ROTORUA TO BE BOOSTED

Taranaki Daily News, 8 June 1929, Page 15

ROTORUA TO BE BOOSTED

DOMINION’S TOURIST CENTRE

GOVERNMENT PLANS ANNOUNCED.

DEFENCE OF RAILWAYS POLICY.

By Telegraph.—-Press Association

Rotorua, Last Night.

Justification of the Government’s action in stopping the Rotorua-Taupo railway was made by Sir Joseph Ward here to-night. The ground on which the action was taken, he said, was that the railway could not pay. Conditions since the last commission gave its report had completely changed, said Sir Joseph. Alotor transport had grown to be a formidable competitor to the railways. He would tell the audience to their faces that his reasons were arrived after mature consultation with his colleagues. The line should never have been started and would never bo started again. Sir Joseph alluded to the inconclusiveness of the commission’s report, to which one of the members, Mr. Monro, did not assent in material points. In place of the railway a bitumen road to Taupo would be constructed. The administration wanted money to make Rotorua the tourist centre of the Dominion by erecting buildings of permanent utilitarian character. The past administration had neglected the Tourist Department. The speaker would not neglSct it. Funds would be provided to carry out the reconstruction of the pavilion and the blue baths. The Public Works Department had almost completed plans for this work, -which would be started as soon as the planse were available. They would be -substantial structures equal to anything in the world. The winter of discontent in Rotorua would be turned to glorious summer. The previous Government had let the buildings fall into the last stage of decrepetude. The Government would renew the glory and prestige of Rotorua. A new sanatorium would be erected that would be equal to the task of providing curative facilities to those in need. The tourist roads to Wairoa, Waimangu Loop, Okareka, Rotokawa, Okataina and the lake roads would all be attended to. The sum of £7OOO would be devoted to the Wairoa Road immediately. The railway policy of the administration, which centred on the completion of main lines and the total cessation of short line building, was defended. Sir Joseph also said that if necessary some short lines in existence would be stopped.