NOT “CRICKET”

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 726, 27 July 1929, Page 6

NOT “CRICKET”

MR. COATES ON THE VAILE LETTER RAILWAYS IN THE NORTH “It was not ‘cricket’ to produce a letter from the files and read it in the House. "We would not have done--it. Of course, the letter may have been read as part of party politics.” The Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, made the above remarks this morning on his arrival from Wellington. He was referring to the action of the Prime* Minister, the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Ward, in reading a letter from Mr. E. E. Vaile to Mr. Coates regarding the Construction of the Rotorua-Taupo railway. “That line was decided on purely in the interests of our Land Settlement Scheme,” Mr. Coates said.

"There was nothing personal in the railway—nothing at all. There never has been any personal element In any of the railways we have undertaken.” Mr. Coates said that some explanation was necessary regarding the construction of the Walotlra JunctionKlrikopunl line. This apparently had been misunderstood. THE KIRIKOPUNI LINE The commission originally set up to consider the line had fixed the route from Waiotlra to Kaikohe, in the far North. This would have taken the line through the Mangakahia River valley In practically a straight line. It was decided on some years ago and a start was made with Its construction. Then the main North line to Whangarei was completed and the work of that line accelerated. A review of the original line was then made, settlers were conferred with and a point was fixed to run the line to Kirikopuni, and a road was constructed from Kirikopuni to Mangakahia. The remainder of the line to the North cut into that from Kirikopuni to Kaikohe, a distance of 40 miles. Finally the line to Kirikopuni was completed. Regarding the complaint which had been made about the loop on the Waiotira-Kirikopuni line Mr. Coates said that it was an afterthought which was provided when it was decided to link up the Kaihu Valley route with the main line. Work was stopped at Kirikopuni because it was thought by the Reform Government that the road communication was sufficient at that time. ENTHUSIASTIC MEETING Mr. Coates was met at the.railway station this morning by the largest crowd of supporters which has ever gathered there since he went out of office. He was greeted with cheers and congratulated on his work as Leader of the Opposition. During the week-end he will meet the executive of his party and will conduct a considerable amount of business. Mr. Coates will return to Wellington by the Limited on Monday evening.