MINISTERIAL FOUR

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19334, 26 May 1937, Page 4

MINISTERIAL FOUR

OPOTIKI RECEPTION

AIR. ,SE.UPT,E'S BUSY DAY

FARMERS & THE RAILWAY (Herald Special Reporter) OPOTIKI, this clay. Public works jobs of varied natures were visited and discussed by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. 1?. Semple, in the course of a busy day of travel and observation yesterday through the northern portion of the Bay of Plenty electorate.

The Minister's principal purpose in visiting the electorate is to traverse the East Cape road from Opotiki to Gisborne, the district member, Mr. A. G. Ilultquist, having prevailed upon him to make a personal inspection of the conditions under which the .settlers in the Cape Runaway section are living, and to assess for himself the value of the route as a tourist highway.

The Ministerial party, which includes Mrs. Semple. left Whakalane yesterday morning, and travelled to Opotiki by way of the secondary highway via Wainui, as far as its junction with the State road in the Wannana. Here Mr. .Semple and his party were met by .Messrs. .1. 11. lieid and \V. W. Upton, chairman and engineer respectively of the (Ipoiiki County Council, and were taken hack along the State road to view the proposed line of the railway extension from Taneatna to Opotiki. and also the tidal flats of Hiwirau. Local Bodies' Luncheon The party arrived at Opotiki in time for lunch, the Opotiki Borough Council, County Council., and Power Board being the joint hosts of the Minister and his party. Subsequently visits were paid to the aerodrome and to various convenient points from which Mr. Semple was able to form a good impression of the needs of the town and district, his personal inquiries being brisk and indicating a close interest in all that he was shown. Later, in dismissing district needs, the Minister referred particularly to the proposal to extend the railway to Opotiki. and slated in reply to representations on the part of local bodies that the line would not be started until the Government could be assured of adequate support from the whole community. ]f the people could not he persuaded that it was to their own benefit to give support to the line, the fiovornment would be bound to delay. It would he criminal to spend a, large sum of money in providing a railway which the public would not use. Developmental Value lie assured his audience that the Government would not expect the line to pay from the start, and that the developmental value would be taken into account, but if the people of the district were really enthusiastic about the proposal he felt, there was good reason to take the matter up seriously. He emphasised, however, that the Government would not permit competition with rail haulage by road transport, if the line was put in hand.

The Minister was given an assurance hv Mr. Ilultquist that the local authorities and the Opotiki Railway Development League strongly supported the building of the line, and that no Organised opposition existed in any part ol the district affected.

Last evening Mr. ami Mrs. Semple were the principal guests at a social function tendered to the touring party by the Labour Party's branch in (ipotiki. the Minister expressing his keen satisfaction in meeting supporters of the Government in such large numbers. Incidentally, he paid a warm tribute to the work 'in the". House and among the Government departments of Mr. Ilultquist, the district, representative in Parliament.