EAST COAST RAILWAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 16705, 24 July 1928, Page 8

EAST COAST RAILWAY

SECOND EDITION.

EXTENSION TO OPOTIKI PETITION TO PARLIAMENT SETTLERS PLEDGE THEMSELVES. A representative meeting was held in OjSotiki tm Friday night, when matters in connection witu the petition to Parliament asking lor the immediate construction of ttic railway from 'Laneat.ua to Opotiki were finalised. Kepresentatives from the various local bodies were present; also Mr. 1). Rodie, commercial manager of railways, and .Mr. A. VV. Wellslcd, business agent of the liariway Department. Mr. .). H, Beid, chairman of the .special railway committee, oceu pien the chair. The chairman said he was meascd to say that since the last meeting a. great deal of support had been promised from the House. The petition had been signed by about 2000 electors. Several Vetiiiiis had yet to come in which would considerably augment the number. The chiei business was to put before the meeting a. .suggestion that a strong deputation lie .sent to VVellinton. The Opotiki County Council and the Borough Council would be represented, and he ullsu understood tliat tile Farmers' Union and the Chamber of Commerce would he sending representatives. • He suggested tliat the business interests of (lie district should also he represented.

There was one matter he wished to particularly bring before the meeting, lie wanted them to clearly understand that they wanted the people of the district to support the railway. Should the line bo built to Opotiki there would be less money expended in the upkeep of the roads. If the present line to Taneatua was made self-supporting this would be the greatest argument lor extension. It depended upon the amount of support given to the line to gel it to Opotiki. They bad the freight for the railway, and'they should give it to the railway. Mr. Reid said if the Government was going to make the railway the people of the district must support it. The chairman then put a proposal before the meeting that the petition he sent to Parliament and that the .Lion. K. S. Williams, member for the district, he asked t<» present it. lie also proposed thai- a strong deputation be sent to Wellington io support the petition. On being put Io the meeting tlio proposal was parried by acclamation. COMMERCIAL MANAGER 1M PRESSED. Mr. Kodie suggested that if at any time I hey had any railway matter to bring up they should get in touch with Mr. Wellsted. Both were present, in Opotiki under the instructions of Mr. Sterling, general manager of railways, and the Hon. K. S. Williams, to inquire into the possibilities of the extension of the line. He (the speaketj had passed over the road three times. They would remain in the district until thorough inquiries had been made. He did not expect people to run away with the idea, that the railway should pay from the start. When tile line was built increased production shoutld result, and the railway should carry the results of the increased production. He had noticed that when the railway had gone into the country he had seen it " blossom as the rose." It. was not fair that the railway should carry only the low-rated freight and competitors carry the remunerative freight. Continuing, the speaker said he had received a very favorable impression of the district. He thanked them for the support already given to the Taneatua section. It had been open too short a time to say whether it was giving a payable nature, of traffic. What the department wanted was the general merchandise. The tariff was passed on the supposition that the railway would get all the freight. The railway could not cany only the cheap freights. Owing to the keen competition throughout the country conditions as at present could not. remain. His duty was to present merely a report of what business the railway would get if the line was built. ALL TRAFFIC WANTED. Mr. (!. Johlin asked if written guarantees would be of any use. Mr. Rodie said he was unable to seo in what way a guarantee wotdd get business. Mr. Tabb asked what was the effect of the boat at Whakatane competing with the railway from Taneatua. Mr. Rodie replied that as the shipping company had reduced their rates as scon as the line was opened it was impossible to say what the results were.

Mr. Carroll said Ihe people would have to pay fur the railway whether they supported if or not. lii Mr. Seddon'.s lime, when the railways were pitying well, the people got the full benefit of any reductions. Once the people realised the railway was their own enterprise there would be no fear of giving Hit! freight to other competitors. Mr. Rodie said he wanted to mak'. j it clear that they wanted the. whole, of the traffic. Tt was only by giving full support that they would get full eliiciency. The Government had im intention of making a freight war. The chairman made an appeal for fighting funds. This met with a ready response, 'and £36 was given towards the cost of sending a strong deputation to Wellington. The chairman said there would be no trouble in getting the balance.

Mr. A. L. Arrcwsmith moved : " That this meeting representing tho various interests in the Opotiki County pledges itself ,to support by word, act ana every legal means in its power the Government Railway Department in its endeavor to provide facilities of transport within the Dominion, for the producers and their produce, and the commercial community, and deprecates the support of private companies to the detriment of the Slate-owned railway." The motion was seconded by Mr. J. Armstrong and carried unanimously.