“POLITICAL” LINE

Southland Times, Issue 20834, 24 July 1929, Page 5

“POLITICAL” LINE

TAUPO-ROTORUA PREMIER CREATES A SENSATION LETTER TO FORMER PRIME MINISTER (Special to the Times.) Wellington, July 23. Reciting reasons why the Government decided to discontinue work on the TaupoRotorua railway, the Prime Minister created a sensation in the House to-night by quoting a letter addressed to the late Prime Minister in 1927, criticizing the latter for not' fulfilling his promise and for not providing for work on the estimates. Sir Joseph said the decision had been made dispassionately, but he read the letter in proof of his contention that the line was a political railway. The letter was as follows:— Broadlands, Waiotapu, Auckland, New Zealand, October 25, 1927. The Hon. J. G. Coates, Wellington, Dear Sir, Again there is nothing on the estimates for our railway. What becomes of your promise made to our deputation at Taupo. Can one place no dependence on the promise of a Prime Minister? I may tell you that, relying on your word, I entered on a new scheme of improvements upon which I have expended an additional £3OOO. All this will have to be abandoned, for it is impossible to carry on without means of access. I am filled with regret that I did such an enormous amount of work in launching the Reform Party. From its inception until my leaving Auckland to come here in 1908, every meeting of the executive and general committees was held in my office and I can truly say that had it not been for the tremendous amount of work (Jone and the enthusiasm put in by myself and about two others, there would be no Reform Party to-day. No Government could have done less for this area. However, you have achieved one thing. You have got rid of me and my persistence. I am done. It is the cud of a great enthusiasm, but it is not really in the interest of the country that enthusiasm should be crushed.—Yours faithfully, E. E. Vaile.