COMPLETION AT LAST

Stratford Evening Post, Volume II, Issue 90, 9 November 1932, Page 3

COMPLETION AT LAST

.«tS f 41 -A,' . 1 TRIBUTE TO PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT MUCH DUE TO MR. COATES r. > . " ■, 1 - “The railway we have been over today has been the subject for a great many years—so many that ,vye have, at times, thought we would be dead before it was fin. ished —of hope. fear, despair and now pf satisfaction that the work has been satisfactorily, complet,'ed,,, said Mu J, B, Richards, in. . proposing the toast to the Public Works; ■)Department at Monday night’s banquet in Stratford. In the building of a railway a great deal depended upon the engineers, and Stratford had had quite a nuin. her of distinguished engineers. Mr F. W. Furkert started in a small house at Stratford and had finished at the top of the tree in his profession. Mr Richards believed that that night marked the close of Mr Fur. kert’s professional career, but he would leave behind a record of which any man might be proud. (Applause.) The influence of a railway upon the development of a district was commented upon by Mr Richards, who went on to say that the district How served was not yet at a state of full production because the best and proper mean s of “bringing in’’ the country were not yet completely understood. In. time they would be and lie looked forward to the arrival, of that not far distant day. Today the province of Taranaki was united and Joyful, and much was due to Mr Cbates, to' whom Stratford people frequently had had to make rePresen. tations. At one time, he confessed, a certain, amount of disappointment had been felt when Mr Coates had been unable to meet ithejr requests for expedition. However, they had been tQld that when the time did arrive the ,jnen would ‘hop in and go for their lives.’’ That they had done in , a fine spirit, and now the line was finished. >ir Coates in response said enough deputations had been received over the question of the railway just completed ,and he facetiously added that he- thought he could already detect a note of disappointment in Stratford —there would be nothing left to talk about. Seriously, he was glad that the, line had been completed, and he believed that it would be of untold value. At the same time it had to be remembered that the enormous cost entailed in the construction would ijejquire considerable revenue in compensation. The Public Works Department, .had already decreased its ex. pepditure by 4(T per cent., and further ..decreases were still necessary. The vßbpple of New Zealand would have to 1 T.epiise that such money as would be would be administered as ■WiSdly as possible and in the best interests of the country as a whole. The Railway Department had con. . iyitßntiy asked for the completion of the .'Stratford Main Trunk hue and ihe^ .Railways Board had considered it of such importance as to carry on the work, said Mr Coates. He went on to deal with his recent Canadian visit and spoke of the excellent standing of the United King, d6in in world affairs. “Why has the United Kingdom such an enormous sway, in the world?’’ Ue asked, replying that it was because of her following the ideals of truth, honesty and fidelity, based on the true teachings of Christianity. ,