GISBORNE RAILWAY

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18867, 19 November 1935, Page 4

GISBORNE RAILWAY

MR. LYSNAR'S PROJECT OFFER OF CAPITAL REPLY TO MR, OOLEaIAN The substantial nature of the offer he had negotiated in connection with the construction and operation of the Gisborne railway by the aid of private financiers with whom he had had dealings in London, was the, subject of further reference by Mr W. D. Lysnar, Independent candidate for the Gisborne seat, in the course of an address which he delivered last evening at Muriwai. Mr Lysnar replied to Mr Coleman's statement that there was no hope of the line being completed by private enterprise, and quoted from Hansard to indicate that the Prime Minister was fully seized of the importance of the offer which had' been conveyed to him.

Mr Lysnar referred in the first instance to the cable message he had received last week, asking him to use his endeavors to speed up matters bypressure at this end. He staled that the promoters with whom he had been in (dose touch wished to have a period of four months in which to finalise their preparations and to raise the amount of ,C2,2">0,000 which they considered would cover construction and operating costs for a time. LETTER TO MR COLEMAN Mr Lysnar stated that he had not received the assistance from the'sitting member for Gisborne which he felt entitled to receive in a matter of such importance to the district, and quoted as follows from a letter he had sent to Mr Coleman on June 14 last: — "On June 4 I waited upon you in your capacity as member for this district and as Mayor of the town, to ask the co-operation and support of yourself and the Borough Council in urging the Government to finalise the negotiations regarding the NapierGisborne railway. As 1 have not heard anything from you regarding this important matter, I wish to point out lo you that delay in the negotiations is likely to endanger our chance of having the railway .completed. Consequently, I would be glad to know if you and the Gisborne Borough Council can assist in any way." No official reply was received to that letter, stated Mr Lysnar, but on September 13 last, Mr Coleman had spoken at length in the House of Representatives, urging the Government lo complete the line. That prospect already had been surrendered by the railway committee at Gisborne, Mr Lysnar pointed out, and Mr Coleman, as chairman of the committee, knew that that was the case. He had himself stated that there was not'a ghost of a chance of getting the line completed either by private enterprise or by the present Government,, and since that, was his view, he was merely begging the question when he had made his speech on September 13. QUESTIONS PUT TO PREMIER

Tile candidate referred further to what he considered the evasive questions put to the Prime Minister by Mr Coleman ou October JO, and quoted Hansard to the following effect: —•

Mr CoJcinaii (Gisborne): "Was the Prime Minister, while recently in firitain, approached by any person or persons in connection with the proposal for the completion and operation of the East Coast, railway by a company or syndicate; and did he, while there take up such a proposal with any person or persons; and, if so, has such negotiation ended in any definite result?" The Rt. Hon. O. W. Forbes, Prime Minister: "The Rt. Hon. The JUinister of Finance and I were approached when in London by a group of persons acting on behalf of'Mr W. D. Lysnar, of Gisborne, with a view to negotiating an agreement with the Government to enable the flotation of a company for the purpose of completing and operating the Napier-Gisborne railway line. We had several interviews with these people, and as the negotiations were not completed when we left Londou, the, High Commissioner was instructed to carry them on with the assistance and advice of a firm of solicitors, and to keep the Government advised of progress made The only information on the subject since received from the High Commissioner indicates that no further progross has been made." li' Mr Coleman had gone straight to the Government, in his capacity of member for the district and .chairman of the district railway committee, and asked them to finalise the agreement, something might have been accomplished, added Mr Lysnar. Instead, Mr Coleman chose to make a speech in the Douse—which he (Mr Lysnar) was convinced jeouid have jm effect—and had asked evasive questions of the Prime Minister. Had t.ho district member given his proposals the right support, Mr Lysnar claimed, the railway might have been under construction by now. Halfhearted advocacy would not- advance any project, he held.