DARGAVILLE INTERESTS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 759, 4 September 1929, Page 10

DARGAVILLE INTERESTS

Combating the statement of the member for Marsden, that the railway line should not have passed Kirikopuni, and that a road would serve equally as well, Mr. F. A. Jones, at the Chamber of Commerce meeting last evening, said that the construction of the line was necessary for the development of the district. It also linked up the Donnelly’s CrossingDargaville line with the main trunk system of New Zealand. Representations regarding these lines were being made to tho Minister for Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, and the member for KLaipara, tho Right Hon. J. G. Coates. Tho chamber accorded its support to a resolution forwarded by the Hobson County Council in respect of the alteration in tlio road grants allocation. Mr. F. J. Dargaville, said he had noticed that a Northern member, speaking in Parliament, had inferred that the North had received more than its share of expenditure during recent years. He would say emphatically that it was not so. In the olden days tho production in the North of timber and gum had been responsible for big imports. Bushmen and gumdiggera were heavy drinkers and heavy smokers, and had contributed a largo sum annually to the revenue of the exports of timber and gum were valued country through the Customs. The at from £30,000,000 to £40,000,000. He challenged the statement that the North had had its fair share of expenditure. Until very recent years the North of Auckland was nut on the map. He hoped that the statements would be contradicted, as they wero contrary to fact;.