GISBORNE STOPPAGE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17450, 24 December 1930, Page 7

GISBORNE STOPPAGE

DELEGATION’S PROTEST PLEDGES CALLED TO MIND VALUE OF P.II. TRAFFIC' A keen realisation of the extent to which the district’s future is likely to be affected by the Government’s decision to stop construction on the Waikokopu-Gishorno section of the East Const main trunk railway was evinced at an emergency meeting of thi' Gisborne railway delegation held this morning. The meeting was convened by tin* Mayor, Mr. I). W. Coleman, to give the members an opportunity of registering their views as to what course should be taken immediately, pending the organisation of a public meeting after the . holiday period, and those present comprised Messrs. Coleman, J. Toinblesen (chairman of the Gisborne Harbor Board), C. H. Williams (Sheepowners’ Union), F. S. Bowen (Farmers’ Union, and C. (!. Bloore (Chamber of Commerce).

The discussion was marked by a degree of restraint which did not, however, disguise the very serious view those present took of tho crisis that has arisen. It was agreed that the delegation should take action immediately to advise Cabinet of its contention that the stoppage of the works is unjustifiable from any point of view other than that of a financial stringency which would affect construction in all parts of the Dominion. The opinions of the delegation were condensed in the terms of a resolution given below, and these being communicated to Messrs. Charles Matthews (chairman of the Cook County Council), F. Tolerton (representative on the delegation from the Waikohu County Council), and F. R. Ball (chairman of the Poverty Bay Power Board), endorsed whole-heartedly by these gentlemen, who were prevented by pressure of other engagements from attending the meeting.

LAND IMPROVEMENT SCHEME Reference was made in the discussion to the projected absorption of men discharged from the railway works in a land improvement scheme ar M.ohaka and elsewhere. The comment of representatives of farmers’ organisations on this scheme was that while thousands of producers on really good land throughout the Dominion were making heavy losses, the Government was proposing to invest a large amount of money in the breaking-in of land which could not be regarded as approaching first-class. Another point considered was whether the resolution should he communicated to individual members of Cabinet or to ttie acting-Prime Minister alone. It was decided to confine the direct representations to the Hon. K. A. Ransom, as the spokesman of Cabinet, and await his reply before taking any more comprehensive action to advise his colleagues of the views held in this district. The Christmas spirit was evinced by a fur tlier decision to refrain from any programme of continuous ana sustained bombardment of tho Ministers with pro paganda during the holidays, members of tins delegation appreciating that Cabinet Ministers will have their hands lull of trouble for the next lew weeks, and that even public officials are entitled to a surcease from arduous duties during i in- holiday period. A suggestion xvhich found favor with Die delegation was that a public peti tion should be organised, as a further evidence of the deep concern felt in Poverty Bay respecting the possible stoppage of the railway. This petition will be launched at the public meeting which tho Mayor has undertaken, in response to numerous requests, to convene as soon as the general transaction of public is resumed.

OPINIONS OF COST The text of this morning’s resolution was as under : “The Poverty Bay railway delegation, representing all sections of the community, strongly protests against the stoppage of work on the GisborneWaikokopu line. Thu promise made by the late Sir Joseph AVard was that lie would put the work so far. in band that no other Government would stop its completion ; and unless Parliament is called together and agrees to stop all railway construction throughout the Dominion, we expect your party to carry out this work and honor its pledge. “We further expect you to honor your pledge to hear and consider our views on the matter, either by receiving a delegation from us, or preferably by visiting the district and discussing the matter on the spot. Tbe loss involved in abandoning or even postponing the completion of that portion of tbe line, amounting to only 20 miles, which is so essential to the success of tbe whole work, would be so serious as to outweigh completely any gain to the finances of the country; and such important decisions cannot be arrived at without much more comprehensive consideration than this has received.

“We affirm and can prove that your information as to the probable revenue is quite inaccurate. The line from Napier northward is entirely dependent iiiuiii Poverty Bay traffic for its success. The revenue from Poverty Bay would be reduced from a probable £1130,000 per annum to practically nil, by the noncompletion of the connection, 'lhe loss entailed by stoppage of tbe work in its present stage, and the delay in giving the completed portion the advantage of the Poverty Bay traffic, is infinitely greater than the gain. We urgently request that the work he not stopped until a final decision lias been reached, and that tbe present, organisation be riot destroyed.”