with ' the railway via the East Coast. No work in the Dominion, he contended, had better claims on the Government tkui this. I'he proposed railway would open up a very good district, and would connect the" farmers of the Bay of Plenty with Waihi, Paeroa, and Thames. Mr K. H. I'aylor, M.P., in .supporting the request of the deputation, saul that the people of the .Thames wanted l the railway continued from WaJhi to Gisborne. The whole district looked upon this railway as being of the utmost importance, v The Thames was, geographically speaking, the only workable port between Auckland and Napier. The Minister : You must not say that to Gisborne people. ' Mr Taylor remarked that Gisboivnk uri,o not an .altogether safe harbor. On the other hand, the Haumki Gulf w,as absolutely .safe for vessels to lie in at any time. He believed that the possibilities for harbor development at the Thames were very great.' The Filst Coast railway connection was one of thc'nfost important things tho Government could attend to now that the Main .'Trunk was off its hands. He believed that ultimately Thames would be a 'great seaport. Mr McKenzie promised to give. the Council's representations every consideration. No doubt, he saMd, he* would hear contradictory opinons before long, especially as regarded the Thames harbor. He ventured to say that-. the people of Gisborne, for instajice," -would inot listen foi' one moment to the Thames being the outlet for their produce- The East Coast railway was not authorised yet, and until it was he could not help them. Be was merely going over the ground for the purpose of selecting the be-st route.