SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17231, 10 April 1930, Page 8

SOUTH ISLAND RAILWAY

THE REFORM POLICY ' LEADER’S EXPLANATION (Pur Press Association.) WI-JLH NGTGN. last niglti. Ooinmoiiting on yesterday's telegram from Blenheim, (he Hi. lion. .1. G. (nates said that members of the Helium Party, Mr. H. Holland of Christchurch included, would icmetnkcr that the attitude, of the' party was clearly defined when the mailer was discussed in the House last session. "So far as the South Island .Main Trunk line is concerned, the party considers that il tin impartial survey of (lie case shows that the construction can he j usl i lied. then the work- would go ahead, ’ said Mr. ( oates. ‘but all ine technical evidence dearly showed that great caution should -he exercised. As to the Midland line. I am definitely o! tite opinion that construction work theie should cease until a thorough investigation Juts been made, particularly ol the ellrrt ol the recent cart (uptake, by which part, of the route was badly shaken. ‘We believe that before ;my new line is constructed." Mr. (dates added, "a competent body of men should investi gate all aspects iti order to show whether or not a good road cannot, at this stage, economically'serve the districts through which the railway is proposed to T.o Imilt. In view of the important bearing that motor traffic has upon transport economies at the .present day. it is very desirable that a proper investigation should lie made in each case before plunging into heavy expenditure. In any case, the country should be made aware of* the position as to whether a profit or a loss is to lie faced by the construction of any line.’